Holy Moly Motherhood By Alana Smith: 2023: 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 case 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 everyday if I hate running? That’s just setting myself up for failure, and I have no time for failure this year.   

For 2023, 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 is a nurse anesthetist, writer and boy mom (ages 7 and 2), who lives in north Shelby County with her husband, kids and Boxer, Sam. When she’s not writing or chasing little humans, she can usually be found in the aisles of Target. She shares her writings at Holy Moly Motherhood (on Facebook and Instagram), where she takes on all things motherhood and marriage.