GrowMama New Year’s Resolutions

As 2012 begins, a few of us at GrowMama have been contemplating the years past and re-evaluating for the year ahead. We pray that the new year brings baraka (blessings), health and happiness for you and your families! We look forward to your continued readership and engagement in the new year, inshAllah.

We asked some moms like you what their new year’s resolutions are. Here is what some of them said:

SM shares: “My New years resolution is to inshaAllah take more educational development courses. Courses  that have tests but no definite time lines. So I can finish them when I am able without penalty. And there is a testing system to ensure that I have learned the material. Also, I want to alternate between one professional work related course and then one Islamic Development course. For me, that will likely be Arabic language courses. InshaAllah if i could finish up to 3 courses a year I would feel that I used my spare time wisely feesabeelilah. ”

MA writes: “Every December, my husband and I look back on our goal’s document to see what we have accomplished, what needs slight modification, and what went completely unnoticed, ignored, unfinished, and/or, derailed. Not surprisingly, areas where there exists a lack of accountability are often dumped into the third category with the lump-in-throat feeling that is filled with “could haves, ifs and buts.” One of my resolutions for 2012 is to figure out a system that helps me accomplish my goals. Ideally, I would like to meet with a mentor once a month to discuss my progress, how I can work on achieving attainable goals, all the while providing a nurturing environment for my family. This reflective and communicative exercise will insha’Allah help me name and pinpoint areas that I am neglecting and may otherwise go unnoticed. Insha’Allah, it will also allow me to renew the intentionality of my actions and priorities. Now, off to find my mentor!”

DK adds: “One of my resolutions for the new year is to re-memorize portions of the Quran I have forgotten. Since my biggest obstacle towards doing this so far has been lack of free time, my strategy will be to incorporate it into daily family activities. How better to get motivated than with your entire family supporting you? The goal is to work on 2 verses per day. I will write them up on the whiteboard in the kitchen the night before and read their tafsir before bed, then let my mind process the information overnight. The next day as I prepare for the day ahead I will have them up to remind me. I will use my time in the car to listen to their recitation and practice them. I will also plan for a review session at the end of the week with my husband to go over the 10 verses I memorized that week. Maybe when my daughter is a little older we can use the tafsir to come up with creative stories or art projects centered on the meanings in the verses. How great it would be to take memorization to deeper level of understanding!”

Please feel free to share some of yours in the comments below!