- Too often they are goals thought up while imbibing in way too much alcohol. Though they sounded great at the time of inception, reality is harsh and keeping resolutions that don't involve more drinking can be really tough!
- Resolutions don't tend to be much fun. Who makes resolutions to eat more cookies or add lazy days to the calendar? See what I mean?
- Resolutions tend to be broken...right away...like on the first day of the New Year. And who wants to start the new year off despondent?
So at some point, I stopped making them. It may have been the New Year's celebration when I had nothing to drink, the year I was pregnant. Therefore I had a clear enough head to realize that any goals that I may set that evening would probably be pointless and rather depressing later. Or perhaps it was because I was pregnant and about to give birth any day (baby didn't actually come along for another 31 days) that resolutions were the last thing I needed.
Either way, I was right.
I would have been really upset if I had made New Year's resolutions that evening, because once our little bundle of joy did make an appearance, there would have been no way in Hell I could have kept them. I was lucky if I could keep my act together most days. Resolutions would have been far more than I could handle.
Since that fateful year, I have never made any resolutions.
Until now.
Well, I didn't actually make New Year's resolutions in the traditional sense of the term. I didn't make any promises on New Year's Eve, perhaps because I had no alcohol that night and I was enjoying an evening with my daughter. I set no fantastic goals that would start the very next day. But, after having survived the first week of the year without a major mishap, I began to think setting goals might not be such a bad thing. And not wanting to keep all the fun to myself, I made resolutions for my entire household!
My family may be hiding out in the crawl space at this time.
I am certain I will find them soon.
Really, they shouldn't worry too much. Since I had time to think about goals and what we could realistically accomplish, I set objectives that we have the potential to actually achieve. After all, they are not too difficult....
- Always have Chocolate in the house!
Besides, it might ensure that I remain human the ENTIRE month.
- Prepare at least three home cooked dinners a week. The old fashioned kind, homemade, you know, with cut up veggies and stuff.
No, it doesn't have to come from our own garden! Remember, I am not making resolutions destined to fail. Fruit market, grocery store or neighbors gardens, all works for me! If we have time and energy for our own garden...great. If not, my friends are most generous and I am willing to trade services.
Why not six or seven home cooked meals a week? Seriously? There are only three of us living here. Most recipes are for four or more individuals that eat three servings apiece. The leftovers alone would be a nightmare! With three scheduled meals a week there are usually three nights of leftovers. That leaves one night for pizza or chicken nuggets or pot pies!
Because my teenage daughter is gonna love having more space in which she can spend time with me....
- Organize and minimize once a quarter.
I am usually pretty good at going through our stuff, organizing and reducing what we actually need and use. For the most part, so is my family. We don't have closets overflowing with stuff, attics bursting at the seams, or piles of old magazines, but we do have odds and ends that hang out long past their useful date. Sheets that no longer fit the bed well. Stuffed animals haunting the bottom of crates. VHS tapes.
Stuff from before we updated our kitchen.
While a few of these things will return to a new place, the rest need to find a new home.
My idea is set a date on the calendar (one that corresponds closely to the Amvets pick up date in our area). We can be more conscious of the "stuff" with which we surround ourselves. Once every three months should help keep the clutter down and make us more mindful of what we enjoy, as well as give us more space in which to enjoy each other's company.
Because my teenage daughter is gonna love having more space in which she can spend time with me....
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