Looking ahead...
I've always loved those hazy (chocolate-fuelled) few days between Christmas and New Year. For us, they are often played out as a peaceful kind of limbo before the next round celebrations for New Year begin. As such, I often find myself using this time for reflecting on the year gone by; jotting down ideas- even odd resolution!
And all of a sudden the clock strikes midnight and reality dawns. A new year is here and with it, a fresh start. I always feel a really tangible sensation of the past lifiting off my shoulders and a new sense of optimism and motivation taking hold of me and I love it.
Cliche as it sounds, I have to say I am really excited for 2018 and for changing things up a bit. I mean, if 2017 was anything to go by (I dyed my hair for the very first time!), 2018 will certainly be a big year!
My biggest wish for myself this year is, ultimately, to be kinder to myself. I realised last year that I am my own biggest critic (I suppose deep down we all are, aren't we?) But for me, my heart and my head have not always had the healthiest relationship and it's often caused me to entertain some quite negative thought patterns about who I am and even the way I operate as a mummy or a woman in general.
Anyway, I've decided this is the year I am going to love myself a little bit more and to ease up on the self-judgement in every area.
From parenting to my post-baby-bod, I am going to trust myself a little more and *try* to see how well I am/have done, before hastily pointing out my many flaws. I think a little more positivity in my mindset can only bring about more good in my own little world and that for me will be so refreshingly welcome!
I gotta confess, I'm not brilliant at New Year resolutions- at all! But as the years pass I recognise that those I do make are becoming less about physical, material things and more about who I am and who I want to be. Hope was definitely the order of the day for us in 2017 and our solid belief in God & hope pulled us through some difficult times. For 2018, I think kindness will be the new order of the day and I want to work my way through the year being kinder to myself, gentler, more patient and ready to see the good in everything.
2018, you have big (albeit metaphorical) shoes to fill!
