So, a Happy New year to all of the wonderful Mumbler Mums out there! And if you are still holding it all together then congratulations on surviving the chaos of another festive season!
Not just a new year this time but a whole new decade begins. Prepare for the raft of Best of the decade TV programmes to ensue…. But if you are now sick of the haze of Christmas TV, the elf on the shelf and the Christmas baby shark then your thoughts might be starting to drift back to reality and what the new year might hold for you.
No pressure then but what are your new year resolutions, if any, for this whole new decade? Hmmm well now let’s think about this one, we have probably over eaten, consumed way too much alcohol, ignored the bank statement so as not to think about the excessive cost of Christmas, confiscated the noisiest toys that have been gifted by “well meaning” relatives (yeah thanks for that – its every mum’s nightmare) and no doubt we have done no exercise, managed to lose our rag a few times more than normal and then felt guilty about that as it’s meant to be a time of peace and good will to all men! (whose idea was that anyway – the clue is in the “men” part – probably a dad’s definitely not a mum’s!!!), so in terms of making some changes to get back to normality there’s a fair few things to go at. Where to start… and how to make the most successful resolutions?
Here are some tips to help you make some great resolutions and make them stick…
Firstly, are we really going to change over-night? Because that is effectively what new years resolutions are! We go to bed one night it’s 2019 and wake up to 2020 and expect things to miraculously change – they won’t. So be realistic about what you choose to do!
Don’t just choose the same things as last year – if you weren’t successful last year you won’t be this! Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity – I think we as mums know a bit about that!
Mum’s we can’t always do it alone – our will power is a finite resource and we will soon get worn down and lose patience (think about trying to get any kid ready for school and how quickly our will power to convince them calmly fades in to a tirade of “just get your coat on for the 10th time!!!”) We are 65% more likely to be successful if we have an accountability partner and 95% more likely to succeed if we have one to one support with someone (such as a coach or trainer).
Choose something that will really make a difference to your life, is worth doing and something that you have a strong desire to change – this is called your “why”. Keep coming back to this to keep you motivated – keep visuals of your “why” in different places to help you. If something is a “nice to have” but you are not really passionate about, it you will tell yourself its not important and lose your momentum.
At the end of each day congratulate yourself for the small steps you have taken towards your goal. Small steps every day are both easier to do for us busy mums and more effective that the occasional big burst of activity – small steps build up to a far greater change, this is called the cumulative effect. You are more likely to be able to maintain small steps and make long term changes.
Wishing all Mumbler Mums a Happy New Year, Happy New Decade and good luck with your resolutions!
Penny xxx
I am a mum of two and Doncaster based coach, supporting mums to proactively create a life they want to lead. So often, as mums, we find our life revolves around others and we end up with no time for ourselves and our own ambitions. We can feel tired, resentful, stressed and it affects our mental health. Mummy’s Mind Matters helps put Mummy on the priority list.
Whether you want to find work that fits with family life, find time for you, feel confident, overcome anxiety, create a self-care plan to get fit, health and a body you feel happy with – it is not selfish – it is essential and I can help.
You are 95% more likely to be successful if you have one to one support and I can offer that.
If you don’t want to leave your resolutions or lifestyle down to luck then do get in touch and I can help.
