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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you to recommend me your last year's resolution?

98 replies

sunseeker19 · 28/12/2018 11:27

Posting here for traffic as I'm looking for inspiration for my new years resolution/s. What resolution did you make last year and manage to keep, which you'd recommend because it's really made a difference?

OP posts:
CarolDanvers · 29/12/2018 09:22

To divorce and remove my ex husband's control. I did divorce him and reduced his control but it's a work in progress.

No social media for January. Did that and it was great. Going to try for two months, maybe longer this year.

Screamqueenz · 29/12/2018 10:24

I started to saying yes to things that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I've written three articles and been on local radio and national television.

I've got two additional jobs that I very much enjoy and I completed the three Yorkshire peaks challenge.

It's in a niche area, so you won't have noticed me, but they were huge challenges for me, I'm actually a very shy person.

PersonaNonGarter · 29/12/2018 10:29

Cook a new recipe each week.

Look after house plants.

I love the idea of ‘19 in 19’! Going to give that some thought.

OneStepMoreFun · 29/12/2018 12:59

Oh I LOVE the idea of 19 in 19.
I'm going to adapt Mog's list

I'm going to try and make a list of 19 things:

  1. Read 19 books
  2. Watch 19 Shakespeare plays live or on screen (I love Shakespeare and promised myself I'd see more next year - so that's a big target.)
  3. Go on a 19-mile hike
  4. LOSE 19 lbs excess chub. I really need that one.
  5. Have 19 alcohol free weeks
  6. Have 19 sugar free weeks
  7. Save £1900 is a brilliant idea. (Not sure how, but I'll try!)
  8. Have 19 fast days
10. Exercise for at least 19 mins per day 11. Do 19 things from my life list 12. Do 19 challenging things I've ever done before 13. Do 19 DIY jobs - long overdue! 14. Visit 19 new places 15. Fill 19 notebooks (trying to write a book, isn't everyone?) 16. Give away 19 items on freecycle 17. Buy 19 good quality, long lasting items for me or the house 18. Have 19 dates with DH 19. Have 19 surprises/spontaneous life changing decisions (just leaving room here for something weird and wonderful to happen)
Valkyries · 29/12/2018 13:03

last few years it has been "saying no to people" ie. stop being a people pleaser

it's taken a few years because in practice it's not that easy so it's been a gradual change - I think I'm pretty much there now with that one

2019 will be - don't do things I don't to

Valkyries · 29/12/2018 18:23

2019 will be - don't do things I don't WANT to

toomanypillows · 29/12/2018 18:31

Mine was to apply to do a master's degree.
Started it in October. I love it - I have such a sense of purpose

TheEagle · 29/12/2018 18:35

Great ideas here!

This year mine was to drink less; I was aiming for at least 150 days without alcohol, in fact I did 335 days without having a drink. I’ll aim for similar in 2019.

My resolution for 2019 is to clear out the clutter in my house and be more organised.

Nanna50 · 29/12/2018 18:41

2017 was to never buy a carrier bag, I never have, although I have sometimes had to balance stuff under my chin when leaving a shop.

2018 was to be kinder to myself, by this I mean don’t criticise myself, allow myself some time to do what I want, say no when I need to, it worked.

pingoose · 29/12/2018 18:42

Mine was to sort out our family photo albums. I was 7 years behind, and while I’ve not quite completed the resolution, I’m only a year behind now!
This year I’m scheduled to finish my Masters, and also give birth to DC2, so no time for any other resolutions I think.

DowntonCrabby · 29/12/2018 18:43

Read 100 books- I managed 66 which is a load more than would have been achieved had I not had the challenge.

Setting the 100 goal again for 2019 with my sister taking part too.

lillighters85 · 29/12/2018 18:54

Donate, sell or bin one thing every day. Did it and it was brilliant. So much less clutter. This year I'd like to read more and focus on my marriage so try and get some decent nights out with my husband planned.

