My resolution: To have no resolution

For me, February is the worst month of the year. I’m pretty sure this is why it is also the shortest. Whoever designed the calendar just knew that February would suck so they made it several days shorter than all the other months. February is bleak and cold. There are no more Christmas lights, no more Holiday parties, no family gatherings, and no signs of Spring. But worst of all, it is the month that New Years resolutions come to die.

Everyone has high aspirations in January. Lose ALL the weight. Give up ALL the carbs. Make ALL the money. Read ALL the books. Give up ALL the desserts. Stop ALL the smoking. Avoid ALL the fast food. Everyone thinks that this year will be different. But for most of us, nothing has changed by February. And, we give up. 

For me, this year will be different. But it won’t be because I achieve all my lofty goals. It will be because I set realistic ones. My problem is that I aim too high. I want big results and I want them quickly. I want to wake up one morning, step on the scale, and weigh the same as I did in high school. And when that doesn’t happen, I give up. I get frustrated if I’ve only lost 2 pounds instead of 20. If I cheat on my diet one time, I give it up for good.

So, this year, I am not setting a resolution. I am not setting myself up for disappointment. I am, instead, going to focus on the small victories. I am going to realize that I cannot do it all at once. And understand that it is not something that is tied to New Years. It is a daily choice that I have to make. I can achieve my goals, but it is not going to happen overnight. A person cannot spend months celebrating the Holidays with cookies and treats and expect to wake up in January 20 pounds lighter. I will, instead, make small modifications in hopes that I achieve a big change. I will celebrate the daily decisions to create a better me and not beat myself up over any backslides. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Ashley
I am the mom to four amazing kiddos. Isaac (2012). Eli (2013). Anna (2017). Ava (2019). I have been married to my husband Jonathan since 2009. I was born and raised in Nebraska and am a cornhusker through and through. I am also a local speech-language pathologist. I specialize in working with kiddos ages birth to seven, specifically children with autism spectrum disorder, apraxia of speech, articulation/phonological disorders, and developmental delay. You can also follow me at https://morethanmama.weebly.com/

1 COMMENT

  1. Love this, Ashley! I am taking the opposite approach this year, usually I have zero resolutions because I know how lazy I am, but this year I have all of them! I am hoping they aren’t too lofty and that I’m not discouraged come February. I can totally relate to your perspective on moderation. Thanks for sharing 🙂

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