Why I’m not making any New Year’s resolutions

My house has been in a state of change for the past year. We undertook a major remodel and right after it ended, Christmas came. Now we are in the process of trying to put all the things back where they belong, reorganize the entire house, and finish the rest of the painting projects from the remodel.

On a side note, do you know how tedious it is to tape off stairs to prepare them for painting and staining? 🤪

In other words, things are unfinished….and busy. Can ya relate?

table centerpiece with candlesticks, crowns, and a cloche
simple winter tablescape

I wear many hats….mom, wife, homeschool teacher, housekeeper, small business owner. Recently, I’ve become increasingly frustrated that I can’t do it all. I haven’t posted the photos of my kitchen yet. Haven’t figured out the social media puzzle for my blog. Haven’t finished about a hundred projects I’ve got rattling around in my head. I find myself wishing I had a clone or could pause time or that I didn’t have to sleep and could just keep working right on through the night. Isn’t that ridiculous?!

winter mantel with a trio of mirrors, basket jars, and an oil painting
mantel with three simple vignettes

So, this year I’m not doing any resolutions. I don’t need to give myself yet another task to focus on.

Instead, I’ve decided that I need to work on giving myself grace. For my own sanity and for the sake of my family. I want to focus on the important. Later in life, will I worry that I didn’t get that extra post out…that some of my photos weren’t magazine worthy…that I didn’t finish that one project? I think I’d worry more if I thought I’d treated my family like an item to check off my list.

two wicker jars and a nest with pink flowers
two wicker jugs and a nest with flowers

So if you’re feeling like I am, let’s not give ourselves more resolutions of things to do. Let’s seek more grace, more smiles, more simple joy in life. I thank God for the grace He’s shown me and pray that I can learn to show it to myself and my family.

chalkboard, jar with eucalyptus, an old book, and a handmade ceramic bird in a nest
chalkboard vignette in the dining room

Now, don’t think I’m aiming to be a disorganized mess this year! I still want to be productive. But instead of those yearly resolutions that often seem so overwhelming to me, I’m setting weekly goals. At the end of each week, I’m going to make a list of a few things that I need to accomplish and a few things that I’d like to accomplish for the upcoming week.

a cloche with rolled up sheet music
I used crowns here instead of candles

Hopefully these goals will give me something to shoot for, but in manageable-sized pieces. And above all, I intend to do it with grace.

And if you are interested in the lovely oil painting that is on my mantel, it was painted by my friend, Kristie, of Kristie Shelton Studio. She does such beautiful work!

Also, as a gift to you, I made this downloadable that you can print (click the link below the picture).

I pray you have a grace-filled year!

chalkboard printable I will hold myself to standard of grace not perfection

Grace not perfection printable

Looking for more easy, winter decor ideas? Here’s five winter decor ideas and a winter wreath tutorial.

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2 Comments

  1. Great idea to give yourself some grace. I love how you removed Christmas but left winter in your decor. So pretty.

    1. Thank you! I love using a few of my Christmas elements as crossovers into winter decor. So much easier than starting from scratch!

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