2026 Promises to Myself

Forget resolutions for the year. 2026 is going to be a big year for me in so many ways and putting an added stressor of impossible goals onto myself just doesn’t fit my vision. So this is why I have decided to make myself promises over resolutions.

Sometimes resolutions feel like a setup for failure. They can be a fix-for-now type of deal but not always a lifestyle change or have the bigger picture of life within them. There is not start or end date with a promise. It is a constant work towards your goals with the flexibility of life getting in the way. If you can’t achieve these items everyday, you’re only letting yourself down, but can always start again. Giving up on a resolution feels more permanent, like a failure of sorts. Promises should not be broken, there seems to be more dedication behind a promise.

• Never going to bed with a messy kitchen. There is nothing worse than having to tackle dirty dishes or cluttered counters in the morning. There are too many other tasks to accomplish that a messy kitchen is so easily avoidable. Regardless of how tired I am, this will be done at night for a fresh start the next morning.
• Less time on my phone and being more present with my family. We are all a little guilty of this, but I can see my children recognizing this in me lately. They are only this little for so long and I want to enjoy it. As much as we all need a moment to veg out, it does not need to be in their presence.
• Prioritizing ME time. I am constantly saying I am too tired to workout, or go for that walk, or even meditate. But I feel such a difference in my moods and patience when I do grant myself the time for these things. It makes me a better mother, a better wife and overall a better person when I take the time for myself.
• Prioritizing time with my husband. Our relationship deserves this. We spend so much time tackling the mundane tasks of our day to days, and everything revolves around our children. But we need to remind ourselves of why we fell in love to create this beautiful life in the first place.
• Prioritizing sleep. I am the worst at this. I used to say “I can sleep when I’m dead”. But there are so many studies that prove lack of sleep will take you to that grave earlier than we’d like. The benefits of rest outweigh the pride of a hustle culture.
• Allowing myself time for new hobbies. I have so many ambitions for create outlets, and I get really into them when I do allow myself some dedicated time for them. I just need to prioritize this time a bit more. Rather than scrolling on my phone or watching a show, I could be far more productive and find a hobby I truly love to do.
• Sticking to my schedules. While I do understand these will need to remain flexible because I do have children, a schedule is what I thrive in for my day to day tasks. My morning routine and evening routines are routed in schedules, I just need to devote more of myself to sticking with it.
• Sticking to my goals. I have so many hopes and dreams for my life, and I know I could be so much more successful in everything I attempt to do, but I make far too many excuses as to what is holding me back. When to be honest, its me. I am the only one responsible for myself and my actions. If I want something in life, I know I can accomplish it, but I must go all in.

There is more hope behind a promise. It’s more personal. No one can step in and do the workout for you if you want to see the results within yourself. Having a cheat meal or a treat is not a big deal, but giving up on your healthy eating all together is a choice. I have gone long enough making excuses, to myself and to others for not sticking to the changes and I am the one who has to live in this body and mind and not be my happiest because I haven’t been disciplined and put in the effort to see my full potential, which I know I have deep down inside. We are our own futures and nothing will ever change that. We make our own decisions, regardless of how we are influenced or swayed. We don’t have to make that purchase, or eat that treat or sit on the couch and watch that show, or scroll mindlessly for who knows how long.

A promise is a promise and I owe it to myself to stick this out. Each passing year I complain about what I am not happy about, so here I am, sharing with the world what I am promising myself to do. Going back on these promises are not an option because I have exposed myself and been vulnerable in my lack of discipline thus far. Enough is enough and I promise myself a better life, plain and simple.

Melanie xoxox