Realistic New Years resolutions

I don’t know how about you, but every year I have this impressing list of New Years resolutions. And usually I ditch them all after a week or so. Last year I was pregnant and still naive. I hoped that being a grown-up that I was then (expecting my second baby here!) I’ll be able to fix my life for good.

On top of my list was eating really healthy, like quinoa twice a week and no frozen pizza. Ever. And I was supposed to feed my new baby exclusively with fresh and organic hand made baby food. Actually I was supposed to start a vegetable garden !

I was also supposed to start exercising. I think my plan was to prepare myself for the summer marathon, with a baby in a stroller ( hahaha!) because you know, if you really want it, you can do it, right?

Also, I was supposed to find time and place, and paint huge paintings. At home, with babies. Yes, take out all my painting gear and finally become the artist I was supposed to be. I was also supposed to read as much as I used to before kids ( haha!).

There where other unrealistic resolutions on my list, but as I said, after a week I ditched my list, so I can’t even remember them now.

And at this point, I realize that I just need to make realistic New Years resolutions. Not even half, but like 10% of what I used to. Here it is :

1. Stop with the mommy guilt.
That wasn’t on my last years resolution list, but it should have been. There is always something that I feel I could do better for my kids, but actually I’m already doing the best I can. So adding guilt on top of it doesn’t make any sense.

2. Eat healthier once a week.
Next to my vegetarian Fridays, I’m adding healthy and new recipe Wednesday. We’ll see how it goes.

3. Plant one tomato plant.
That should be a good start of our vegetable garden.

4. Do yoga with YouTube twice a week.
Or once. At home, in my pyjamas. That seems realistic enough :).

5. Find time for yourself. Once a month.
Let’s say, every fourth Saturday morning for an hour or two. And when you’re a SAHM , than it means no kids around. And maybe, just maybe I’ll be able to paint one or two tiny watercolours this year. That’s sounds realistic, doesn’t it ?

6. Go to sleep earlier.
And read before falling a sleep, like I used to. Maybe one book a season ? Ok, two a year ?

7. Follow my own parenting advice, and read one book a day to my kids.
It may be difficult on Wednesdays when I’m supposed to cook a new healthy meal, so maybe I’ll read one book a day except for Wednesdays..

8. Have more fun with kids, lough and be silly.
It may be the most important one!

9. Say: I’m grateful.
If we verbalize it, we realize it, so instead of saying what I need I’ll try to acknowledge more what I already have.

10. Live in the present.
Instead of photographing my kids playing in the snow, I promise to myself, to be playing with them ( see number 8).

This is it, I think it’s realistic enough :). I’ll revise it in a month or two. I can always ditch healthy Wednesdays ;).

And you, would you relate with any of these ?