I don’t know about you, but 2023 was one of the busiest, craziest, most challenging years we have faced in quite some time! While it was full of so many wonderful moments, it forced me to slow down and reflect on how we could make 2024 less insane and more enjoyable! I have never been a new year’s resolution kind of gal. Still, after the kind of year I had, I did some reading and research and spent most of December compiling a consolidated list of my goals for 2024.
I am hoping that my list of goals that get deeper than simply “lose weight,” “exercise more,” or “stay hydrated” might get you excited for the beautiful things this year might hold!
1. Simplify life
My most prominent source of stress in 2023 was an all too busy life! We would spend every weekday running to activities for kiddos, small groups, volunteer commitments, co-op, running errands, etc. Then, we would follow that up with weekends filled with festivals, family dinners, and trying to cram in every bit of fun we could before it was Monday again. We had very little time to enjoy our time together and I found myself burnt out by the end of the year. This year — for me, for my children, and for my family — I am vowing to simplify my life. The three ways I plan to simplify my life are by pairing back our family schedule, prioritizing rest, and minimizing how much “stuff” we accumulate this year. A simplified way of life has so many beautiful benefits like cultivating creativity, being happier with less, freeing up time for the things that truly matter, and less stress.
2. Seek out joy
In another effort to minimize stress, I am vowing to seek out joy this year! How? By relearning the beauty of serving others. I noticed last year that I became such a consumer of goods and services (it is so hard not to be when we live in a culture that is always trying to get us to purchase the next best thing), but my desire to serve and seek out ways to serve slowly dwindled as the year passed on. Not by coincidence, my joy also slowly dwindled as the year passed on and I found myself easily aggravated by the end of the year.
This year, I want to set a better example to my kiddos of how simply good it is to serve others. Whether it is making cookies for the neighbors, reaching out to support my mom-friends, or going out of my way to make my husband’s favorite meal. I find that the more I serve others, the more joy I feel. But, don’t just take my word for it; according to Dr. Nasreen Lalani of Purdue University, “Attending to the needs of other people and interacting with them brings new ideas and creativity, gives us a sense of meaning and purpose, boosts our self-esteem and brings personal growth and transformation. Serving others can improve our support networks, encourage us to lead a more active and meaningful life, distract us from our own problems, cultivate optimism, and increase personal satisfaction.” (Finding Joy in Connecting With and Serving Others, Purdue University)
3. Demonstrate a vibrant adulthood to my children
Lastly, I want my children to see their mom glowing with joy and fulfillment! My last big goal this year is to demonstrate a vibrant adulthood to my children. I came from a family where my dad, as an immigrant, worked tirelessly to give us a financially stable childhood and my parents were often just so busy. I love them and am so eternally grateful for their sacrifices, but it left me with strange expectations for adulthood. It was as if my destiny was to hustle and run errands and be busy every day for the rest of my life. I don’t want that for me, for my husband or for my children. I want them to see me embrace hobbies, to go on hikes, to take up gardening, to slow down enough to enjoy a good book! How beautiful would it be if our children were raised to be more than money-making machines, but whole, creative, free-spirited adults who prioritize rest and living simple, but fulfilling lives?
My hopes are not to shame those wonderful hardworking mamas who give their all to give their kiddos stable childhoods or the sweet mamas looking to fill their kiddos’ lives with enriching experiences, but to maybe influence you into slowing down a little this year! I will spend this year reminding myself that our kiddos will be ok if they don’t go to every activity and join every extracurricular, and that time away from the busyness is good. I will look for ways to serve my community so that my kiddos learn there is joy to be had in helping others. I will live this year to the fullest and rediscover the little hobbies and habits that bring me joy and make me unique.
