Every year most of us ask ourselves, what will my new years resolutions be? For quite a few years, mine were always the same: lose weight, save money etc etc. This is pretty much what they were last year, with the addition of work harder in my degree and write in my line a day book everyday (which I'm happy to say, both of those I did!)
So next year, what will my new years resolutions be? Go and make a cup of tea and enjoy!
To start off, I'm fighting whether or not to add lose weight and save money to this new list. Losing weight works for about 3-4 weeks before I fall off the wagon and start again (but who doesn't?) and saving money is now a second nature kind of thing. I'm no longer the late teen trying to scrimp and scrape to save every last penny of my tiny wage, luckily I'm now always able to remember to save what I can, where I can. So much so that I don't need the new years reminder to do so. But if you need that reminder then a great tip is to see what your weekly/monthly earnings are, then portioning your money into needs like bills/food etc and then assessing what's left over. Depending on what's left over for 'spending money', just allocate a smaller amount for your spending and stick what is remaining in a saving account. You have to be strict with yourself but even if you're saving £20 a week, it'll soon add up!
But aside from that, 2020 has been a real... pain. I spent nine months of 2020 in lockdown in my home with my family. During this time I finished my university degree from my bedroom, started writing a book, drew an awful lot and tried my hardest not to make each day groundhog day.
Every year, I always try to pick up to five new years resolutions, here's what I've chosen for 2021.
Continue writing my book
While in lockdown this year, I began writing a book that I've been working on the storyline for since around 2016. I have been working on this idea for so long that when covid put us all away in our homes, I decided to finally start writing it!
I've seriously enjoyed working the last few months, attempting to bring this story to life.
It would be a shame to put so much hard effort into something I've come to love and just leave it lingering somewhere between chapters 16 and 17. So, continue writing my book is definitely one.
2. Read, read, read
If the first one is write more, then I think that reading more should probably sit on that list too. After all, reading helps you write.
This year I've been reading a really great book series, but I didn't read as much as I wanted to, I kept putting it off to do something else or it would just get far too late.
I have a bookcase of books I buy throughout the year that I hardly get around to reading. Could 2021 be the year I fix that?
So, finishing my current book series and finding time to read more books will be on there too.
3. Keep socially updated (media)
By this, I mean Instagram and keeping this blog alive!
I love my Instagram, I try to make my insta page as aesthetically balanced as I can. Usually, this involves taking pictures of cups of tea, books, bits of work, my dog etc, basically the things around me (yes, I'm one of those that will take a picture of my food.) An awful lot of people use Instagram as a place to store their selfies and photos of friends but personally I just want to use Instagram for the things around me. Granted, it's not awfully popular but it makes me happy. The only downfall is, I get too inside my head when I think about posting the 100th picture of a book, or view out the window. I think that the people who I used to know will judge me - super silly, I know. It's 100% an overthinking thing and I will overthink it so much so that I won't post anything or I'll post once every two months. I just need to shake those thoughts away and just post what I want to, when I want to, right?
4. Take in every day
This probably will be one of the more cheesy ones, but after the year we've had, I hope everyone else will do something like this too.
Due to covid, so many of us hurt, in many different ways. Most of us lost loved ones, others were lonely and some even became incredibly ill. Going into the new year, I don't expect things to be immediately better. But in time it will and when it does, I just want to take in my days. I've been inside, shielding in my home for so long that I ache to be able to go out for a walk, get some real fresh air rather than the quick fix we're able to get in the back garden. I just really don't want to take the day for granted, especially the people in my day. Family, friends, pets, and strangers, they're all the people in your day, in your life and taking the time to just soak in the presence of your family is something you should get into the habit of doing.
As of right now, it has been nine months since I've been able to hug my older sister and my grandma and the day I'm able to do that again, I'm going to just hold onto them a little longer.
Luckily, I've been in lockdown with the rest of my family. My parents and my three younger siblings; we have spent all this time together. Time that we don't normally have and I'm grateful for the time we've been given during this whole pandemic, I don't take that for granted.
5. Become an early riser
Potentially, this one is a boring one. But. It goes in hand with the one above. When people ask the questions of what do you prefer: get up early or have a lie in? I 100% much prefer waking up earlier, the day becomes longer and all the things we all complain we don't have enough time to do, you can do in those hours you would've been sleeping! The nights I don't read because it's gotten so late, I could wake up early and read then.
When I say early, I'd like to aim for 7:30-8am early, even on days off. Naturally if I'd be working I'd getting up at about 6:30am BUT weekends I'd go straight to setting my alarm to 10am (which I suppose isn't even a real lie in)
Either way, I'd love to get into the habit of getting a good nights sleep and waking up at 8am, making myself that glorious morning cup of tea and doing whatever it is that I had my heart set on doing that damn early!
I would absolutely love to hear what you have got set for your new year resolutions, or do you not set any at all? Either way, I want to hear what you have challenged yourself for the new year!
HAPPY NEW YEAR - I hope everyone will be safe, healthy, happy and always have a hot cup of tea!