Hello 2016

So, here it is. 2016 is here. Do you feel vastly different now that the calendar has ticked over to a whole new year? Nope, probably not. But I do hope that you’re feeling excited and positive about the year ahead. One of the things I realised in 2015 was how much I love any chance for a fresh start – be it simply a new day or a whole life change. I’ve seen that quote popping up around Instagram lately about how it’s never too late to be who you want to be and I think that in many ways it’s true – it’s never to late to start something. Well, maybe not totally true – I think I am probably too late to realise my world gymnastics championship goals, considering most champion athletes are about 14 or something… but I’m sure if I really wanted to take up gymnastics again, well, then I could do that.

Anyway, I digress. Back to the year and plans in hand.  I have a few ideas and things up my sleeve for this year. Whilst I keep working on a few of those ‘behind the scenes’ as such. I thought I’d share a few of my New Years resolutions for 2016. I know now everyone is a fan of making these – but I like using the New Year as a good reason to sort of regroup and refocus. The Christmas break was just what I needed in terms of taking a breather and getting set for the New Year and now I feel good and ready to get started. A few of the resolutions I have made for 2016…

• Live a healthier life. Not diet, nor promise to exercise 7 days a week. But make healthier choices. Don’t treat every meal out like a free for all. Move more. Yes, I hope to lose a few lbs by making some healthier choices day to day but that’s not the total end goal. Overall. I just want to live a healthier life. Go to the gym. Finally use those Barry’s Bootcamp classes I bought ages ago. Try yoga again. Order salad occasionally.
• Stop being late. I made this one last year, did well for a while and then with the move let old habits creep in (leaving just that bit too late… always assuming all transport would work like clockwork…being a little too optimistic in my planning of timing). This year I well and truly plan to nail this bad habit and stop being late. I hate being late, it stresses me out and is really unfair and rude to whoever you are late to meet. I plan to start adding (realistic) travel time into my diary so I can’t accidentally leave too little time between appointments.
• Dress up more. I don’t mean ball gown and heels. But more day to day – in particular on days where I’m working from home and the only reason to leave the house is to go on a dog walk. I am sometimes (often) guilty of wearing a hoody and sweatpants on these days. Going make-up free and leaving my hair in a top knot. I’m all for comfort and all that, and don’t want to wear a full face of slap when I don’t need to. But I do want to make a little more effort and get myself together more on these days. Even if it’s a simple switch from sweatpants/hoodie combo to leggings and a nice jumper – little changes can make all the difference in feeling less slob-like. I’m thinking aim for more ‘comfort’ in the style of The White Company rather than JD Sports…
• Use more nice things. I love nice stuff. Who doesn’t!? And I am very, very lucky to have some really lovely things. But I am very much ‘guilty’ of always doing that old ‘saving for best’ thing. Where I save nice things, afraid to use them or just keeping them for a rainy day. It’s silly and wasteful. So that Diptyque Candle I love but am ‘saving’ or the Jo Malone Bath Oil? Extremely lovely fancy silk PJs I have…. all getting burnt/used/worn this year. There’s something a bit stupid about loving these lovely things so much that I don’t use them…. so that’s going to change. No more ‘saving for best’. These things are getting used and appreciated ASAP.
• Cook more often. I am not a natural cook and very much rely on Ollie to take care of cooking most of the time at home (he’s good at it and enjoys it). But I want to try and cook more often. And actually follow recipes as I tend to try to wing it and then stuff doesn’t work and it puts me off trying again. As I just want to be naturally good… which is silly as I’m sure it’s pretty rare to just be naturally good at something like cooking without some trial and error and practice?!

I actually have a tonne more goals and sort of mini resolutions… including a few beauty specific ones that I’ll share over next few days. I’d love to know what other resolutions are on your own list this year?!