I wasn’t going to write a “New Year’s Resolution” post.
In fact, I wasn’t going to write any New Year’s Resolutions.
A few other bloggers said the same thing. I read that Mammasaurus isn’t writing any herself,
“There’s something of the inner rebel in me when someone anyone – including myself, tell’s me I have to do something.”
I felt a bit like that, also when everybody is doing something and blogging about exactly the same thing, it can feel quite boring. No one wants to start the New year bored, do they?
Five go Blogging quite rightly pointed out that,
” If you have to wait till New Years Eve to decide to change something
about yourself, then the amount of time it will take to break that
resolution will be directly proportional to the amount of time it took
for you to decide on that resolution in the first place. i.e not very
long at all.”
I find that on a yearly, monthly, weekly, daily, sometimes even hourly basis, I am constantly evaluating myself and giving myself more goals to work on (I will be calmer! I will eat healthy tonight! etc). I blame my General Professional Studies (GPS) Lecturers at Uni for encouraging me to analyse practically everything around me in such great detail. I sometimes spend too much time analysing, that I don’t leave myself enough time to actually positively work on the goals that I have set myself! Another area I need to work on! (Do you see the problem?)
So, when Tots 100 asked us Bloggers to give them one personal and one blogging resolution, I had to just give them my first goals of the year, rather than official resolutions.
“My first resolution is to get myself and the mini Evans-Crittens all outside more whatever
the weather; we’ve been inside for most of Christmas and I’m craving
fresh air!
Blogging-wise, I resolve to come clean about my ‘secret
blogging habit’ to friends and family, and set up a Facebook page for my
blog.”
Yes, two more things to add to my “to-do” list which already consists of a million of other things. Sigh.
Then, I came across Who’s the Mummy’s “Best Foot Forward” post, in which she writes about her five six year plan, which she now feels she has achieved. Amazing! I don’t really know what my five plan was, but I do know that I’m not there yet! Hmm.
I really admire Frugal Queen and Our New Life in the Country, who give themselves big challenges every year and actually stick to them. They also make more challenges for themselves throughout the year like I do. We like to be continually challenged and it’s a good job really as life at many times can be somewhat challenging.
Thinking of this, I remembered that one year I had actually made resolutions and even went so far as to commit them to pen and paper! I then sealed them up and put them in an envelope to open the following New Years Eve. Now, I’m not even sure why I did that at the time. Surely having the resolutions where I could see them would make it easier to remember them and actually stick to them?
Indeed, I dug out the envelope from our glass cabinet. I was suprised to see that I had wrote “Open on 31.12.06!” So, these had been written out seven years ago. And then forgotten about.
It really intrigued me. I had wrote this myself, to myself, but I had no idea what it would contain! I don’t even know why I had written it in red pen! I’ve been through a blue ink phase and now I’m far more of a “black ink” kind of girl…what does this say about me? (I was sick of never being able to find a working black pen when I had to fill in official forms, so now I always seem to only stock up on black pens, perhaps!).
I guessed that I might have written “lose weight” and maybe “save money”, but I was about to find out.
Inside was a pretty notelet that again I have no recollection of.
Then there was my red, spidery, rushed, untidy handwriting. I certainly recognise that. And the ellipse… and exclamation marks!!! Was 2005 pre-emoticons? If not, I’m surprised that I didn’t insert a few smileys in there! 😉
. If seven years had passed since I wrote this, then the chances are that the “me now” reading this notelet doesn’t even consist of any of the same cells as the “me then” when I wrote it! It’s like reading a note from a different person!
So, what were “Claire’s New Year Resolutions?“
- Eat healthily -> stop being a fat pig and an alcy!!! (sic)
(Haha! I laughed at this one! What a way to talk to myself! Well, I do need to lose weight, but I definitely eat less takeaways and drink less wine…we don’t include alcohol consumed over Christmas and New Year, do we?)
