I like to think of New Year’s Resolutions as more like a plan than a list of solid goals. The goal is, as always, to be the best mom, wife and artist I can be. I figure if i get around to most of these, I’ll be okay this year.
TEN: Quality reading for you and for your little ones. I know you are busy, but nothing fills the creative well AND gives you a little escape from your busy day like curling up with a book, even if it is just for fifteen minutes before you head to bed, while you wait for your kids or during lunch at work. This lucky Creative Mom got a Kindle for Christmas! And for the little ones, make it easy and check out the book “Honey for a Child’s Heart.” You’ll find great reading lists for all ages. This helps with that overwhelmed feeling you get at the library. This year introduce your kids to the classics: Pooh, Peter Rabbit, Little Sal, Max and the Wildthings, Narnia… and on and on!
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NINE: Exercise. I’m not talking about training for a marathon, although major kudos if you are! Just head out for a walk, take the kids or use it to de-stress from your day.
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EIGHT: Eat Real Food. Less fast food, more fresh food. Cut out products that come in a box with powder or are neon blue. Avoid foods with high fructose corn syrup. Always have options like fruit and whole wheat crackers available for hungry kiddos.
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SEVEN: Do Worthwhile Stuff. Take the time to find out about the cool things in your area AND DO THEM. Find activities that teach your kids about nature, about doing good and helping others, about staying healthy, about history and geography and art. You might just find yourself inspired along the way.
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SIX: Stay updated. Keep an eye on what is new and exciting in your creative field. Get inspired by others who do what you do. Join a critique group, go to a conference, take a class… and save up to upgrade your Adobe software (:
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FIVE: Simplify. De-clutter your life a little and breath a bit easier. No Mom does this better than the Simple Mom. If you haven’t checked her out, you should!
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FOUR: Find your Balance with Chaos. No one can win the war against chaos. My husband, the physics expert, says it is impossible. He even had an equation to prove it. So, your house cannot be perfect, your kids cannot always be predictable and your hair will not always do as you wish. Find your balance between laundry and playtime, between TV and sleep, between work and home. And if you lose a tough battle one day, don’t worry, chaos will always be around to battle with tomorrow.
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THREE: Stay Connected. This does not mean spend an hour a day on facebook. Call your mom. Send photos of your kids to your grandparents. Check on your little brother. Send birthday cards. Have coffee and playdates and cultivate friendships with people worth being in your life. Find good professional relationships with those who make you a better creative person.
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TWO: Fill the Well. Inspiration can be illusive. You have to get inspired. Every creative soul needs different things. Mine likes antique stores, nature walks, used bookstores, quirky movies and art galleries. Seek out your muse, and don’t be afraid to have your kids help you find it. Seeing things through their eyes can be the greatest inspiration you will find.
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ONE: Quality Time. As a military family, we know all about quality time. This is the most important item on this list, and it can be forgotten, put off or faked too easy. Turn off the TV and play a game. Have a conversation, read a book and talk about it, go on a walk together, really pay attention to your kids one on one with no distractions. You might be with your kids all day, but even on the busiest days try and take some time to let them be your sole focus. Because you’ll blink and another year will go by.
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I love this article and these tips. Thank you.