As I sit here at the computer at waytooearly o’clock on the first day of the new year (Dear Kaitlyn’s first tooth, please go ahead and pop through and give me back my good sleeper), I am full of hope for the upcoming year.
Many of these hopes fit in line with the classic, cliché resolutions. I am ready to get more fit, excited to clean up my holiday eating and yet again am going to focus on drinking more water. However, I’m also drawn this year to a few deeper, more meaningful alterations to the way I do things currently. Instead of calling these resolutions or goals, I’ll consider these focuses for the year ahead.
Be proud of the things I put my time and effort into. I love some self-deprecation, but I often take things too far and sell myself short myself on accomplishments that I work hard on. For example, you should hear me try to explain this blog to someone at a social gathering. Oh, well, I kinda just write about food and life and stuff. See I used to be a health coach but now, well, I’m a mom, and I write about stuff on a website. No wonder people look at me with crazy eyes and why I just usually stick to saying I’m a mom. But I love this space. I put a lot of time and effort into it and am in awe of the community (ahem, you guys) that I’ve found. I enjoy working with some amazing companies and having something that is just mine during a time that so much of my day is committed to my girls.
But this goes beyond just the blog. In other things I do, I often undercut the work it took to get there by crediting good luck or a fortunate happenstance. Certainly those things can come into play, but if I’m putting effort into something, I want to be better at owning it.
Learn to accept a compliment. This is so incredibly simple in theory, but difficult in practice. It came to me the other day when I told Hailey how beautiful she looked in her dress. She smiled and simply said ‘thank you’ and went on about her playing. I’ve noticed she’s also done this when I acknowledge her hard work on a puzzle or compliment her on a drawing well done. Simple, right? However, when someone compliments me, instinct tells me to quickly justify it.
I could probably write many a blog post on this topic, but for brevity’s sake, let’s just say I want to work on saying thank you to genuine compliments without needing to explain why I don’t really deserve the kind words.
Grow as a person, not just a mom. Mom is one of my MOST favorite identities, but I need to be careful not to allow it to be my only one. Motherhood, while incredible, can be consuming and exhausting. It’s easy to lose myself in it some days and while I’m incredibly proud of my kids and love being mom, I know it isn’t healthy when all I have to discuss at a dinner party is nap times and teething solutions. I want to read, explore my personal interests and continue to grow as an individual while also helping my girls to discover themselves. How this will actually work? I’m not quite sure yet, haha, but I’ll report back!
Focus on my marriage. Spoiler alert, no rough waters at the Dixon house, but after spending the last 4ish years consumed with pregnancy, infancy and mothering two small children, I want to put some conscious effort towards David. You know, that guy that was there long before these sweet little girls were pulling on my legs? Yeah, him. I still like him, like, a lot, but I may not always be the best at showing it after days full of repeated storybooks and endless diaper changes. I’m grateful to be navigating this life with such an amazing man and want my actions to match my words.
There they are. Nothing like laying out some non-SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) for the new year, huh? Still, spelling out these areas of focus helps me to keep them top-of-mind, so we’ll see how it goes. Bring it, new year!
Do you have any resolutions or areas of focus you’d like to work on in 2015?
How do you hope to accomplish them?
Jen says
Wow, I am so with you! The way you talk about your website? I can totally relate! I have gotten much better, but I want to stand proud and say clearly who I am, what I do, and what I believe in. (Not in a preachy way. Did that sound preachy?) I also want to feel worthy of abundance and having the life I dream of, and to practice kindness and compassion consistently, especially to those closest to me. Happy new year!
Brittany Dixon says
Not preachy at all! I get nervous I’ll sound arrogant if I take pride in my accomplishments, so it’s hard to find the right line between selling myself short and sounding boastful. Love what you said about feeling worthy of the life you’re living and practicing kindness and compassion; you can never go wrong with that. Happy 2015 to you Jen!
irene says
I am so with you on all of them, specially the third one. I also have two little ones, they are 23 months apart. I really want to find the balance but it gets so hard sometimes. I’d love to talk and maybe find a solution together:-)
Alex @ get big, go to work says
I think those are some really great things to focus on in the New Year. I really like your focus in #2. I think women (generally speaking) could learn to accept compliments better, me included. If only we carried that innocence all throughout life from when we were younger to reply with a simply “thank you” even in adulthood! I tell my mom all the time how amazing she is and definitely the best mom I could ask for. She typically responds with a lot of self-doubt and “I could have been better.” If only she knew how instrumental she was in my growth to the woman I am today. Always accept your girls compliments as they grow older 🙂 Happy New Year to the Dixon Family!
Brittany Dixon says
Oh wow, your mom would tear up in pride if she read what you wrote- so sweet! Thanks for the reminder to be open to the love from my girls <3 Happy new year!
Erica { EricaDHouse.com } says
“Oh, well, I kinda just write about food and life and stuff. See I used to be a health coach but now, well, I’m a mom, and I write about stuff on a website.” <— I HATE telling people I'm a blogger, so I when people ask what I do I just say I run a health/wellness website and work as a freelance writer. That's exactly what I do, but people just take it so much more seriously!
Brittany Dixon says
What a great way to phrase it! Sounds more legit 🙂
Brynn says
I love your focuses for the new year. We have to grow as individuals not just as a mom. So true! This year I’m focusing on self improvement and owning my truth!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I love #1! That is such a good one I didn’t think about! It is important to give ourselves credit and be proud of what we do and achive!
Erin @ Her Heartland Soul says
Great goals! Here’s to a wonderful 2015!!
Lindsey @ Simply Lindsey says
Those are great focus areas! I have a hard time accepting compliments too sometimes. I think mostly because it can be awkward, but I try to say a quick & genuine thank you and move on if that’s the case haha. Instead of making resolutions this year, my husband thought of the idea to make a list of attitudes that we want to have (e.g., patience, hospitality). I’ll let you know how it goes!
ciana says
Happy New Year! I’m one of your Thailand readers in your stats 🙂 It’d be embarrassing if all those views are from me alone, ha ha, but I did read through lots of old baby/pregnant posts during my pregnancy, and now continue to keep up with your new posts 😉 It can be hard sometimes to be pregnant/raising a child as an expat so far away from family, but blogs like yours helped prepare me for my first baby girl! Your girls are lovely, wishing you all the best this year! And feel free to visit Thailand anytime, it’s a gorgeous place!
Brittany Dixon says
Oh my gosh haha that’s amazing!! I’d love to come see Thailand- it’s on our list to make it to 😉
I clicked over to your blog and how cool- what a great story you have. And your wedding photo is gorgeous! Also, happy first birthday to Aerina! And who knows, maybe our girls can play together one day! 🙂
ciana says
Aw thank you so much! It would be lovely to meet you and your girls in Thailand 🙂
char eats greens says
You know what? I love these even though they’re not SMART goals because mine are exaaaactly the same style this year. I’ve tried being specific in the past and well, nothing got accomplished, so I figured I might as well try something new!
And umm, seriously, that whole compliment thing- THAT’S ME TOO! I suck at taking a compliment. Absolutely suck at it. I downplay them or do whatever I can to discredit myself, so that’s something I should be adding to my goal for the new year. And with that, I shall compliment you: What a lovely post you wrote, you talented, thoughtful, special mom, friend, and wife!