Can you believe we're half way through this month already? It hardly seems five minutes ago that we were squeezing in yet another mince pie and dancing around the Christmas tree to Fairytale of New York...
But whilst a lot of us can be heard moaning about the cold weather, the post-December 'depression' and the back-to-work blues, I personally relish this time of year. January is a month filled with opportunity for the year ahead; a blank canvas with which to have a go at those pesky resolutions.
I remember a few years ago my father-in-law sighing with frustration when I asked the godforsaken question on New Year's Day: 'So what are everyone's resolutions?' And I can understand his annoyance - why do we insist on starting each year with a set of often-unattainable aims, therefore setting ourselves up for disappointment when we don't 100% achieve them? Lose weight, become more organised, stop drinking - these all sound like great suggestions to start with, but then what happens when we reach for that muffin, lose that important piece of paper, or say yes to a glass of Merlot a couple of weeks into January - feelings of guilt and failure, tainting our opinion of the new year straight from the outset.
Conclusion: it's all about balance - seizing that chance to make a positive change, but being realistic with it too. That's why this year, I've made a list of resolutions which are sweet and simple {and if I'm honest, a bit silly too}. If I succeed in sticking to some of them, great! But if I 'fall off the wagon', so what - no harm done.
1. Keep a book diary. I've always loved to read, but this year I'd like to actually document which novels I'm picking up, and how many I'm getting through - not only will this satisfy the slightly nerdy, organisational part of my brain, but I think it'll encourage me to read even more.
2. Think of something positive at the end of each day. I've heard lots of people describe how good this is for mental well-being, and what a simple way of cheering yourself up - as you nod off to sleep at the end of a long day, just think of the good things {and not the bad} that have happened in that 24 hours. Easy!
3. Sign up to Netflix again. We cancelled our membership a couple of years ago, but since then both The Crown and A Series of Unfortunate Events have been released...
4. Cook new recipes more often. I have a shelf heaving under the weight of dozens of lovely cookbooks - it's time to start making my way through them! I figured an aim of trying one new recipe a week would be sensible.
5. Go for more long walks. Mr Maggie May and I love walking, but in the last few months we haven't got round to doing this as much as we'd have liked.
6. Improve my skin. Unfortunately I don't have a magic wand, but I can definitely make more of an effort at looking after my skin, sticking to a simple yet effective routine when I can, and giving it the best chance to fight away those dastardly spots.
7. Go to the cinema more regularly. I lose count of the amount of times we see a film advertised, swear that we'll go and see it, and then years later we still haven't {even though it's then out on DVD...} And yet going to the cinema is a lovely mid-week treat, a 'date night' for Mr MM and me - or a cute trip out with my parents when we're visiting - and something which I endeavour to do more often this year.
8. Buy more things for the home. I've started writing a list of items I'd love to add to our house - some of them little, some of them big. By doing this, it's reminding me not to splurge too much in the January sales, as there's plenty to spend money on in making our home beautiful.
9. Look after my body. I don't want to lose weight, I don't want to gain weight, I don't want to cut out carbs and join the latest faddy-diet revolution - I just want to treat my body a little bit better, and give it the TLC it deserves! Drinking more water, exercising a bit more, eating slightly less erratically and giving it plenty of rest - yes, it may sound vague, but the message is simple, and one that I can easily remember!
If you've made some resolutions of your own, that's wonderful - well done! But please, don't be too harsh on yourself if you don't succeed entirely. Remember, mistakes are proof that you are trying.