So here I present to you the mandatory New Year’s Resolution post, in which I make every attempt to ignore the half-eaten block of Galaxy sitting next to me and reflect upon 2015s successes and failings in order to commit, wholeheartedly, to a more productive, inspirational year.
Last year’s resolution was to read a book a month, in an attempt to simply improve upon the tally of zero books finished in 2014. However, unbeknownst to me when I made this plan, I had a baby 10 months later so it was not particularly realistic… another “I told you so” moment for my mother.
Another one was to “do yoga”, which was especially vague and more poorly executed than the last. The lesson I have learned from 2015 has been to be more specific. A popular new idea is to ditch the ‘resolutions’ (which apparently are destined to fail anyway – not that I necessarily agree with this) and make SMART goals instead.
In a nutshell (more detail c/o Verilymag), SMART goals must be:
Specific,
Measurable,
Attainable,
Relevant, and
Time-bound.
Basically, rather than “do yoga”, for 2016, my goal is to do at least 20 mins every other day and achieve independent headstands by the end of June. Building on last year’s reading goal, I intend to read a book a month (no tomes this time!) as a part of #theyearinbooks community with Circle of Pine Trees. I will be posting about it here and on Instagram as an additional incentive. If baby number 3 turns up in 2016 well, I guess that’s just life!
A second exercise goal is to get running. I intend to achieve this by starting slowly and following the Couch to 5k programme, with a deadline of the end of April.
And here’s the big one – well, this one feels like the big one for me right now (remember the aforementioned Galaxy?) – quit sugar. Gah, just the thought is terrifying! I am the first to admit that I have a sugar addiction and I am not proud of feeling so at the mercy of inanimate, tiny white balls of poison dressed up as delicious, tempting treats and snuck in everything from baked beans to bacon. So here’s the plan: go cold turkey as of January 1st 2016, allowing myself only a handful of ‘free-passes’ for the year (Valentine’s Day, Wedding Anniversary, Easter, Birthday and Christmas).
I can do this. Right? It’s not like I’m aiming for Aphrodite. Yes kids make it particularly tricky but these are just lifestyle choices that are going to make me healthier and invest in things that I enjoy. Yes, I’m excited. I’m in the zone. How about you? Do you ‘do’ resolutions or avoid them like the plague?
See you next year, it’s going to be an organised, productive blast full of achievements! Yay!
Jaide xx
A Life With Littles 