New year, new set of goals. I’ll be on maternity leave from the end of January, and soon after will be coping with a toddler and a newborn, so I’m keeping my goals for 2017 fairly relaxed. I always like to set some, but hopefully this little list of five will be achievable in amongst the chaos I imagine my life to be from mid-February onwards!
1// Leave work in as good a position as possible. I’m trying to make my handover notes as thorough as possible, because I really like the people I work with, and don’t want them to get even more overworked when I’ve gone. Similar to my goals during my first maternity leave, I also want to keep up with work while I’m away – I didn’t do a huge amount last time, just the occasional bit of reading and keeping up with things on Twitter, but it made me feel more connected, and I’d like to maintain a similar level of involvement this year.
2// Lose myself less. I wrote about this briefly last week, but when the next baby is born, I really hope I can remember that the feeling of my life no longer belonging to me is only temporary. I will get back to myself eventually, but it’s okay that I don’t immediately want to get out in the garden or go hiking or make pancakes or what have you. It will come.
3// DRIVE MORE. In December I FINALLY took a driving refresher class after passing my test before I was pregnant with Theo and then never driving again. Then I joined Zipcar and we did a short drive to Morden Hall for a morning out. And guess what? Both of those things were fine. Next time we go on holiday with either of our families, I’m going to have to drive, as we can’t all fit in one car, so between now and whenever that might be, I need to practice. My goal is to drive at least 17 times in 2017. I’ve done it once already this year, so that’s just 16 times to go.
4// Accept help. Do you want to come over and make me a cup of tea and/or wash my dishes? I might not know you, but the invitation is open. Whenever anyone offers to help out, I’m going to say yes, because I have a feeling that next year I will need all the help I can get.
5// Rest when possible. When Theo’s at home, there is a limited amount of time for rest (his nap), so next year, I need to take it wherever and whenever I can. I didn’t do that many baby classes last time around, and Theo’s a very active and clever toddler, so it clearly didn’t impair him. Rather than rushing from place to place, I’m planning to take it very easy, at least in the early few months.
And my word for the year? Thrive. I am in such a different position now compared to before Theo’s birth. I know I am an okay mum. I know I have good instincts. I know that everything is a phase, and the shitty bits will pass. So I really hope that this time around I’ll be more confident from the beginning, and can actually enjoy having two small people in the house. That’s very optimistic, especially as babies are so different, so who knows what #2 will be like. She might think all my parenting ideas are crap! I know that in the early days I 100% will not be enjoying myself and life will be basically about survival, but by the end of the year, I hope that both me and my little family are not just surviving, but thriving. Fingers crossed…
How about you? Any resolutions for the year? Have you set a word of intention?