Life

Courtesy of Whitney Yelling

In 2017, It's All About Confidence For This Mom

by Kylie McConville

January is a month filled with resolutions. On the first day of the month, as each of us wave goodbye to the previous year, we make way for all the things we plan to do once we have a fresh slate. We ask ourselves, What will I do better this year? How will I do better? What do I want to change about myself? About my behaviors? How can I improve? Resolutions made by women by and large get a bad rap. At face value, it's so easy to assume they'll all be the same: I'm going to lose weight!; I'm going to wake up earlier!; I'll travel! but if you take a look deeper, you'll notice just how raw and real resolutions made by women — especially moms — are. They're complex, multi-layered, and they're also incredibly honest.

Mothers aren't just making resolutions for themselves. They're constantly factoring in how the things they do and say and believe will shape and influence their children. Though moms are faced with these types of decisions day in and day out, the new year provides an opportunity to look at the year as a whole and to consider all the things they plan to change and improve on. For 2017, Romper spoke to 31 different moms all over the country in an effort to highlight just how diverse, bold, and exciting their resolutions are.

Courtesy of Whitney Yelling

Name: Whitney Yelling

Age: 28

City and state: Birmingham, Alabama

Occupation: Tech Specialist at Apple

How old are your kids?: Dakota is 8 months old

What resolution do you think you're supposed to make? Why do you feel this way?: To lose weight and save money.

What's your actual resolution this year, and why?: I am actually making the resolution to go vegetarian. Also to be more confident as a mother.

I want to show Dakota that there is always a time when you can work to make yourself better.

What's the one resolution you won't make again?: To lose weight. I have to learn that becoming "super skinny" isn't going to make me happy.

What's one thing in your life you want to change but don't feel like you can?: I wish I could change the stigma that's associated with me being a single mom.

What's one thing you did or didn't do last year that you forgive yourself for?: I didn't embrace my pregnancy. Or motherhood, until the last half of the year.

Do you tell your kids your resolution? Why or why not?: I can tell my daughter my resolution, but I doubt she'll understand. I will, though, in the future, because I want to show Dakota that there is always a time when you can work to make yourself better.

What specifically do you want for your kids this year?: Happiness! I want her to be the happiest, carefree baby ever an for her to be proud of me.