Calming Mindset

I hope everyone is having a fantastic start to their New Year! Is it just me or does this year feel different?? I feel a sense of positivity with this New Year, 2022, and I hope it is here to stay. I’m not usually one for New Year’s resolutions. I would always make vague, unrealistic resolutions with no real plan to see them through. That is a flaw of mine… not seeing goals all the way through. I have these great ideas, but doubt/ fear usually creeps in and the passion or desire fades and the goal is never reached. 

Naturally, everyone wants to start the year with goals to be productive, lose weight, etc… This includes me. However, my approach this year was a bit different. Typically, I start with a ‘hard-core’ mindset… Austin might even go as far as to say I become a Nazi. OOPPPPSSS… This year, I had the opposite approach. I took the first few days and spent some quality time with my children. We stayed in our pajamas all day, played with their new toys from Christmas, and watched movies. I felt such a sense of peace. Instead of running around trying to make sure laundry was done, dishes were cleaned up, or the floors were swept, we just relaxed and all that other mumbo- jumbo just naturally fit into our schedule for the day. 

Austin and I also went on our first childless trip in four years. It was a Hardware Show in Nashville, TN, but it was some much-needed time with my husband without any kiddos. I have never been to Nashville before and naturally, we went during their first snowstorm. So we got down to there and half the restaurants and stores were closed; however, it didn’t take long for the snow to melt and everything to open up again. I couldn’t believe all the live bands! My ears were bouncing all over trying to soak in all the sounds. Meanwhile, all three children stayed at my parents’ house while we were gone. Bless my mother’s heart, she is a saint! The good news is they all had fun and hardly even noticed we were gone! 

I tell you all of this with encouragement. Your goals don’t have to be ‘hard-core’ to accomplish what you need. 2021 was an extremely busy year for us… we were building a barn on our new property, growing and baling hay, weekends were filled with to-do lists, and we didn’t have much time to take any family trips. So this year quality time is important to me. My children are only little once and they are growing faster than my heart can handle already. I want to make sure I can look back and say I didn’t miss a single thing. Now don’t get me wrong, I still have those ‘hard-core’ goals that I want to accomplish this year. However, my approach to getting there is going to be quite different, and I can’t wait to see all the memories made doing so! 

Blessings, 

Erica