Joanna Gaines Makes New Year’s Resolution to ‘Live for Now’ in Emotional Post

Joanna Gaines is determined to “live for now” in 2019.

On New Year’s Day, the reality TV star and Magnolia designer took to Instagram to reflect on the past year and how oftentimes she gets lost in the future instead of reflecting on the moment at hand, revealing that her New Year’s resolution is to focus on the present.

In the photo shared to her 9.5 million fans, 6-month-old Crew can be seen sitting in her lap and holding her hand.

“It’s always been my nature to reflect on the past and linger there a while. I find myself thinking about what I will miss and how life is just moving too fast,” Gaines’ post began. “I mean Crew is already six months old and saying ‘mama’ (I had to throw that in there, sorry Chip). Drake will be driving in two years and off to college in four. And just like that I have found myself mourning the past but now in future tense. You see what I just did there? This whole time thing can feel like a thief if you let it.”

“I’m challenging myself in this new year to live for now. The present,” she continued. “Taking in every breath, every sight, and sound and holding it dearly. Not thinking about how the good ol’ days have passed us by or how the best is yet to come. But that right now, this very second, this is the gift. These are the days. These are the moments. And I’m gonna breathe them all in. If there’s pain and sorrow, or happiness and hope, let it in and then let it out.”

“I want to enjoy the now because it’s the only thing we can actually embrace. I want to hold it carefully,” she wrote. “Hold it thoughtfully. I want to rid myself of the little distractions because I have found that these are the thieves that steal our moments and rob our days. But time, time is our most precious gift.”

“Here’s to seeing and finding the beauty, the hope and joy in the right now in 2019. And for goodness sake, let’s have some fun while we’re at it,” Gaines’ post concluded. “It’s going to be a happy new year indeed. Believing that for all of us. #wonderinthenow #thesearethedays.”

The past year was certainly a big one for Gaines and her family. In June, she and husband Chip welcomed their fifth child together, baby Crew. The little one, whose life has frequently been documents on his parents’ social media accounts, was born eight years after the Gaines’ last welcomed a new baby.

The couple also share Emmie Kay, 8, Duke, 9, Ella Rose, 12, and Drake, 13.

New family additions were not the only big events for the Gaines family, though. Just months after welcoming baby Crew, Gaines and her husband celebrated a major milestone for Magnolia Market: the 15-year anniversary of opening Magnolia Market’s first storefront.