Every year the New Year rolls around everyone talks about their resolutions that'll start on January 1st and I'm over here just rolling my eyes. The park gets more crowded, the gyms become full, everyone's grocery carts become full of greens... blah blah blah. All of that happens for about 2 weeks...maybe.

I'm totally not trying to bash the idea of life goals because I'm all about goals. In fact, every Monday I make weekly goals and do a check in to see what goals I met or didn't meat to give me a realistic look at what that week's goals should and will be. So I'm not bashing goals. Not even a little bit. But all I'm saying is that so many of these goals are given up on by about week 2 of the new year.

Why?

Three reasons:
 

1. Specific, Measurable, Plan of Action.

If you don't have a very specific, achievable goal then you aren't going to achieve it. For example, you're never going to "get in shape" because no matter how hard you work on your health and fitness, your definition of "get in shape" will change. When you're 200 lbs, getting into shape may be 170 lbs and when you're 170 lbs the new definition may be 130.

But if your goal is "to work out for at least 20 minutes, three times a week" and "cut out sweets with the exception of one dessert a week" then that goal of "losing 30 lbs by the end of 2018" is going to be far more achievable. Goals need to be very specific, measurable and have a solid plan of action on how you're going to achieve them.

2. If your goals are unrealistic, you'll just give up.

A couple weeks back when I was thinking about my 2018 resolutions, I thought "I want to hit 100,000 followers by the end of 2018." I did the math and based on weekly and monthly follower gains, it's pretty unrealistic for me. Of course, it could happen but so much of Instagram and their algorithms and all of that is completely out of my control.

If you're trying to lose 70 lbs the first month of 2018, you're going to give up. So make your goals realistic. Difficult to achieve but realistic.

3. If you're not willing to start working on your goals any random day of the week, then usually they're going to fail.

I feel like that's the biggest reason resolutions fail. Why not start today instead of tomorrow? Why not start 2 weeks ago when you put together your list of goals?

Start NOW. Start TODAY.

And I'd bet those of you who start your resolutions today rather than tomorrow will have a far higher success rate...just saying.

And now that I'm thinking so much about goals, I realize that so many of us are constantly telling ourselves we need to improve. We tell ourselves we need to be more patient, we need to be skinnier, eat healthier, FaceTime old friends more, take more "me" time but instead of focusing on all of the things we need to improve on, let's also focus on all of the things we ARE great at, and keep them going in 2018. Improvement is good, but loving ourselves and our strengths is also great.

So this year instead of making resolutions that are new, I'm focusing on a list of three things I already do but want to keep doing better and better:

Here are my #NewYearsKeepers:

1. Activities Over Work

I want to continue taking Ava to activities and fun things no matter how much work I have weighing on my shoulders. Some days I want to give up and quit her activities so I have time to focus on work. But this new year, I'm going to continue taking her to all of these fun places and learn to put work aside and just enjoy these moments.

2. Patience

While this could always improve, I've done a great job learning to be patient with Ava through her current Terrible Twos. I'm far more patient than I used to be but I want to continue growing more patient and gracious with her each and every day.

3. Blog Growth

This year has been a huge year for both of my blog and the other business I own so I want to continue to focus on bringing content you all want to read, continue to bring authenticity to my blog and Instagrams to ensure I'm portraying a "real mom" to all of you like I strive so hard to do, and just continue having fun with these "jobs" I'm so lucky to have. And I know I said it's pretty impossible but I'd love to hit 100,000 followers on The Overwhelmed Mommy by the end of the year. I said it was pretty un-achievable but I'm feeling ambitious.

I've got so many other goals but really, it'll be a new year and the same me. Focus on being YOU and not trying to become anyone else. Be you, the best version of you that you can be.

Cheers to 2018!