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By Brooke Dowd Sacco
At this time last year, I made a very ambitious decision for 2012: I vowed not to change a thing.
Seven months into motherhood, and inspired by an article that suggested readers resist the mad dash to “New Year, New You” themselves, I decided to be content with who I was. Of course, who I am is someone who is always learning, growing, and gaining new perspectives. I just wasn’t going to make any grand statements about being more like this or less like that.
Surprisingly well, actually. Despite not resolving myself to do it, last January I started dropping all of those pesky post-baby pounds that tend to stay around when you’re breastfeeding, tired and hungry all the time. I focused on eating even better, and moving a little more. I did want to shed some weight, but I didn’t put any time limits or weight loss goals in place. I just wanted to feel content with the way I looked come summer. And what do you know? I did. I even wore a bikini on the beach—once (it’s not an easy task when you’re tending to a toddler).
The difference is that I didn’t start from a place of deficit but acceptance. Of letting things just be a little more. This attitude shift helped me to surrender control, to just let things go.
Read more about letting go of New Year’s resolutions on YourTango.com.
