May I be honest? The New Year can bring me some anxiety. It is a time for change, which I know is good and important for growth. But the New Year begins at a rapid speed. After weeks of buying gifts and dressing children up as holiday characters, there is no time to slow down. The holidays become a whirlwind and though I love the celebratory aspect, I am exhausted. And just in time when, we must set proper New Year expectations and intentions for 2025.
I have always had an appreciation for the New Year because you have a new slate with 365 days. But managing those feelings of having a New Year after a not-so-great year can be futile. I believe that more women (and especially mothers) feel this way more than we would like to admit because we are the keepers of the happiness. We spend all of this time attempting to create magic, and now the calendar starts filling up on a year that you haven’t even truly begun. It’s overwhelming, yet we set new goals every year in hopes of perfecting this year as to say we didn’t kill it the year before. It is an emotional roller coaster.
But this year, I am learning to manage the expectations of going into another year. The thought of expecting the year to go a certain way while it turns to go in the opposite can be soul-crushing. So, instead, I am going to step carefully. And do not mistake carefully with fearfully. This year, I am going to step a little lighter and not disrupt as much as I have in previous years. I am rebelling against the culture that says having a full calendar until the next school year is an accomplishment.
This is how I am going to manage my expectations:
Set Monthly Attainable Goals
I no longer appreciate looking at my calendar and seeing that every weekend is filled. However, I realize that life is happening in real-time and everything isn’t preventable. But I am utilizing one Saturday a month to just do something alone for myself. Because it’s important to take care of you too!
No is a Full Sentence
I have FOMO so many times I say yes even if I don’t want to go. I just don’t want to miss out or be excluded. This year I am going to work on being okay with missing things because who can keep up? And that includes things like birthday parties and social events. This is not to insult anyone but instead to recharge my own social battery.
Taking It Day by Day
Let’s take it day by day this year and celebrate that we are doing our absolute best. Is it possible that in past years, we have been too focused on our goals to truly see what is happening in front of us? Absolutely. It is great to have opportunities, but when they become overwhelming, it is not beneficial to anyone, including yourself.
Like any resolution, we know there will be some slips, but we owe it to ourselves to try. Every year, we have a raging to-do list, and it is never beneficial. This year, I am willing to step lighter and gain more impact. Cheers to a happier and more fulfilling 2025.
