New Year's Resolutions

Well normally my toast at this time of year is "May your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions!"

I think a better time of year is in August or September...when school starts. Something about buying back to school clothes, a new schedule and routines brings along a freshness to the year.

However in the spirit of the day here are some musings:

Have Patience

Yea, yea, you are thinking...I know I should be more patient with the kids. Well, how about YOURSELF? We as parents are super critical of ourselves and have such high expectations of all we should be doing for our kiddos....stop it! Let's resolve to give ourselves a break! We have good intentions and are trying our best and by golly that counts for a whole heck of a lot!

Delegate One Task

Doesn't have to be a huge task....maybe something that is little and just niggling at the back of your mind. Mine is emptying the trash....my youngest (14) is in charge of emptying the trash. Upstairs and downstairs, bathrooms and kitchen....all I have to do is ask for her to do her "job" and voila! it is empty. Before you become green with envy...still working on her actually putting her clothes in the dresser and not continually getting dressed from neatly stacked laundry on her bedroom floor. :)

Do Nothing Night

Pick one night a week to "do nothing". Order in food or have an OYO (on your own) night for food where everyone forages through the pantry/refrigerator and eats whatever they want. Don't pick up the toys (that is what tomorrow is for) no laundry, or housecleaning....just chill.

Eliminate Dreaded Holiday Tasks

Sorry this one is late for this year, maybe you can implement it next December :) I have a delightful best friend who is a wrapping paper ninja...her gifts are beautifully wrapped in exquisite detail....I do well not to have mangled tape and wrinkled paper (hence my use of gift bags :) Tired of sending holiday cards....don't.....skip a year. Some folks can't get the job done before Christmas and send New Year's cards instead. If you enjoy something, keep it...if not....set if free and hopefully it won't come back to you. (referencing the old adage of "if you love something.....)

30 Minutes

Take 30 minutes a day for yourself....even if it is sitting alone in your car in quiet solitude. At one point in my life I asked if someone could come in the bathroom and look at me because I didn't think I could pee if I was alone :) Seriously, it will help provide a calming and centering if you can just sit quietly in stillness. Not your thing? Put on some music and jam! Just do something for yourself for 30 minutes....heck some days I was happy with 10!

Please have a healthy and happy 2012 filled with much love and laughter. Remember, love may make the world go round, but laughter keeps us from jumping off!

What are some of your resolutions for 2012? (if any ;)