It has been over 20 years since I heard those words, yet they still bring tears to my eyes. It was the moment I started to realize what being an adult meant. It was the moment I started to hear and care what others thought of me.

I spend almost all of my time and energy loving the shit out of my kids. Finding these little magic moments in ordinary days. Kissing dirty faces and being easy-going. And then I spend just a little bit of time wanting terribly to get away from them.

You feel like you've been through the washing machine at 6 a.m. and want to close your eyes so badly just when you're supposed to be starting your day.

This New Year, I challenge you not to create annual resolutions but instead to look to the next month. How do you want to be? What do you want to experience? What would make your heart sing? What do you need to do to bypass fear and live fully? Then 30 days from now, see how well you did. Celebrate your wins and make plans for how you can make the next 30 days even better!

Hindsight always haunts us: I could've, should've, would've. Indeed, when our loss of joy and happiness is preventable, the wounds take that little bit longer to heal. Here's to prevention being better than cure, and uncovering 10 culprits robbing your happiness.

Motherhood is a brave journey. It's always been this brave thing to raise another independent, pushing the limits, melt your heart at night, love them forever even when they drive you crazy, human. That's what you're doing. Even on those tired days.