Happy New Year!

The above quote sums up my attitude to New Year perfectly.  I love waking up on the 1st January with the feeling that anything is possible.  I don't usually bother with New Year's Resolutions, mainly because when I used to, they were the same every year (exercise more, eat less chocolate) and only lasted for a couple of weeks but there is something very appealing about using this time of year to start afresh and set new goals.

My goals for 2013:

Go vegan two days a week

Confession: I tried this last year and I did stick to it...for a few weeks.  I'm a strict vegetarian and was vegan for a short time in my teens but have never managed to go back to it since.  Two days a week seems easily manageable, especially given some of my favourite meals are vegan (spinach, sweet potato and butternut squash curry and satay tofu stirfry, noms) but it's tea that really causes me problems.  I drink several cups of Yorkshire Tea with organic skimmed milk every day and it's just not the same with soya milk!  But I'm nothing if not a trier, and I'm going to go vegan at least two days every week in 2013.   

Warm Edamame Salad

Learn a language

I've recently started learning Italian and I want to be at a decent conversational level by the end of 2013.  As a complete beginner, this seems a long way off but I really enjoy languages so am hoping this will be achievable! Buona fortuna...

Make more time for friends

A self-explanatory one, but nothing lifts your spirits like a few hours crying with laughter with friends!  When everyone's busy with careers/partners/children and spread out around the globe, it can be difficult to get people together as often as you'd like so I'm going to make an extra effort for 2013.  Even when I can't physically be with my friends, I'm going to make sure I always find the time to drop them an e-mail, give them a call or send them a card.

Try a new recipe every week

I really made an effort in 2012 to cook with seasonal (and, where possible, local) ingredients but I know I could have done a lot more.  I have a pile of gorgeous cook books in my kitchen which only get an outing on special occasions so I want this to be the year I re-discover my love of cooking and step away from the pasta!  

Get back to nature

I'm lucky enough to live on the coast but also within 20 or so minutes of amazing countryside and mountains.   2012 was so busy that I couldn't spend as much time outdoors as I'd like so this year, I want my boyfriend and I to spend more time in places like this:  

Snowdonia

Write, write and write

All I wanted to be when I was little was a writer but, for some reason, this has been way down at the bottom of my list of priorities for the past few years.  I've recently started writing again and it's been like finding myself!  I've now got together a small portfolio of my freelance writing and my goal for 2013 is to build on this and to earn at least a small part of my income this way.

Complete all my un-finished projects...

There really should be a crafty goal in here and I'd love to say 'I want to learn a new craft' but in the spirit of trying to be more organised, I think I'd better aim to finish all the abandoned cushions/scarves/throws/embroideries I have lying around.  First item on the agenda, assembling these little pink crocheted hearts into bunting for my niece's bedroom:

So, there you have it.  My goals for 2013, and not a 'I will exercise 7 times a week' in sight!  

Here's hoping your hopes and dreams for the new year come true and that 2013 is happy, healthy and prosperous for all :-)

Jenny

 x