The bell strikes at midnight, ushering a new year and a new me ….

Not quite. Unless I’m getting bitten by a radioactive spider or developing superpowers I’m still the same person I was before we welcomed the bells. But that eerie period from the twilight zone, you know the one that falls between Christmas and New Year? It does allow for reflection.

Without the awareness or days or times or even if I’m still in my Pj’s at 3pm it gives the necessary space to breathe, to let the mind wander and think.

Every year I see all these wonderfully positive posts with amazing new year resolutions and targets for the year ahead, but that isn’t for me. I can see why people do set targets to achieve but for me, I think it can be all consuming and in some cases damaging for your positive mental health, especially if those goals are unachievable or image related.

So does the new year mean a new me?

No. I am the same person I was and will be for the foreseeable future as far as I can see. But I do have some thoughts for the year ahead for myself rather than set resolutions or targets.

Kindness

– There is so much negativity out in the world. I want to see more kindness and if you want to see something in the wide world the best place to start is in my own little world. Little by little, smile by smile we can spread kindness and share positivity with those we meet. It doesn’t have to cost money, or even take up a lot of time. A simple hello, a smile or even a hug … the impact can change someones day.

Social Media 

– I have been following lots of debates on social media, it’s ethical issues and its power over us and it reaffirmed what I already felt. Social media should not control us. I personally need to feel the sun on my skin, hear the rustle of the trees and feel connected to the real world. Every time I press refresh to see what news updates there are or information i’ve missed out on, it feels like its draining a little more of my soul. Don’t get me wrong without social media I wouldn’t have met some of the most amazing people in my life, including most of my writing family, but it can’t dictate the terms of my existence. So as a cleansing for the soul I deleted all social media apps from my phone (except instagram which only seems to work on a phone and I don’t seem to feel as negativity about) I will instead be using it at set times on my terms and focussing more on what I love my writing, which often gets swamped in the draw of social media at times.

Love yourself 

– One of the hardest things to do in this world in my opinion, but I think also one of the most important. How can you be expected to love the world around you if you’re not taking care of yourself. Over the last year i’ve done little things like cutting out fizzy pop, fast food, tv (which makes me feel like a zombie most the time) except as a treat, which makes me enjoy it more when I finally do decide to splurge. I started taking time for myself even if it was five minutes here or there, I even started knitting (I know I’m very cool)

Adventure

– Whether it’s in the pages of a book, a walk down the park or backpacking round the world, adventure is important to me. It shows me that there is so much to life that I am yet to see and whether I have 5p or 5 million pounds there are adventures to be had.

Learn 

– To evolve, to grow to live life to the fullest I want to learn all I can. Whether its a new skill, an interesting fact or a new language the more I learn the more I want to know and the more motivated I feel. There is always something new to learn …

Memories 

– You can buy new things, but these come and go. Making memories gives me the armour and ammunition for the tough times. Building dens, baking cakes, climbing a tree … It doesn’t matter what I do to make those memories as long as when I close my eyes and think back to them I can feel my lips curling upwards and a warmth spreading through my body right to the tips of my fingers and toes. For me, memories are are one of the most important things I can but time into, I can can take them anywhere.

For the future ahead, I wish you all an adventure of your own that you can discover amazing new things, spread a little kindness and create those memories to help you through the rainy days. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, there is only one of you and you deserve to smile as much as possible this year.

Be good to yourself