I have a background in Early Childhood Education. One of the best things I learned while doing my studies, and then teaching in daycare centers, was how to reframe a negative into a positive.
For example, when I was little, our teachers used to tell us, “Don’t run in the hall.” Today, though, you’ll hear teachers say, “Walk in the hall” or “Use your walking feet.”
It’s a little thing, this talking in a way that encourages what you can do vs. what you shouldn’t do. Still, I find it helpful as I look towards the new year.
What CAN I do vs. what SHOULDN’T I do.
Here is my list of what I CAN do this new year:
1. I can smile when the cashier asks me, “Did you find everything you needed today?” when she and I both know I didn’t.
2. I can keep my eyes from rolling when I host my kids’ next birthday party and some parent inevitably doesn’t RSVP or drops off a brother or sister along with the child that was actually invited.
3. I can laugh when my husband asks, “Where does this go?” and holds up a pan we’ve owned for 20 years of marriage and which he has already asked me at least 95 times before “Where does this go?” (Hint: same place it’s always gone, dear!)
4. I can keep exercising a couple times a week even if every magazine or TV show says I should exercise all the time.
5. I can dress for warmth, not fashion, when I pick up my daughter from school.
6. I can think about how much I love my tween son rather than how he seems embarrassed to be seen with me these days.
7. I can keep blogging when I feel like I have something to say or share (rather than blogging more often as the so-called experts recommend in order to pursue big numbers of viewers that supposedly lead to more sponsored posts and revenue.)
8. I can keep laughing when I mess up this parenting thing.
9. I can keep having a glass of wine with dinner. (See my nifty picture above!)
10. I can love where I am in my life, right now, right here!
This list was inspired by the Mommy Reality #26 Challenge that I’m co-hosting with Celeste and Jen. The theme is “Breaking Bad”, in other words, what bad habit would you like to break. (See how I used my ECE degree and reframed those bad habits into what good thoughts I’d like to have instead?!)
Join in the fun and add your bad-habit-breaking story to the Mommy Reality linky!
And, all the best to you and yours for 2015!
Oh this is a good list and I like the whole what I can do attitude! I think I need to adopt several items on your list.
Side note, who are these experts who say to blog all of the time even when you have nothing to say?? Would it be ok do you think if I posted frequently with words such as blah, blah, blah written repeatedly throughout the post? Would that work and keep my audience coming?
Jen recently posted…Mommy Reality #26: Getting Rid Of These Is Going to Break Me
I’ve taken several blogging classes/read “helpful” blogging articles that encourage you to post at least 3X/week to drive more traffic to your site, blah blah blah. I tried that for a month or so and felt I was putting out crappy content. I don’t have deals or coupons to share, so once or twice a week is fine by me! If I’m not a millionaire blogger (I’m not) then so be it. 🙂
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…What I CAN Do
I like your attitude! I also like the idea of turning negative statements into positive ones. I agree with you ladies about only blogging when you have something worth saying. Happy New Year! ( I CAN go to bed before midnight, if I’m tired).
Melissa recently posted…New Year’s Resolutions (Some Which I Probably Won’t Keep)
Yes, you CAN go to bed if you’re tired before midnight! 😉
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…What I CAN Do
I need to start using the words I CAN instead of I WILL TRY. The keyword there is TRY. Need to eliminate its use.
This a great list and a neat way to approach New Year’s resolutions. I love the one about your husband not knowing where to put things. I often can’t understand where mine’s been living the past twenty years that he doesn’t know where basic things are stored! 🙂 Good to know I’m not alone! Happy New Year to you! #mommyrealitychallenge
normaleverydaylife recently posted…To Be Better About Accepting the Imperfect
Those husbands are interesting creatures, right?! Happy New Year to you, too, and thanks for participating in #MommyReality!
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…What I CAN Do
I loved your list… reframing is a great way of surviving. Personally, I aim to lower my standards far enough to be successful!
Tove Maren recently posted…I Listen – and I Learn!
I love that strategy, too, Tove! It always makes me feel good to achieve goals, even if I set them lower to begin with!
I love the idea of embracing what you know you’re cabaple of! That’s a much better way to start the year off, instead of setting unreachable goals and then failing. And yes, that pan goes the same place it went last time! Why would we move it?! Why can’t you remember that? (Obviously, I get that in my house too 🙂 )
Happy New Year,
Amber at OurCharmedLife.net
So funny about the husbands and the pans. What is up with that?! Happy New Year to you, too!
Okay, this is really cool. I dig how you incorporated the “What I can do” attitude into the mix. It’s definitely something I need to focus on when I feel like I’m failing situations. For instance, I’ve already broken my soda resolution! Boo! But what I CAN do, is after I kick this sore throat, go off the Diet 7-up, yes? Did I do that right? 🙂
Happy New Year!! <3
Celeste @Leapfrog and Lipgloss recently posted…#AskAwayFriday with Echo from Domain of the Mad Mommy
Yes, you CAN go off the Diet 7-Up (are you sure you want to?!) 🙂
Great attitude, I love this post! Such a simple reminder of all the little things we can absolutely do to make the world a little brighter. Thank you for the reminder. Off to spread my “can dos!”
Lauren recently posted…Breaking Bad…Habits
Yup, go get ’em! You can do it. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by.
I love that you pointed out the positive wording opposed to the negative! I also have a background in early/elem education (working on my Master’s now!) And I’ve always loved that they talk so much about using the positive words now! I sure don’t remember them using that when I was young! 😉 I do my best to talk this way with my daughter, but sometimes when I open my mouth my mother still comes out and those old “don’ts” and “nos” come out somehow anyway! *sigh* I guess that’s why none of us are perfect at this parenting thing! Oh and don’t worry ladies, my man is the same way with not knowing where anything is found or where it belongs! It must just be a male thing! I mean what are they paying attention to instead?! Lol!
Amy Lou recently posted…Brand Spanking NEW YEAR!!! We Are Breaking Bads!
Amy Lou! Thanks for commenting. And don’t beat yourself up when you say No to your daughter. Even with all our ECE training, I firmly believe that sometimes No is the best thing our kids can hear. That’s so funny about your man, too! What is it with them?!?