Happy New Year! I hope you all had a lovely and relaxing Christmas break. We definitely did! Other than the odd walk, we hardly left the house (it was our first Christmas at home, ever, so we made the most of it). Being at home, chilling out with my family gave me some time to think about what I want to achieve in 2020 and indeed the next (new) decade.
As I’ve mentioned on here many times (probably ever year at this time), I never do traditional resolutions. In all honesty, I don’t believe in forcing a new regime on myself at possibly the darkest time of year. However, I have written a list of goals I have for this new year which I thought I’d shared with you, in the hope that it may encourages you to do the same.
So here are my thoughts on what I’d like to achieve in 2020…
- I want to make myself a priority and pay more attention to things I enjoy. Since Iris started nursery (full days) last September, I’ve noticed that I’ve been a little lost. I didn’t realise it at first but I now see that I’ve spent the past few months coasting along, not really knowing what to do with myself. So this year I want to make use of my time and focus on my career again, write more and be creative.
- Try to be more grateful. It’s so easy to fall into a negative trap of only seeing the failings in our lives. Of course, I realise that I have so much to be grateful for, so this year I’m going to make an extra effort to focus on these things and dismiss the “bad” things – that in most cases don’t really matter.
- Stop assuming the worst in people and making snap judgments. I consider myself to be a kind person, certainly a good friend but I’ve noticed that in recent years I’ve become less tolerant of perceived ‘bad behaviour’ from others. I watched an interview with Tom Hanks (on the Graham Norton Show) the other night, where he was talking about his new film ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood’, (which I can’t wait to see) and I was really inspired by the character he was describing. Hanks plays Mr Rogers, a man who always put others first and was interested in their story and their feelings. In short, I’ve come to the conclusion that life is better if you see the good in people and be more understanding to their circumstances.
- Just get on with it – stop avoiding things and tackle thing head on. This can apply to anything from housework, emails, shopping to dealing with awkward situations and issues. Most of the things we ‘put off’ or ignore are never as bad as we think, so I’m going to try to get things done and out of the way as quickly as possible.
- Finish decorating the house. We did manage to do a lot last year, especially in the first few months but we definitely still have a lot to do before we can say ‘it’s done’. This year we need to focus on our bedroom, the guest bedroom, the hallway and the outside of the house. Watch this space.
- I want to cook more meals and use more vegetables and fish in our diet. I have so many cook books, which I’ve barley used over the past few years, so I also want to use them more and make an effort to try at least one new recipe a week.
- Over the past six month my oldest two daughters (who are not big readers) have really got into audiobooks. This is brilliant because it’s giving them a love of books and stories despite being reluctant readers. They’re hearing an abundance of new vocabulary and using their imagination, while also learning some brilliant classic text. So far they’ve listen to The Worst Witch collection, all of Harry Potter, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, The Jungle Book and Treasure Island. Talking to them about these books has inspired me to read these books (some again and some for the first time). It’s also enticed me to buy some audiobooks for myself to listen to while out on walks or running boring errands. The older I get the more I want to learn and being well-read is always something I’ve admired in others.
And that’s it. On the whole I want to be kinder and listen to people. I know that I’m a good listener and sometimes that’s all people need is some who is willing to listen and offer support.
Do you have any new (or old) goals for the new year? I’d love to hear them.
