I love the New Year.

It’s chalked full of opportunity and potential. Throughout the course of a year so much can happen. Some years are marked with wonderful milestones while others remind us of the most vulnerable times in our lives. Some years, Ive been flying high, floating on air, feeling as if I’d accomplished so much and other years have had the ability to bring me to my knees.

When I first sat down to write this, I had every intention in listing a bunch of lofty goals to challenge myself this year. But as I thought more about life and how hard it can be to break habits and make change, I decided to do the opposite.

I decided to take my own advice and set small realistic goals that would put me in the direction of those bigger goals I want to achieve. By putting those steps in place, I can tackle tasks that ensure a bunch of small victories versus setting a bunch of goals that loom over my head while I run around in circles trying to figure out how I’m going to accomplish everything.

It wasnt until I experienced our 5 month old sleeping through the night for the first time that I was reminded of the importance in winning those small victories and taking things one step at a time… and what a good night’s rest feels like!

Its the little things in life that keep us going.

Like the smell of a fresh cup of coffee or tea as it warms your hands on a cold winter’s morning.
Or the way the light and shadows play with each other as we transition from one season to the next.
It’s the way your partner looks at you just like it was the first day you met.
Or the sound of a child’s first real laugh…. Or how it feels to have the first full night of sleep in 5 months 🙂

It’s small moments like these that remind us of why we are on the path we are on. These are the things that keep our lives rich and warm when those big goals loom over us.

So while I hope you set as many goals and resolutions as you wish, I hope you pay attention to the small stuff too. Yes, its crucial to keep an eye on the big picture, but be sure you don’t miss the beautiful trees for the forest. Slowing down to pay attention to the journey and appreciating life’s little nuances is what makes it more enjoyable and those goals worth achieving.

So remember to sweat the small victories too. Enjoy the ride and smell the roses as you walk along your path.