A New Year’s resolution to workout more, lose 10 pounds or organize your pantry? Psshh, that’s soooo 2022. This year is an awakening of sorts, and we’re totally here for it.
While an awakening can be viewed as a societal thing, us millennial moms are having our own awakening of sorts; to all the possibilities of how we can make our lives just a little bit easier in the coming year. Let’s band together and make some resolutions that will really matter. And also, ones that we’ll actually want to stick to.
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A recent study by Finder shows that more than half of us made some sort of resolution for the New Year, whether it’s to ride that Peloton bike a little more, or eat more leafy greens. But, never ones to go with the crowd, here at HelloGiggles, we are proposing a different kind of goal-setting.
Here are five resolutions you hadn’t thought of, but should.
1. Delegate more
I have four children, which means four more people to help out with tasks around the house. If you count my husband, that’s five — enough people to field a basketball court. There is literally no excuse for getting overwhelmed this year. When I can pass the ball, I’m going to.
Instead of that old resolution to make a to-do list and tick things off of it, feeling accomplished afterwards (but also, exhausted), I’m going to delegate those tasks instead. I started off on Jan. 2nd by assigning chores to my kids as soon as they walked in the door from school. I didn’t even need to make a list.
2. Say no to anything that doesn’t spark joy
This can be ANYTHING at all, from your annoying neighbor who wants to have afternoon tea, to volunteering to run concession stand at your kid’s soccer game (I said what I said). As a chronic people-pleaser, I have the toughest time with this.
But, I’ve found throughout my life that I really respect the people who live their lives the way they want to, and not the way they are “expected” to, or the way other people want them to. Put all perceived “obligations” aside, and just say no.
And don’t beat around the bush either: use the actual word in exactly the way it’s intended — without feeling guilty afterwards. If you have a hard time, practice in front of the mirror. Form the consonant followed by the vowel with your lips, exhale and JUST SAY NO. Once you get used to it, you’ll be saying it a lot more.
3. Let’s normalize saying how we actually feel
That brings me to my next point. Let’s normalize saying what and how we actually feel. I recently saw a meme that showed the character Karen from the TV show Will & Grace, and it said “sorry I’m late, but I got here as soon as I wanted to.”
Karen always spoke her mind and those in her life still loved her anyway. Next time single-friend Susan calls you to be her wing-woman for a GNO and you’re just too tired from a week of taking care of kids, your household and other mom-obligations, tell her you’d rather curl up in bed with your cat and binge-watch Netflix crime docs. If Susan can’t respect that, Susan really wasn’t your friend anyway.
4. Pet my dog more
Yup, that’s it. No deeper meaning here. Just simply pet.my.dogs. Doing something so simple brings joy in the moment for both me and them. Therefore, it helps me live more in the present moment, which we know is much healthier for our psyches overall, than lamenting over the past, or worrying about the future.
And you don’t even have to leave your house to do it. So go ahead — stop what you’re doing and go pet your dog (cat, ferret, whatever). Get that serotonin flowing and forget about the bills, work troubles, and the argument with your husband last night for a little while. Make this a daily practice.
5. Read more than one page of a book
If reading more books was on your resolutions list, make it even smaller (because we know that smaller goals are much more attainable), and vow to read just at least more than one page of it. The stack of books on my nightstand is ridic; the cumulation of several years of having a desire to read, but just not enough time.
In fact, a recent study shows that just thirty minutes of reading can lower a person’s blood pressure and heart rate, and also reduce stress levels and improve overall mental well-being.
This was always my go-to activity during me-time, which has now amounted to a huge stack of dust collectors, next to the unused bottle of bubble bath. But this year, I’m going to read a page here and there whenever I can, which is a double win because in doing so, I also have to put down my phone.
BRB, gotta go read a page!
