When I went back to work after the New Year, the same old predictable conversation that engulfs everyone’s minds came up. It starts with a simple question. What’s your New Years resolution?
It’s normally followed by at least one person claiming they’re going to lose 5 stone and have the Victoria’s Secret body, one who insists they will be more organised (you probably know who this person is already judging by the state of their desk!) one who vows will be more eco friendly and use less plastic, and one person who say’s something along the lines of, ‘I don’t believe in resolutions, what’s different about today than yesterday?’
I’ve set resolutions in the past, but I don’t think I’ve ever stuck to a single one of them! There just seems to be so much pressure about having to think of one thing you’d like to change about yourself and to then spend the rest of the year trying to perfect who you are. Of course there are things that I would like to change about my current situation, but I’m not going to force pressure and call them resolutions.
Instead I’m going to give myself 19 easily achievable (hopefully!) mini-targets with no pressure whatsoever, simply for self-care and mental wellbeing.
1. Use up all the toiletries and soaps I have somehow managed to accumulate and hoard (you know the mini bottles of shampoo and shower gel you get in hotels? Yeah, those!)
2. Similarly, use up all my half-used make up because I was so easily influenced to buy the latest palette or highlighter instead (or if they’re out of date, throw them away!)
3. Unsubscribe from all those irritating and unwanted emails that I stupidly subscribed to and now delete without even reading.
4. Go back to ww with a positive attitude and focus on better nutrition rather than weight-loss.
5. Unfollow instagram accounts or twitter accounts that make me feel like poop! There’s nothing wrong with unfollowing people (to be honest, the accounts I’m thinking of have so many followers they wouldn’t even notice, let alone care!)
6. Make more effort to put down the phone, or step away from Netflix and enjoy some time without technology, focusing on the here and now.
7. Come to the realisation that I’m not 18 with a high metabolism anymore, and I never will be again! So get rid of the clothes that I haven’t worn and I’m holding onto for the sake of ‘one day’, and buy clothes that fit me now. It’s ok to hold onto a few things, but when your wardrobe is more like a floordrobe because you’ve run out of room, things need to change!
8. Stop putting pressure on myself and do what I want to do, not what I’m expected to do. I’ve had a pretty tough few years chasing after other people’s expectations of me (in more ways than one) and now I’m left completely lost without any idea or direction. I need to take some time and find out what brings me happiness, rather than what makes other people happy. In particular I’m talking about my career. If you’ve read my blog before, you’ll probably know I wasted spent 10 years working in schools, both as a teacher and support staff, and to be quite honest, I hated every second of it! …But I carried on until I snapped. A year on, and now that my counselling has come to an end, I need to refocus my life and create my own future. Perhaps come up with a five year plan…? Perhaps I can turn a hobby into a career….? Whatever it is, I need to act now.
9. This one’s kind of similar to the last one, but stop sitting around, waiting for things to happen! Ok, so what if there is an expression that says ‘good things come to those that wait’… that only really works for some things, some of the time. There’s also the expression that says ‘you only get out what you put in’!
10. Be more frugal and not get so easily influenced by social media, youtubers or 75% off sales! (This is definitely going to be a tough one!)
11. Try to drink more than just Pepsi Max. Yes, I know it’s unhealthy to drink so much, which is exactly why I need to find at least one other drink that I like the taste of.
12. Try to develop a better skincare routine and love the skin I’m in! I’m certainly not getting any younger…
13. Meet new people. When I had my breakdown I learned who my real friends are. Turns out, there’s not many! Combine that with relocating to Essex and it can get very lonely. I’ve met a few people at my new job but I’d really like to meet more.
14. Step out of my comfort zone and try new things. Start by wearing more than just jeans and a t-shirt to work every day! Spice up my wardrobe and
15. TRY to let go of grudges and avoid moping. It’s tough when my mind starts racing and getting itself in a spin but at the end of the day, I have to try to tell myself that that’s all this is! Will this moment really matter in 5 years time?
16. Spend my time more productively and stop putting things off until the last minute! I did this at school and I still do it now…
17. Buy flowers regularly. I absolutely love the way they brighten up the room and how they make me feel when I look at them.
18. Try to learn something new each day, no matter how small.
19. Get a haircut! Stop putting it off because I keep changing my mind and resent paying the money. Last week I spent £40 on dinner for the two of us, yet I find £30 for a haircut expensive?! Ugh… logic!
