Overwhelmed by New Year's Resolutions

I’m not a total Scrooge, but I am so glad the holidays are behind us. I love all the planning and preparing, all the trips to the mall, all the gathering with friends for wine and holiday food…but when December 31st comes rolling around, I’m ready for it all to be over and ready for my many New Year’s resolutions to begin.

For me New Year’s is a clean slate. It is the chance to right all the wrongs. This is the time when the new and improved me is coming to take over that old and broken down last year’s model. I’m like an Apple computer. Every year I try to come out with a new and improved model. When January first arrives, I have a long list of all the improvements I’m going to make. It looks something like this:

1. Lose those last stubborn pounds I know I can lose.
2. Be a better mother.
3. Be a better sister.
4. Be a better friend.
5. Be a better girlfriend.
6. Read more literature and less crap.
7. Watch less TV.
8. Cook more often.
9. Cut out everything in my diet that’s bad for me.
10. Cut out everything in my life that’s bad for me.
11. Take a pottery class.
12. Learn to play the cello.
13. Take more baths.
14. Become more spiritual.
15. Visit my friends more often.
16. Become more soft spoken.
17. Spend less money.
18. Appreciate how good life is.
19. Work on my business.
20. Get on Dr Oz as a world known health coach.
21. ……Uggggggggh….What is wrong with trying to become a new and improved version of me? After all, personal growth is something I’m always looking for in my life.

22. Work on personal growth. You see what I mean? I’m never done.

Are you overwhelmed reading my list? I’m overwhelmed just looking at it and therein lies the problem. When I make a list with twenty plus things I want to change about myself you know what I accomplish? Not much. Truth be told by February 7th I’m back eating chocolate and drinking coffee (ok its dark chocolate and one small cup of Joe). I’m snapping at my poor kid because once again he didn’t turn off the light in the bathroom. I’m reading Nicholas Sparks, People magazines and watching Dance Moms. You get the point. My list is endless and truth be told, I really don’t improve on much.

So this year I resolve to focus on three resolutions and three only. Seems like a manageable amount and if I chunk it down, I’m thinking my success rate is going to be much higher.

So I resolve here for all to see to:

1. Be thankful each day of how truly good life is and to be confident in myself.
2. Nourish my body with real wholesome food only.
3. Listen without judgment

I feel good writing these resolutions because I know I can achieve one or maybe all three. I also know that achieving these resolutions will not only make me feel whole and complete, but will positively affect everyone in my life (my son, boyfriend, friends and clients). Maybe I’ll still read People magazine to see who wore it best. Maybe I won’t call my sister as much as I should. Maybe I’ll still snap at my son because he left his wet towels on the floor. Maybe I don’t need as much improvement on my old self as I thought I did. Maybe it’s all about quality not quantity. Maybe I’m just going to sit back and reflect how amazing my life is. Maybe we all need to sit back and see how amazing our lives are.

What about you…what do you resolve to do this year? Let me know below!