Happy New Year!
Obviously you never know what is coming around the corner, but we still look forward and make plans. Having a vision of the life you want to live, and a road-map to get you there helps you to focus on the things that are important to you. If life throws you a curve-ball, you can reassess and adjust your plans, but at least you know the overall direction you are heading.
These are the principles I follow as I make my plans for the year. I know what I want – but I’m prepared to redraw the route as I go.
For example, I haven’t made quite as much progress with some of these as I’d like through January – it’s been a very busy month at work, and I’ve also had a horrible cough and cold that I can’t seem to shift, which has made me pretty tired. However – there’s always next month!
Make every day an adventure. A chance to make life better – for yourself and/or for people around you. Make life fun. Surround yourself with people who you love and who fill you with joy.
New Year – new plans
Following last year – I’ve set myself a range of goals and lifestyle choices. Each week, I’ll aim to do something towards each life area. Mostly, the stuff I post here on the blog will be connected to what I am doing in these areas. Of course, I’ll be aiming to tackle all these areas of my life with a playful, joy and fun-seeking attitude.
Health
Get down to 75kg
Exercise at least 3 times per week
I’ve got lots of adventures in mind, and I want to make sure that I can fully enjoy them. So… making healthy choices and making sure that I make time to be active.
Career
Self-publish short books on Amazon.
I’ve already published the first one – “My Life Planner”. This link takes you there, but I’ll publish a blog about it very soon.
Wealth
Make sure I actually know where my pension is
I know, I know. This is something that as an adult I really should have a handle on.
Travel
Trip to Amsterdam, trip to Spain, maybe a UK city break to Edinburgh in the Autumn.
These are our travel plans this year.
Family
Make sure I spend 1:1 time with both kids
I want to make sure I do this before they get too big and don’t want to anymore.
Regular date night with Hubster.
We actually like spending time together, but don’t often do it without the children.
Communicate regularly with mum, dad and sisters.
They live an hour and a half away. I want to make sure that I get on the phone regularly, and also get to see them face-to-face at least every few weeks.
Lifestyle
Put our personality all over the house and garden.
This will include painting a tree mural across the sloped bedroom ceiling among other things.
Mini-adventures once a week
This could be anything from our regular kayaking with St Austell Canoe Club, or it could be a picnic tea at a local beauty spot, a walking or cycling expedition or a trip out to a beach, town or city.
Cut down on plastic packaging, shop local and start litter-picking.
All about the planet, and supporting my local community.
Creativity
Blog
Use this blog much more as a creative outlet and to celebrate all the rest of this!
Craft
Complete some of the many half-started or half-imagined craft projects I have on the go. Aiming to finish something every month. Already in January I’ve knitted a snake (of course! Just to use up some of my wool stash!)
Knowledge
Continue learning Spanish
I like to think my French isn’t too bad, but I have very little Spanish aside from being able to count to 10. Hubster and I started Spanish lessons in September, in preparation for our trip to Northern Spain this summer. I’m really enjoying it and am having a lot of fun trying to bend my brain to memorise new vocabulary.
Learn some philosophy
I read so much that references Kant, Rousseau, Aristotle and Plato – but really have very little idea what their ideas are all about. So it’s time I sort that out. My aim is to read some philosophy books. I made a good start in January with the fun book “Plato and a Platypus walk into a bar” but there’s a long way to go before I could confidently say what the main ideas of the key philosophers are about.
Relationships
Make new friends and pay attention to the old.
No, old friends, I’m not saying anything about your age! Just saying that you are all wonderful and I need to make sure that I show you how much I value you, by actually spending some time with you.
What has January held?
We saw in New Year at home, but all managed to stay awake until midnight, where I made the children dance to Auld Lang Syne and supped on the sloe gin my niece made for me in the Summer. New Year’s Day we headed to The Lost Garden’s of Heligan with father-in-law. A week later we headed down to Gwithian Towan’s beach for a sea-swim, then across to St Michael’s Mount for some sunset photos. We spent a weekend up in Stoke-on-Trent with father-in-law, commemorating my lovely mother-in-law, who died last January. We spent a day browsing and having fun in Truro. Then last weekend we went to the open-day at Callywith College for the boy, then for lunch and a walk at National Trust Lanhydrock House
