Are you the kind of mom that makes New Year resolutions? Let’s talk goals for 2019.
To give you some inspiration, I’m going to share some of MY personal goals for 2019. I’ll end with some additional resolution ideas (and even some resources to get you started in achieving those aspirations!).
There’s nothing wrong with making goals for the new year. It doesn’t have to mean you’re unhappy right now or that there’s something wrong with the current you.
Personally, I always like to think I could do better. Be a better person, mom, boss, wife, and friend.
So come on mama, let’s get our goals on.
Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more details.
1 | Be Patient
I could have also named this goal “stop yelling at my kids”, but encouraging patience has a better ring to it, doesn’t it?
If you follow us on Facebook, you know I post a lot about yelling. I don’t *want* to be a mom who yells, but sometimes I can’t help it!
It’s so frustrating when you’re asking your children to come to dinner a thousand times only to have your words go in one ear and out the other.
Or when your toddler throws her banana on the floor out of spite. Maybe your preschooler decides he’s a shark and bites his sister. Not like I’m speaking from personal experience or anything…
I want to be more understanding, patient, and empathetic.
Being a kid is tough. It’s hard having someone tell you what to do all the time, especially when you’re not 100% in control of your emotions.
Part of me also wants to be more flexible this year, trying to go with the flow instead of controlling everything.
But no matter how much I try to savor these times, I also know I’m going to pushed to my limit.
Sometimes I try to whisper when all I want to do is scream. Another strategy is to just walk away.
Who knows what will work? But I’m excited for the new opportunities a new year can provide.
2 | Answer E-mails/Messages/Texts Quicker
This one has nothing to do with being a mom, it’s just a huge personal weakness of mine.
I get a text message, read it, but can’t reply at the moment (because maybe I’m cooking, holding my toddler, and trying to entertain the preschooler).
I’ll make a mental note to reply later… and then I’ll completely forget about it. Ugh. Every time.
I have so many starred e-mails and it all piles up, I’m the worst.
I’ll be better in 2019… or at least I’ll try to!
3 | Be the Best Wife I Can Be
As much as I treasure the relationship with my children, I also recognize the importance of maintaining my marriage.
I want to make sure we set aside time for date nights, precious moments dedicated to the two of us.
It doesn’t have to be a fancy dinner every time, sometimes it’s just nice to go out for a walk, or a quick tennis game.
Another recent “date night in” we’ve enjoyed recently is a whisky picnic. My husband fancies a nice glass of scotch while I prefer bourbon. We sip on our beverages of choice and enjoy cheese, maybe some ice cream, and each other’s company.
4 | Family Activities
When my kids were younger, I had a tendency to leave my kids at home with a sitter when my husband and wanted to go out.
Related Should You Bring Your Kids to Events or Find a Sitter?
Now my kids are 4 and 2 (and going on 16, judging by their sassy attitudes), so I want to start involving my kids in more activities. Things like plays, festivals, and day trips.
I also want to start doing things as a family at home too. We can do cooking and crafts together, not to mention family game night!
5 | Take Care of Myself
I think ALL MOMS should have this on their goals list. We can’t take care of others unless we’ve given ourselves the proper attention.
Stop feeling mom guilt and being so hard on yourself.
I want to eat healthier, exercise, drink more water, read more, and take more bubble baths.
I’ll try to get out for girls night as much as possible – taking advantage of those craft and wine clubs I joined.
Most importantly, I want to make time for myself.
Related Are Christmas Treats Bad for Toddlers?
Related 5 Myths about Stay At Home Moms (that I believed when I was working)
6 | Be More Minimalistic
I’ve mentioned this before in my post on keeping a tidy house, but I’m really trying to purge “stuff” around my house.
We have WAY too many clothes, toys, decorative knick-knacks, etc that I need to donate or rehome.
I love the look of clean counters and sparse bookshelves. But I have way too much stuff to achieve this look!
I started last year, but I have a long way to go. I have high hopes for 2019!
Related Make Quick Cash Selling Your Kid’s Old Clothes
7 | Teach My Children to Be Good People
For me, this is an ongoing goal, but one I feel so strongly about that I want it to be a constant reminder.
My grandfather was famous for quoting, “to whom much is given, much is expected”. I try to live by that.
In my family we regularly discuss thankfulness and how lucky we are to have the things we often take for granted – our health, home, food on the table, running water, free weekends to explore, and our family.
We also talk about people who don’t have these things and brainstorm ways to help. I take the children to church volunteering activities and participate in drives at school.
But most importantly, we talk about why we do these things.
Another part of this teaching is recognizing our community helpers. We’re fortunate to live across the street from the fire station so we like to visit them and bring cards and cookies to express our gratitude.
In 2019, I want to continue this and find new opportunities to be thankful and give.
8 | Try Something New
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut when planning activities. Sometimes it’s because that’s what is easiest, you know it’s good, or it’s “tradition”.
And traditions are great! But you never know what else is out there until you try it.
This could be something small like ordering something new at a restaurant where I always order the same thing. Maybe it’ll be a new vacation destination.
Or maybe I’ll take that bartending class I’ve been thinking about. Who knows what 2019 will bring?
More Goals For 2019
These aren’t specifically my goals (I think I have enough to work on!), but these are ideas I heard from some fellow mom friends.
Hopefully these give you some inspiration:
- Want to cook more often? Check out my How-To Guide: Meal Planning for Busy Moms and 7 Reasons You Should Be Meal Planning
- Do you need to start getting more sleep? Rachel has an entire article dedicated to Expert Mom Advice: 4 Tips How to Get More Sleep
- Want to be a better grocery shopper and save money? Check out How to Easily Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half
- Maybe your goal is to transition to becoming a stay-at-home mom, if so read My Journey from Career to Stay-at-Home-Mom and What Are the Expectations of Stay at Home Moms?
- Want to keep your house cleaner in 2019? I’ve got you covered with Mom Hacks: 10 Tricks for Keeping a Spotless House
- Or maybe you just want to find more balance between your family and work life, that’s a tough one. A good place to start would be reading How to Thrive at Being a Working Mom
Happy New Year, Mama! Whatever your goals for 2019 are, you’re going to crush it.