Our Muses’ New Year’s Resolutions

Parenting: My three kids thrive with structure and everyday family traditions. This year, we incorporated quick showers in the mornings before school and bath time at night. It really resets Philomena, Javan and Domenica in the morning and relaxes them in the evenings. (My general rule of thumb for kids is to just add water: a splash, a pool, a shower, a bath, a cold drink, warm tea – it fixes everything.) Something I would like to incorporate this year is to have classical music playing in the mornings and more live music or performances on the weekends. And a fun family tradition I would like to add: Once a week, my kids will pick a new healthy recipe for us to try, and once a week they will pick a new cake or cookie recipe for us to try. I love having my kids in the kitchen with me, and as a family, we celebrate and adventure through food, so this feels like a good way to get them involved and let them have fun with it.

Personal: Too often, I make the mistake of checking my inbox “one last time” before bed, and it sets off dominos of stress, anxiety and negative self-talk (usually about how much is still on my to-do list!) right before bed. My resolution for 2019 is to spend 15 minutes before I turn out the lights reading something fun or inspiring or transportive: a novel, a magazine, a short story or writing down my thoughts on the day or intentions for tomorrow in a journal. I want it to be something nurturing and offline so it can be relaxing and intimate for better sleep and a more productive me.

Parenting: My New Year’s resolution as a parent is to introduce our daughter, Ocean, to simple and relatable approaches to embodied spirituality. Recently, we’ve been exploring the depth and richness of the breath. At 22 months, Ocean is just beginning to make a conscious connection to her breathing and she has shown great interest and enjoyment in a simple game we play to practice inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply. This practice has become part of our bedtime ritual. In the evening, after sunset, we look into each other’s eyes and take several mindful breaths together. Not only does this practice help to slow down her heart rate and peacefully signal that bedtime is near, but it also connects us in a special way.

Personal: My personal New Year’s resolution is to become increasingly at home with the rhythm and wisdom of the senses. The process of finding one’s equilibrium after becoming a mother is one of looking forward and expanding into a new kind of awareness rather than trying to return to our approximation of the old self. Motherhood for me has presented a new kind of bridge between my body and soul. This has brought with it an embrace a deeper understanding of embodiment, sensuality and the touch of nature against human presence.

Parenting: I will start by having more designated cooking nights with my kids, Max and Dash. I love the familial feeling that is unique to creating a meal with and for those you love, but I am the worst at actually doing it. I will start having set cooking nights where we all learn how to navigate the kitchen together for a common purpose: a shared meal.

Personal: My personal New Year's resolution is to become less of a mess! I am committing to becoming better at picking up after myself and organizing things, including my computer, as I'm certain it will make life easier.

Parenting: I would like to help Farrah take better advantage of the cultural offerings that New York City has to offer. First up is re-igniting our tradition of seeing Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Tickets have been bought!

Personal: I commit to spending more time in the great outdoors, whether it be in Prospect Park near our home in Brooklyn or immersed in greenery and fresh air wherever my travels make take me. By setting aside a few minutes of each day to do this, I know I can and will feel renewed and more connected to nature.

Parenting: I’m inspired to slow the pace of our schedules way down, and make myself fully present — particularly when I am with my family. I’ve dusted off the board games: Candy Land, Stratego, Snakes and Ladders, as well as the trusty Simon and Uno in preparation for cozy times free of technology. By committing to one “unplugged” night a week, I think we can really enjoy being together as a family.

Personal: I am dedicating more time to doing the practices that I truly love and feel energized by. I’m excited to dive into making herbal medicine in my kitchen with friends and family. Herbal teas, tinctures, powders and luxurious skincare formulas are all on my list.

Parenting: I think living in a city can be isolating at times. It is so important for me that Hunter and Wilder find a connection to nature. I want to teach my kids about the beauty and magic of the outdoors so that it becomes a part of who they are. I am committing to taking them to a few national parks on the weekends and over the summer to really instill that love and passion.

Personal: I am committing to being present with all the beauty and love in my life – not taking for granted one second of it all – and being here now. I plan to take a few minutes each day to acknowledge a few of these things in my life to remind myself how fortunate I am.