January 1st brings new purpose and hope of change for many. It’s a time to start implementing new patterns, attitudes, and routines. The resolutions we make for ourselves reveal our best intentions going into the new year.
A little more than a year ago, I resolved to lose weight. Being a working mom of two, I had a list of reasons why I had gained weight over the years, the main one being that I was a stress eater. I have no shortage of stress in my life. Taking care of a child with special and medical needs gave me ample reasons to stress-eat.
When I made big changes to my eating habits, the weight started to come off. I lost around 60 pounds. It was hard work. When my daughter was sick, I had to fight the urge to eat, which was a habit I had for over a decade. For the past six months, I have been maintaining my weight loss. My goal this year is to continue to keep it off.
What about all the other things I need to lose?
I need to lose some of my busyness. It seems I am always busy with housework, paperwork, appointments, and errands. It is rare for me sit around and do nothing. Even when I could rest and be still, I find something to do. It’s time for me to lose some of that ‘must stay busy’ attitude. I need to take time to sit and be still. Being busy isn’t always necessary; rest is equally important.
Another thing I need to lose is impatience. Patience is critical when you have a child with special needs. I have a fair amount of patience until I don’t. When my patience tank is empty, I don’t handle some of my child’s behavioral issues with the grace that is needed. I get frustrated with my child instead of teaching, guiding, and supporting through the issue. If I don’t get enough rest or feel the pressure of stress, then impatience is going to be a problem for me. This year, I need to make better decisions, so I can ensure my patience tank stays full.
A final thing I need to lose is all that extra stuff sitting around my house. I have many objects that I intend on getting rid of some day. This year, I am going to find the day to purge those items. The items are cluttering my house and aren’t adding anything to my life. In fact, it creates more work by needing me to dust or shift around the unnecessary items at times throughout the year.
There are some things in life we need lose in order to gain in other areas. When parenting a child with special and medical needs, it becomes vitally important to reflect on how we are living, areas we need to improve, and discovering ways to better ourselves.
When you get accustomed to doing life a certain way, it’s hard to undo those patterns and change routines. Change is going to be necessary to lose these things this year. I have made successful changes to achieve weight loss. Hopefully, I can continue to find success new areas.
What about you? What do you need to lose this year?
Evana is a wife and mother of two children. Since becoming a parent, Evana has spent many hours driving to specialty appointments, praying beside a hospital bed, and learning about her children’s diagnoses. Evana is also a pediatric speech-language pathologist and serves children with autism, feeding disorders, and other developmental delays. You can connect with Evana on Twitter, Facebook, and her blog, A Special Purposed Life. You can also read more about her family’s story in her book, Badges of Motherhood: One Mother’s Story about Family, Down syndrome, Hospitals, and Faith.
