Alana Smith
2024. A new year!
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not much of a resolution person. I don’t do well with never doing something. Except for skydiving, which I can say with extreme confidence that “I will never!” But, that’s what a resolution is: a “firm decision to do or not to do something.” That sounds a little intense when you Google it.
Do we really need a hard and fast resolution every year? Probably not—unless you’re harming someone, littering, entering an elevator before others come out, or yelling at others in traffic, in which you should definitely resolve not to do those things. I do think kindness is a great resolution that we should all commit to.
But overall, I think we are a good bunch most of the time. It’s been a hard few years, so why would I say that I’m never eating cake or that I’m going to run every day if I hate running? That’s just setting myself up for failure, and I have no time for failure this year.
In 2024, I’m going to just do my best.
Should I eat fewer Kit Kats and drink more water? Definitely.
Should I sleep more and yell less? You betcha.
Should I save more money? For sure.
Should I read more books and scroll less often? Yes!
What I’m not going to do is set an unrealistic goal—whether it be weight-, money-, or relationship-based—that’s going to make me feel somehow less than.
My best is enough.
And I like the idea of aspiring toward instead of resolving from this new year. Let’s aspire toward our goals and be a positive light. Let’s aspire toward goodness and compassion. Let’s eat, drink, and be merry in moderation. Let’s get outside and exercise if we feel like it and rest when we don’t. Let’s give ourselves and others grace, and embrace whatever circumstances are thrown at us this year.
As long as we are trying hard and spreading love while we do it, our best is enough.
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Alana Smith is a boy mom (ages 8 and 3), nurse anesthetist, and writer in Birmingham. She shares her writing at Holy Moly Motherhood (on Facebook and Instagram), where she tackles all things motherhood and marriage.