New Year Resolutions

Happy New Year

Last week I wrote about how horrible the world was and what we can do, even in some small part, to make it a better place. This week I want to write about New Year Resolutions. I usually don't go in for that but I think that the right kind of resolution can do wonders. The right kind of resolution can make improvements in your health (mental and physical) and could make things better for others. You don't have to worry if you missed 1 January either, a resolution can be made at any time.

My resolutions for 2018

I mentioned three on twitter but I guess I have a couple of others as well:

1. Learn to cook something new every month
2. Walk at least 5000 steps per day
3. Write something in my journal every day
4. Try to have a positive mental attitude
5. Give something back through charity donations

Learn to cook something new every month

This one comes from the fact that I love to cook. It is something that I actually find relaxing and when you get a delicious meal at the end of it, or a nice cake to eat, you feel really accomplished. This month (January) I am going for bacon pudding. This is something I grew up eating as my Dad made it every other Saturday. It is proper comfort food and so easy to make. My husband has never had this meal before so he is in for a real treat.

Walk at least 5000 steps per day

I did the 10,000 steps a day challenge for Cancer Research UK last year and I can tell you that it is harder than it sounds. 5000 steps is nothing to me on a Monday - Friday when I walk to and from work but is harder at the weekends. So far I have not been great at weekends due to having a horrible cold but that is fully gone now and I am going to be back on it from this week! Lucky for me that my Monday - Friday walking more than makes up for the weekends when you average it out. I don't want to average it any longer though.

Write something in my journal every day

I used to be better at this when I was younger. I have the sort of brain that likes to run at a million miles per hour. There are sometimes too many thoughts in my head and I can't cope with the noise so my way of ordering them and structuring them is to write them down. It is almost like processing them so that they now exist somewhere outside my head and I can shut them out and go to sleep at night. I have been writing in my journal every day since 1 January, even if it is only a couple of lines. So far I have come up with some interesting observations and I am really enjoying putting my thoughts down on paper.

Try to have a positive mental attitude

I am not going to let me bring myself down. I have struggled in the past as I am not fat but I am not exactly a tiny woman either. I have always been bigger and I am trying to look through that now and accept me for who I am. Regularly I go for walks and out pace those around me. I walk up a VERY steep hill every day to get to work and hardly get out of breath (when I do I recover very fast). I also have a varied and balanced diet so I know that actually, I am pretty physically fit.

On top of that it is easy in the dark winter months to let it get you down. I am going to look at the positives in life instead and work on that. I need to make my brain see the good stuff in life.

I have a loving husband, a good job, beautiful house and so many things that I am good at. I have discovered over the last year that I am really good at Microsoft Office packages and can do things with them that would blow your mind. I have found that people look to me for advice on such a range of things. Since turning 30 life is brilliant and I want to make use of that in my mental health too.

I have started looking at role models too. Over the last six months my husband and I have started getting back into watching WWE. We started with RAW and then we started watching 205 Live and Smackdown too. More recently I have started watching NXT as well. What strikes me is how different the women's division is since I was growing up. The Divas (as it was back then) didn't really have a lot going for it other than they had to be attractive. They certainly were not taken seriously. Now you have a diverse range of women who have real skill in the ring. I have two particular favourites on RAW, Bayley and Nia Jax. Bayley grew up watching wrestling and wanted to be a wrestler and taken seriously for what she does. She won't do the suggestive photoshoots the other women do or wear skimpy ring outfits and she keeps her private life private (by staying off of Total Divas). Bayley wants to be known for her in-ring ability and she has plenty of it. Nia Jax is by far the most powerful woman in WWE. She is taller and bigger than any other woman and she has some mad in-ring skills. On top of that, Jax is stunning! She has amazing eyes that just cut right through you. At the same time she is funny and some of her current storylines are the most gripping of the lot. When you see her it is clear she is a bigger woman but with so much beauty and confidence and that is what I want to be like. I have nothing but respect for these women and they are going to inspire so many people. It is already working on me.

Try to give something back

I already give to a couple of charities a month but recently found the easyfundraising site and have signed up to that to support my local foodbank. When you do online shopping you go through their site and they get commission from the place you are shopping with. The commission goes to your chosen charity. It is a great way to buy the things you want and still give something back. On top of that I am continuing to support the work of WWF and Royal British Legion.

Keeping it going

I will try to give regular updates throughout the year on how this is all going. Stay tuned folks.

Follow me on twitter for updates too: @sarahharding86