- Exercise more…run, go gym, exercise class-you love it-organise the time for it!
(This still applies. I do love to run/swim/dance/gym, but always feel guilty that I’m not with the kids, doing housework, working or even blogging, while I have “me time”. I’m buying new trainers on Saturday, as my oldies had to be binned (all that exercise I do, see?!) and then I can start running again, as it can be done any time Dave is home with the kids, and it’s free! I also want to find more ways to exercise with the kids. I’m always taking them to gym, swimming and dance while I stand seditary just watching. This needs to change!)
- Do more things with Dan – establish bedtime, potty train, something unreadable, cook, -encourage him to eat healthy.
(Hahaha! Danny laughed when I read this out to him! I have achieved something! He is potty trained! Wahoo! OK, so he is nine years old now! Hmmm.
I have since potty trained two more children and have one more to go! She is a bit young yet mind! Oh God, I never thought I would list Potty Training kids as an achievement! I have no idea what else I wrote, sioy/sloy/slay/siog? No idea. If you know what I meant, please send your answers on a postcard (or just pop it in the comments box actually). Ooh, could it be “Sing”? I do cook with him and yes he enjoys very healthy food luckily. I do still have one child (Caitlyn) who needs to be a bit more adventurous with trying different veggies! Danny has also established what bedtime is! Not that he always goes to bed then, though!)
- Support Dave, appreciate what he does and be a good partner.
(I know what this means. I used to find it hard work when he was out at band practice or gigging all the time and I used to find it difficult to get my school work and housework done and watch a young child, especially one with special needs and a heart condition. I do still feel like a single mum on times, but I have embraced it. When Dave is out, I know I can blog in peace, put what I want on the tele, spread my craft stuff out all over the place and soak in the bath for as long as I want. When he is home, he helps lots and trys his best to make sure I get to do things that I want to too. I also do appreciate that he works hard all week and being in a band keeps him happy. I love his music and watching him when I can, so it all works out in the end! )
- Make the house really nice!!! Keep it tidy!
(Umm, I have had three more kids since writing those resolutions and have majorly failed on this one! I am still trying though, honest guvnor! It’s just two steps forward and three steps back, like a Paula Abdul song.)
- Put time aside to do school work so that I can keep up!
(This issue sorted itself as I got made redundant! However, giving myself time for certain tasks still applies obviously!)
- Live life to the full. Give Dan best childhood.
(Whoa! Why didn’t I write “Give Dan the best childhood, that I can”. Of course I haven’t given him the “best childhood”, but I know that I have done my best as a Mum and every day I try to do better, for him and all my kids. That’s all I can do.)
Maybe I’ve lowered my expectations over the years!
I really enjoyed reading my old resolutions, I think I may have even been inspired to write resolutions for this year, even though we are already a few days in. Maybe, I will keep these where I can see them, but write down the possible outcomes, or where I would like to be one years time, and seal that list down to open New Years Eve 2013.
If I’ve achieved everything, brilliant! If not, then like Sally, I’ll just give myself an extension!
That was funny, but also very interesting in seeing where you were and how you have moved on. I like the fun of making resolutions – it's part of the season, but they tend to be similar every year. Happy New Year to you all xx
Yes, I've no idea why it took me seven years to open them! Happy New Year to you too. I hope "Hope" is still doing well. 🙂 xxx
Hi, just in reply to your question the tomatoes were from Tesco 🙂
Thanks! That's my usual shop, so I'll have a look! 🙂 x
Hello!! Though I would come see your blog, seeing as you've seen mine (and me now too). I made very broad resolutions, more just like goals that need to be reached: me and the hubby are trying the alternate day diet to lose weight, then I have to get my business website sorted, get my etsy shop filled up with stock, get our photogrpahy company website up and running – just a general to do list, that I am determined to get sorted this year. your card to yourself is great, funny that it is so old now though, lol!Daisy Dayz BlogNew Alternate Day Diet Blog