SydneyCarton · 29/12/2018 19:02

@ZzzMarchhare I did something very similar but it was one bag per week rather than per month. Not necessarily each and every week, as long as I got rid of 52 bags in 52 weeks. Currently on 48 bags with 4 earmarked for rubbish or charity shop on Monday 😁

motortroll · 29/12/2018 19:04

My last years resolution was to run a marathon which I did! But I should have made some more as I've achieved precisely nothing for the last 2/3 of the year!

Esca · 29/12/2018 19:14

What an interesting thread.

I made two resolutions in 2018: to stick to a set budget by being intentional about my finances, and to eat a vegetarian diet (which was an amazing help, financially).

Both were incredibly successful. I paid an extra £9000 off my mortgage this year, and I lost 42lbs.

In both cases, logging my progress was key. I set up a simple spreadsheet for my finances and updated it every Friday evening, and I logged my food on myfitnesspal every single day, which took no more than a few minutes.

Really enjoying this thread for new ideas!

VioletCharlotte · 29/12/2018 19:19

I tend to set intentions, rather than make resolutions. One of mine was to do more yoga, more regularly. Doing so has had a massive impact on me, not only physically, but also mentally. I've met some lovely new people, and it's opened the door to other well-being activities.

TeamB1 · 29/12/2018 19:20

Commit to running! Managed it too. Trained and ran the great north run.

Sitranced · 29/12/2018 19:23

Leaving my purse at home and forget my card details on every online store. Trying to reduce my spending right down to nothing to hopefully reduce my debt a bit quicker.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 29/12/2018 19:24

Last year mine was to find a new job which I did within the first month after 17 years in my old one. Best decision I ever made.

This year, I need to work on my fitness and lose some weight but I don’t think I will be quite so successful.

OneStepMoreFun · 29/12/2018 22:12

@Esca - I've never understood how logging food on MFP takes people only a few minutes a day. It takes me forever. If you make fresh food from scratch you have to hunt down all the individual ingredients and put in the amounts, or look for a ready meal version that is roughly similar. Even on easy days, I never got it down to less than about 15 mins of logging. Is there a secret to it that I've missed?

ShotsFired · 29/12/2018 22:15

Slightly OT but I've never understood why people perpetually add new foods to MFP when the village idiot would be able to hazard a guess that "apple, 1" is probably already going to be on there.

So you end up trying to work out if any of the twenty apple options are any different to each other.

Esca · 29/12/2018 22:24

Hi, @OneStepMoreFun. I promise I would not have lasted this long if it wasn't easy!

I load every homemade, regular main meal (curry/chilli/traybakes/pasta/stew etc) as a recipe. That way, all I need to do is add it (one click), or make slight adjustments if I vary the recipe.

I also use the copy meal function for lots of breakfasts and lunches because I am a creature of habit and often eat the same things, like toast and marmite during the week, or scrambled egg at weekends. Anything new, I scan with my phone, if I can.

After a year, I have a lot of drinks and snacks preloaded too. I think that if you persevere for a month, it all gets so much easier. My motivation was logging how much protein and iron I was consuming as a new vegetarian, so I was pretty motivated!

LittleDoritt · 29/12/2018 23:26

2018 was to live within my means and stay debt free.
2017 was to become debt free and to read at least a book a month.
2016 was to only read books I owned or borrowed - I kept that one up for 2.5 years.
2015 was to move out of London.

2019 has to be to sort out my weight but I'm not really looking forward to it. It's going to be hard. Also, to spend more time and money and effort on myself. Everything has been poured into my family for so long.

WhatOnEarthDoIDoNow · 29/12/2018 23:28

I want to lose weight and improve my fitness for health reasons I promise it’s got nothing to do with the fact I’m going on a beach/water park holiday with my ridiculously fit and good looking male friends 😂

AlexaShutUp · 30/12/2018 02:13

I love the idea of 19 in 19 too. Going to give that one some thought!