As we enter the New Year the typical thing to do is to assess ourselves, looking at our lives and often concluding that we not worthy and therefore we need to change.
It’s the month where relationships end, the month where we all diet, the month we tell ourselves we need to be better at everything - we need to be fitter, look better and the month where we declare to the world that we are going to smash new goals.
Not for me though, for me January is the month where I like to hibernate, shut off, switch off and slowly ease myself back into the world.
As mums we are always feeling the pressure of life, running around making sure everyone is happy and has what they need with often little thought or time for our own wants and desires.
There’s a big build-up to Christmas where we are constantly dealing with a voice in our heads telling us that we must create perfection, putting pressure on ourselves and the whole planning, and prepping of delivering a fabulous day to everyone. It’s exhausting and as soon as it’s over we are faced with January and a new pressure is unleashed.
It’s as if January starts and we lose sight of who we are and we focus on who we want to become, however unrealistic that may be.
Do you ever say to yourself “This year will be different” or “This year I will crack it”? I know I have done it more times than I care to admit and when I look back and really think about it, it seems ludicrous that just because I enter a new year I almost have to try and create a new me.
Thanks to social media, and societal pressures we are conditioned to strive for perfection believing that we should be perfect and of course it’s nonsense because nothing is perfect, perfection doesn’t exist. It’s the accidents, the curves, the wonky bits, and the disasters of life that make us human, that make us better people, that teach us the real meaning of love.
There’s nothing wrong with setting some small goals for 2021 but I believe they should be based on enhancing you and helping to make your life better as well as bringing joy.
I am going to treat myself to a nice organiser so I can write things down as I’m always forgetting everything and I’d like to organise my week a little better so everything doesn’t get on top of me as much.
I love writing a good list!
Instead of entering January with the belief that you should change everything about you, why don’t you celebrate all the wonderful things about yourself? Because as mums you possess an endless list of great qualities.
Make January the time to love you more, put yourselves first a little more and celebrate all your successes.
You don’t need to be like anyone else, you are fine just the way you are.
Kelly Pegg is a Journalist and Broadcaster working in radio for more than 15 years. She is a mum of two who was born and raised in the East Midlands and loves living in Nottinghamshire with her family. She hosts the podcast The Hot Mess Mums' club with TV Presenter Jenny Powell, supporting and empowering women everywhere. You can find it on Instagram @thehotmessmums
