Resolutions & Intentions

The turn of the year offers a fresh opportunity to reflect on the past, present, and future, and I will never, ever take for granted the creative, chaotic, and imperfect life that has emerged in the face of mamahood and my (later, semi-related) abandonment of the professor track. And I am grateful to all of you for your interest, inspiration, and virtual camaraderie.

As a Happy New Year wish to you, please read on for a collection of resolutions and intentions from me and the fabulous women who guest contribute to this site. I hope these ideas will provide food for thought as you reflect on how to take care of yourself, enjoy time with others, and work towards personal and/or professional goals this year.

My resolution or intention is:

Christine: “To promote self-care in the form of doing one nice thing for myself everyday, whether it’s going to bed early, connecting with a friend via phone/in person, taking 10 minutes to stretch or just kick up my feet and enjoy a magazine, get a pedicure, etc. I’ve discovered that these seeming luxuries are essentials for me; I’m never happier then when I’m feeling well rested (OK, maybe better rested), connected to the people I love, and cared for.”

Sara: “Healthwise, to reduce the amount of meat in our family’s diet and cook more vegetarian food. From a spiritual point of view, I’m going to try to be more in the moment and enjoy each and every minute that we are blessed to be happy and healthy and with our families.”

Michelle: “To step up my business, and work harder at making connections, networking, and partnering with other fantastic organizations for mutual growth. And to take more time out of each day to get my heart pumping and get fit.”

Amy: “To keep working toward raising awareness for Sexual Health issues - because sexual health and reproductive freedom is essential for everyone's well-being.”

Carole: “To have more patience with my three kids (and husband) and to laugh and enjoy the craziness they create in our household.”

Kate: “To connect more fully and be more present in the moment with the people in my life. Fewer distractions, less multitasking, a reduced sense that I should always be doing something other than whatever I'm doing at a particular moment. We'll see how it goes, but that's my hope for myself for 2008!”

Tracy: “To be more mindful in my parenting this year. I have become increasingly aware that one child tends to push my "demon mom" buttons more than the other. The other day (New Year's Eve, in fact) I found myself shouting at him to stop shouting at his brother, as this was futile and not likely to make anyone want to listen to him. Luckily, we were able to laugh about the absurdity of the situation, but I would like to stop and breathe more before entering the fray, so I can actually help them work things out, not shout them down. I think it would help if I was "in the moment" instead of thinking about how much this is hampering my efforts at peace in the household, or cooking, or cleaning, etc.”

Sharon: “To live each day like it is a new year: commit to loving others, myself and my body with full respect, grace, and appreciation.”

Jules: “My husband read me something titled "The Optimist's Creed" a few nights ago, and when he was done, I had an "ah-ha" moment. This reading was my intention; a resolution for LIFE. So, this year, and this lifetime, I intend to be an optimist by following these guidelines as best I can:

‘To be so strong that nothing can disturb your mind. To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something special in them. To look on the sunny side of everything and then make your optimism come true. To think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.’”

Heather: To live 'greener' and more organic. To schedule monthly date nights with hubby. To grow a vegetable garden this summer. To sit down for meals with whole family. To slow down and enjoy family time. To return to my pre-pregnancy weight.