New Year's Resolutions

I have always struggled with New Year's Resolutions.  I love the idea of changing something for the better, but lets face it do we really stick those resolutions? 

Personally I want to make the change, but lack the dedication to complete the change throughout the entire year.  Life changes are tough and not for the weary.  I personally love the concept of getting in shape.  I feel that this is obtainable every year, but I always make this resolution and it just seems so broad.  I tried to eat healthy, but then the cookies that were the impulse buy seemed to be my go to snack, rather than that healthy choice.  I tried to count calories, but then I would become obsessed and my discussion of fat content of a meal was spilling over into my four year olds conversation.  I always had good intentions, but struggled to find the happy medium.

It wasn't until last year I began making this life changing resolution a reality.  I really found that working out was great for my mind and truly gave me an outlet to be someone besides mom.  It allowed for me to briefly be an adult and feel human again.  Lets face it though, I have two children, who take every last bit of energy I have and there are days that I don't have it in me to work out.  Isn't chasing them around all day enough of a work out?  However, it was those days that I found myself getting easily irritated with my children and I was lacking even more energy than the day before.  My working out is my mommy time out, and lets face it we all need those.  Sometimes my time outs are first thing in the morning when everyone is sleeping.  Other times I try to sneak in a workout after everyone is tucked in bed.  And most recently I have made that step into going to the gym and placing my children in childcare so that we all have that time out and once my workout is over it seems to be rejuvenating for the kids and I to be reunited after that hour.

As impressionable as my little ones are I have realized that if I am going to make a resolution it is something that needs to be obtainable and worthwhile so I can truly dedicate myself to it.  My children need to know that there is no issue with changing our lifestyles if needed, and that resolutions are okay to make, but don't always have to come at the beginning of the year, even though that is when many of us make them.  I think it is important also that our kiddos see us want to make these changes, but for the right reasons.  Children are watching our every move and how we handle life is how they see how they should handle situations.  So here is to my new resolution of sticking to my changes in a positive way and allowing the kids to see how my change actually keeps us all happy.