To Make A New Years Resolution Or Not? This Is The Question – A Britmums Carnival

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“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”
Andy Warhol

(Borrowed from this post )

I am rubbish at making New Years resolutions. 
Actually, scrap that I can make them I am just not very good at keeping to them and succeeding. There again, I think about which goals I should set myself but I always end up thinking I will get around to documenting them, so I have something in writing to adhere to and set in stone.  But I don’t. So in mater of fact, I am ruddy useless when it comes to setting New Years Resolutions full stop.

If I think back to the ones I have set my mind to achieve over most of my life, they are the same ones which include:

*Stop biting my nails 
*Lose weight
*Get fit
*Get more organised

These have been goals of mine for most of my life ! I mean here I am a grown woman with two children of my own, and still I am unable to stop from biting my nails! Oh the shame! Still, I was relieved when I saw that Emma also sets herself the task of trying to do the same each year too. Like me she seems to have had the same new years resolutions for several years now and I had to smile when I read

“Let’s face it, if you’re a nail biter like I am, you have that every year.  I reckon there should be a nailbiters anonymous group like AA!”
I asked on twitter last night if aiming to lose weight and get fitter featured on people’s New Years resolutions lists, and a few people, all women, tweeted back and said yes it was top of their goal list. This time last year, having shed over two stone following the birth of Jenson, I wanted to lose a final stone and planned to achieve this by the summer. Hmmmm somehow this year has been more about eating cake than shedding pounds and so I find myself heavier than I was last New Year’s Day *sighs deeply, yet knows its my own doing*.  

Michelle knows all too well about not managing to shed those extra few pounds during the last year, BUT she has so much to be thankful for in her look back at 2012 a year of highs  and she has had a marvellous year and achieved so many new experiences. As she says on not managing to shift some weight  

“I can recall this is the only downside from 2012, so I can hardly complain at that, can I?”
If you do decide, like me, that losing weight is something you wish to focus on this year then you must read all about Jamie’s amazing weight loss journey! In her a new me? or maybe just a half sized version  she reveals

“After a rather traumatic experience in Boots on one of those electronic scales that prints you your weight and BMI for you to keep for posterity (as if!) I knew that being 18 stones and only being 5 foot tall was very very bad news and I could no longer hide from the fact I was seriously overweight.”

 and so her journey to becoming a new her began. I wish her every bit of luck in continuing with her goal in 2013, afterall she has done fantastic so far. 

 With this inspirational post in mind, I am tempted to join in with the facebook group that Liz mentions in her  new year new body  post, as I need a good kick up the arse to shift some weight and this could be the motivation I need to get me on the road to a slimmer me!

I feel that 2012 was a good year for me, a bit if sad news near the end but on the whole I will be sad to see it close it’s doors for the final time. However, for others like Jane, 2013 is making a welcome appearance to help put behind some tough times as she admits its time to say goodbye as 2012

“left me battered and bruised and my expectations shattered”
Mari is looking forward to getting married (congratulations) this year and after a hectic and successful blogging year, learning how to balance her life better going forward in her lovely round up of 2012 and dreams for 2013 summary, I know what she means when she adds that that she needs

“to find a better balance in 2013, something I’ve been hearing from lots of parents” 

Victoria is also reflecting on the last year and looking forward to what she hopes to achieve in the up and coming 12 months in her 2012 say goodbye , say hello to 2013. I admire her attitude towards resolutions

 “I gave up doing New Years Resolutions a long time ago when I realised that all you do is put yourself under emotional pressure (which I hate!) and end up with egg on your face when you make statements that you won’t stick to. I dislike hollow promises. Instead I just say that I will try harder to achieve my goals, work to be a better person and try fix – or improve – one of my faults.”

Jeanette is also looking back at her personal highs and lows of 2012 fondly and is feeling very positive about saying bye bye 2012 bring it on 2013. 

I am not a very organised person and even when I manage to write a shopping list I usually end up leaving it at home! Jennifer also wants to strive to be more organised in 2013 and well done to her for making a good start to this with her the problem with thank you cards and has already got her Christmas thank you cards completed! Now that is some going I say and I completely agree that 

“Writing thank you cards is a good practice for children, helping focus their little minds on the giver as much as the gift.”
 Becky has posted a brilliant list of ideas to get us geared up to kick start some resolutions this year with her 10 money saving resolutions for new year 2013, so many useful tips which I will be taking on board in my bid to be a better house mummy especially as with our impending move to a bigger house, I have to learn how to budget better.

Others are a lot more organised and determined than me, and have already got their resolutions in the bag for this year, and posted them on their blogs. Don’t they realise that theres no turning back once its out there on the world wide web? Eeeeek these ladies know what their goals for 2013 are, and suddenly I have resolution organisation envy!! 

I love Katie with her 13 in 13 – thirteen goals she wants to kick into touch (slowly)  during 2013 as she says in her introduction 

“Hopefully I will be able to track my progress here as I slowly but surely tick them all off.To keep me honest, I will revisit this post as often as necessary until each goal is reached.”
Debbie has taken inspiration from Katie and is also undertaking a 13 in 13 mission and I can really relate to many of her goals for the new year as I can with Lauren’s goals for 2013. We have two boys near enough the same age so I will be interested to see how well she does by this time next year. I wish her  and Debbie luck in completing them all. 
Emma, who confesses that she is
“not really a fan of making New Year resolutions as such I don’t like to pass up an opportunity to make a list, even if it’s just in my head”
 has also set herself a list for her new year, no ideas and no resolutions and knowing how determined she is I am sure she will be successful in achieving them all.
Samantha very much believes in setting goals to have something to work towards and she hopes her new businesses continue to progress and succeed and she hopes to have more fun in 2013, to get fitter, lose weight and build some treasured memories for her and her family. 
Nikki wants to make a go at setting some goals but feels its will be a new year same me situation as always. I know exactly what she means when she says

“But for me they is something about New Years Resolutions in general which make the words “YOU WILL FAIL” resonate constantly around my brain.”

Like Nikki my main focus will be my family too and my aims will go on the back burner, while their lives remain my priority.

This post by Helen is extremely moving and I really hope her long standing new years wish will come true one day, what an amazing new year that would bring for her and her family. 
Of course not everyone likes to make new years resolutions. Maggy is proud to admit that 
“I have to confess… that each year.. I have the same one, which is: NO RESOLUTIONS FOR ME.”
What a relief to hear someone say it and say it loud! She also has a great crafty piece about a new years tradition that shows a lovely idea for all you arty types to have a go at making.
I hope you will agree that all these lovely bloggers have written some interesting, useful, inspiring and moving posts and I would like to thank them all for asking me to include them in this round up for Britmums. 
So, will you be making any resolutions today? 
I wish you all a happy new year and every success in whatever you do or do not decide to set as goals and that all your hopes and dreams come true.
Jenny xx

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12 Comments

  3. Lauren_W

    This is brilliant. Interesting to see how different, or similar, we are.
    Well done Jenny, really good carnival and really great to read. xx

    Reply

  6. maggy, red ted art

    Oooh though I have no resolutions.. I do like the 13 in 13 idea! Thanks for a great carnival!!

    Maggy

    Reply

  8. There are some fantastic posts Jenny! well done everyone they are great. Thanks for Hosting and all your hard work Jenny! thanks for including me 🙂

    Reply

  10. Thanks for hosting this jam packed carnival and including me in it, I’ve bookmarked for some peaceful reading later and hopefully some inspiration from others

    Reply

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