New Years Resolutions…..when I was younger that was easy!  Drink less, smoke less, travel more, earn more, socialise more, sleep less and the list goes on and on with selfish low priority goals.  Fast forward a decade or so and the landscape has changed somewhat.  Selfish is a thing of the past.  Now being a mum means you are the last person you think of and your happiness pivots on the wellbeing of everyone else in your household.

So then it comes time to reflect on this year and think what you’d like to do differently next year.  Well this is where I have an issue.  Much of my issue revolves around that arch nemisis of mine ‘mother guilt’.  New Years resolutions are all based on finding things you’ve done badly (or not as well as you’d like) this year and looking to improve on them the next.  But….do I really want to look back and judge myself on my efforts this year because let’s face it, as a mum I will ALWAYS find room for improvement.  This just starts me thinking of where I am failing.  ‘I should be reading with the kids more, we should be eating healthier, the tv needs to be on less, I need to spend more time with the kids, I need to spend more time with my husband’ AND before you know it I’m a mess thinking what a horrible mother I am and second guessing everything I have done this year.  Truth be told I’m actually quite a good mum….STUFF IT I’m an awesome mum!

So when the time comes tonight and people ask what my New Year Resolution is I will tell them this.  This year I have a New Years Solution!  I am going to continue to do the things I do well and focus on the many positives in my life.  I will continue to be..

An AWESOME mother

A FABULOUS friend

An AMAZING wife

A DEVOTED daughter

Because at the end of the day when I look back to that young girl who didn’t have a care or a responsibility in the world and who I am now and the job I do everyday of being a mum I AM PRETTY AMAZING!  So bring it on next year –  I’m ready for you!