A new year is once again upon us. For many of us we were looking forward to a brand new start. The new year always brings that sense of new and improved. The new year expectations are notorious for making many create resolutions of new promises to self. If you're a parent I want to recommend looking back and processing your past year in an effort to grow. Like your child, parents need to grow and expand with each passing year. Primarily to keep up with your changing and growing child but also to continue your parenting journey and development.
“When you look at yourself from the place of processing and growing you step away from judgement and criticism of self. ”
When you look at yourself from the place of processing and growing you step away from judgement and criticism of self. Parents so often sit in a silent dark hole of self-judgement and fear. Most of my parenting consultations end with me letting a parent know that what they feel is normal and that most parents have the same concerns and doubts. There's a magic that is created when we can all say collectively "me too" when we can all hold one another in mind and in compassion when we see that we share a common hardship. I wrote about this a few years back, when we can see ourselves in one another we can help one another more. This is particularly important in parenting. (here's that blog)
In this new year my hope for all of us is that we take time in the coming weeks to process the losses, the insight, and the gratitude we have all been swimming in during the past year, to move forward with an expansion of who we are.
Ask yourself these questions:
How do I judge myself as a parent? How do I judge other's parenting? Am I right? Do I wish to continue this judgment of self and other?
Of the things I lost last year, what do I wish to regain again? What needed to be lost? What can I fit in its place?
What are three insights from last year that I want to hold on to and keep in mind moving forward?
What are three things I am grateful for in thinking about last year?
Here’s to the new year and living the lessons learned moving forward. I remain in my commitment to assist parents on falling in love with their parenting journey. Even when in hardship, stress or fear, my hand is out for those who wish to Stop Parenting Alone.
Happy New Year to all!