A Mother’s New Year Resolution… Treat YourSELF!

Normally when the beginning of the year rolls around, I am prepared with my resolutions, goals and a plan for execution, ready as the clock strikes midnight on January 1^st. If my plan were to start my year with a new diet, then I would have my fridge stocked and ready to go… if it was reading more, I would have the library lineup planned and half the books purchased; I mean for goodness sake, I would annually purchase a planner with brand new gel pens ready to make its first mark of the new year!

The point I am trying to make is, I am normally a meticulous planner but this year, well this year I definitely missed the mark. I don’t know if it is because 2018 flew by and I didn’t realize that New Years Eve was right around the corner, prohibiting me from my normal planning schedule… or if this year is the first year that I have a toddler that I am chasing and am simply just exhausted… or it could be because I am lazier than I was… OR just maybe it is all of them rolled up into one. It is now January 11^thand I just finally took down my Christmas décor (I know, slacker…) and I guess you could say I have been in a “funk.” Any other Moms out there feel the same way sometimes? Maybe feeling like you lost your groove? Or like the Austin Powers movie, when he loses his Mojo!! YAH, maybe I misplaced my MOJO. Becoming a Mother has been one of the greatest joys in my life, but with that joy has been accompanied with a lot of change. I cannot speak for everyone, but for me, my priorities made a huge shift and I realized that moving forward every decision that I will ever make will be decided for someone else… for my Son. This first year, as a Mom has been a joy… chaotic joy, messy joy, funny joy… and mostly pure joy… and a tiny bit of exhaustion… oh who am I kidding… a LOT of exhaustion. But lets get back to this “funk” I found myself in. This dilemma of wondering where my “MOJO” went has forced me to do some self-reflection and required me to truly contemplate what I want 2019 to be. After much deliberation, I have come to a decision as to what I want this year to be. I want this year to be the year of, “treat yourself!”

First, let me explain that I don’t mean, ignore everything else and make 2019 just about me but rather take those opportunities, those moments however few they may be throughout the year and remember what the airplane stewardess tells you before you take off – You need to put the oxygen mask on yourself first before you can help others. As a Mom I need to make sure that I am taking care of myself, mentally, physically and professionally (putting on the oxygen mask) so that I can be the best Mom, Wife, Daughter, Sister or Friend that I can be. I plan to make a “treating yourself” series, where I focus on taking a moment of self-care for myself and featuring it on Luv Ashland. This can be a healthy recipe, choosing to drink a gallon of water per day for one month, a new beauty regime… or my personal favorite some retail therapy. The point being, just to make small little changes for myself, so that I can be the best that I can be for my family in 2019. So, with that being said, to all my readers, here’s to another year and I hope you all join me with this resolution to “treat yo self!”