F*ck New Years Resolutions
Who's with me?
I did not set any new years resolutions this year. It was the first time in my adult life (I'm 41) that I hadn't put any.
You know what? I realised something. My new years' resolutions are not new at all — they have been almost the same 'resolutions' for 20 years. 20 years! How embarrassing.
They go something like, "Lose weight. Drink less wine. Start yoga again. Stop being so impatient." I do all of these things every year in part — but nothing sticks. Why?
I know I am not alone in this. Resolutions rarely stick — and there is research to back it. We all want the change but desperately underestimate the work and planning needed to make it happen.
So instead of writing the failingly, familiar new years resolutions, I took some time to go a bit deeper and think about what I want from 2022. And I mean, what I really want — not just for this year, but five years from now too.
Here's what I came up with.
I want too much. Ha! It's true. I am a freelancing working mum of two primary kids, a wife, a sister, a daughter and best friend, a casual acquaintance, a HiiT/yoga/pilates/powerwalking wannabe who always tries to be better at or change EVERYTHING AT ONCE. No wonder the new year resolutions fail.
So, I decided to do two things.
- I am taking a sabbatical from work. I am removing it from the equation. For the first time in my life (2 x maternity leaves excluded), I can afford to do this. It feels empowering to make this choice, and I do not want to waste it.
- I am living with the intent of me this year. Ok, that sounds a little wanky, but bear with me. For me, it means living with fewer f*cks to give about what everyone else thinks I should do and more f*cks about what I actually want to do — including creating the space to ask and answer the question — what do I want? That includes starting this page on Medium that I have been talking about for years. 🙃
I intend to write regularly and share my musings of living with my intent for 2022. I hope you like it, and if not — ahh well.
