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10 Realistic Mom Goals For The New Year

Written by Katherine Oakes

Photography by Photographed by James Kicinski-McCoy

If the idea of setting New Year’s resolutions is something you roll your eyes at, then we politely say “you’re doing it all wrong.” Goal setting can be a helpful, exciting, and a reinvigorating practice to help tackle another year for both mothers and women in general. Even if you had the crappiest couple of months and your glass is less than half full, setting your sights on a more promising future by way of some new targets is a helpful tactic to manage and enjoy everything that is to come. So, make them realistic and a little exhilarating. Here are some ideas to get you on the road a better new year/new you!

Quell Negative Self-Talk And Harsh Comparison. Instead, work on implementing positive and empowering thoughts when you find yourself about to dive down that rabbit hole of negative thinking. If all else fails, making a list of 5 things to be grateful for in that moment will always get you back on solid ground again.

Set A Sleeping Schedule And Stick To It! Your body has its own internal clock that knows when to wind you up and back down again when you need it. Being as diligent as possible with both your kids’ and your own bedtime will help balance your hormones so you wake up well rested in the morning.

Insist On “X” Amount Of Me Time. With a capital M. As a caretaker, we know how crazy it can be to balance everyone else’s life, but make it a habit to care for yourself, too. This way, your tank is as full as possible and you’ll be a great example to your little ones who will certainly notice (because they always do, right?) that it’s important to take just as good care of yourself as you do for others.

Find A Creative Outlet. It’s healthy to stretch your brain by doing something new and outside of the box. Whether that’s journaling, playing an instrument, making a soufflée, knitting—whatever it is, pick a manageable project that gives you delight and allows you to simply enjoy the moment.

Cut Back On Processed And Packaged Foods. This can be a hard one, we know—especially with next-to-no-time to prepare healthy meals. However, the virtue of whole foods is that you absorb more nutrition and fight aging better than you would with a bag of pretzels and other quick, packaged foods.

Plan Something To Look Forward To With Friends. Because, is there anything more exciting and stress-relieving than a tropical getaway with your girlfriends that you planned 8 months ago? Absolutely not. Well, maybe the cocktails on the plane, but besides that, we can’t think of a single thing.

Find A Realistic And Rewarding Form Of Exercise. Going for a long and quiet walk in the morning, a restorative 30-minute at-home yoga class while the baby sleeps, or perhaps a weekly kickboxing class with friends can give you that burst of healthy adrenaline and endorphins that your body and mind need to keep you in good mental and physical condition. Make it enjoyable and easy to fit in your schedule so that it becomes a habit rather than something you dread doing, and you might just be surprised at how dedicated you become.

Learn To Cook A New Dish. Cooking is a great way to exercise your brain and build up your arsenal. Grab your kids and make it a family event or do it on your own. Either way, expanding your palettes and range of cooking skills is always a good idea and it can actually be very therapeutic!

Quit Multitasking While You Work. Productivity levels rise when you do one thing at a time. This can also help you eliminate stress and that annoying feeling of never having enough time to get things done. Plus, you’ll do a much better job when you stay present and in the moment.

Stay Flexible. In life, at home, at work. Being able to go with the flow and bounce back is always a better way to handle stressful situations. Find your most resilient self and stick to it, no matter what.

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