Happy new year to you and your family!

Since getting older  I’ve given up any attempts at futile diets and faddy ways of eating or intense fitness routines usually enthusiastically adopted this time of year.  Instead, I try to adopt unconventional New Year’s resolutions.

One year, much to my husband’s dismay, I vowed to buy only second-hand clothes from charity shops. My husband, who will only wear designer clothes, was less than impressed when I managed to keep this up, for the most part, for an entire year.

Last year, I vowed to “work hard, love harder and have as much fun as possible”, as well as worry less. I accomplished the first three but definitely failed on the last.

This year I have decided to be only positive and never utter a negative word! I’m not an overly negative person, though I can swing from annoyingly positive to dramatically downcast, or so my husband tells me, but I figure after such a negative year in the media, where language has proven to be key to how we as people perceive things, I’m certain that being more positive and refraining from easy and obvious negative language can only be a good thing. It’ll be a challenge, but I’m ready!

I’ll update you on how it’s going in a month or two. I’d also like to manage my time better so I can do some volunteering and charity work – putting my good intentions into actions for once. I’ll keep you posted.

This was my first Christmas and new year in London for two years. It’s been nice seeing family and enjoying picturesque wintry London. However, I’m certainly looking forward to welcoming warmer, longer, brighter days and planning my summer holidays!

Happy New Year everyone.