Resolutions 2021

The most popular New Year’s resolutions are:

• lose weight
• start a workout routine
• get healthy
• get organized and declutter
• quit smoking or drinking, or both

Sound familiar? Of course, it does. We’ve all had at least one or two of these on our list year after year! Some have been very successful, and others, well for myself, I lose motivation.

Here’s why. I tend to get overwhelmed because I set too many goals for myself. I am much better with a one-at-a-time approach. Sometimes my dreams are unrealistic and impossible to obtain. If I do not do something entirely in my eyes, I tend to give up. I forget I can start over anytime, any date. It doesn’t just have to be on January 1.

Here are some ideas to make our goals more simple.

1. Start small. Organize the junk drawer; just one drawer seems much more attainable than the entire office or kitchen or pantry. Choose one drawer, one shelf, one cabinet, start small.
2. Give yourself grace, forgive yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if you stop and don’t finish. It’s tough to keep an immaculate house with kids around. There is a saying that I like, “cleaning your home with kids in it is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos.“ I don’t know who said it, but I like it.
3. Celebrate the small victories. Keep it one day at a time. Just do one thing today and then try to do it again and add something new tomorrow. I’m referring to exercise here. The most exercise I get on a day-to-day basis is walking from my house to my car to wherever I’m going and then back again. I’ll clue you in on one of my resolutions this year. I’m going to park further away from the entrances to places. It will add steps every day to my otherwise low step goal. Last year I set my goal on my step tracker low so that when I would reach it, I would celebrate. This year I’m going to move those steps up because, let’s face it, the only time I ever really get over 25,000 steps is when I spend a day at Disney.

Now let’s discuss attainable resolutions for 2021. Let’s face it; we are all ready to put 2020 behind us. Here is a small list:

1. Read more. One of the things that is low on my list of priorities. I like to pick up magazines, and I don’t mind reading with the kids, But let’s face it. I never take the time to read what I like to read.
2. Turn off social media. Now I’m not talking about permanently. I mean, who could do that in this day and age but set it down for maybe just a day and then tomorrow do it again. Try it for one week to see what happens. See how it affects your life. I’ve done this in the past. I set it down for almost five months. I quit comparing everyone else’s outsides to my insides. It’s incredible how much time I spend in the black hole that is social media. It also forced me to reach out to people and find out what is going on in their lives and grow relationships.
   
3. Be kind. Do one random act of kindness and do not tell anyone about it. Open the door for someone, smile, and say hello, compliment someone. All of these things go along way. Now I know what you’re thinking, how do you smile behind a mask?  I tell my kids that it is called “smeyes” smile with your eyes. Can you see it? Have you seen one? You can make a difference with just one small act. And the more you do it, the more natural it becomes.
4. Journal. Honestly, I never have, not once in my life, ever journaled consistently. I always stop if I skip too many days in a row. Who sets the standards for journaling? I do! There are no rules. Whatever it is, I write down whenever I write it. And that is enough!
5. Adopt a plant. I started taking care of plants in February 2020. We had moved into a new house, and I decided that I would attempt to grow live plants. I don’t claim to have a green thumb, but I have found some that I have been able to keep alive. Start with just one plant that is low maintenance. You will find that you want more plants in your life. And they’re good for your health! If you need help finding it easy to grow plants, here is a link.
   
6. Meet your neighbors. I am guilty of living in places and never meeting my neighbors. We have a lot of foot and bicycle traffic in our neighborhood. I always try to say hi with a wave or a smile. It’s opening the door for a conversation, maybe not today but at some point in the future. It’s also a great way to meet the neighbors that don’t live immediately around you.

It is hard to stick to a new resolution every year with your expectations for the new year so high, but with these realistic resolutions, maybe you can find some ideas. You can make a small difference in your life that can turn into something much bigger, and at some point in the year, you will feel so accomplished knowing that you are sticking to your resolution. I hope some of these resolutions give you an idea of where to start to make 2021 the best year ever.

What are your realistic resolutions for this year?