I should, I could, I will, I won’t 

There is so much talk of resolution at this time of year and to me, the word resolution is more about the end than the beginning. Thinking about what I achieved in the last twelve months, remembering the good times, reflecting on the bad and thinking ahead about what I would like to achieve in the following year.

However, I still have some goals for this year: things I want to achieve, things I want to see, places I want to visit.  But when I reflect on the last twelve months, the ups and the downs, I know that my focus needs to change. Life is always a roller coaster and last  year has thrown some of the biggest challenges we have had to deal with so far in family life. So for me, my overwhelming resolution is this;

So what about the other things.

I should …

Sort out our finances.  That is a big one and one that I am have become very good at avoiding.  We need to save more and spend less, which sounds easy in theory but I know from past experience, it is not.  We need to sit down and do an audit of our finances and work out where we can cut down.  Food is one area I know that I could improve on.  Meal planning is something I dip in and out of but I know that it saves me time and money and makes me far more organised, so I should be meal planning every week.  I should also be considering shopping at cheaper supermarkets.  I do online shopping and although it is a great time saver, it can make you lazy and stop you from looking around for the best deal. Hopefully, with a some sensible money resolutions and savvy spending and shopping, we can make this year a much better year financially.

Cook more.  I love cooking but since going back to work, there is less time for cooking and baking and I really miss it.  I need to find time and try some new recipes and ingredients to get out of the food rut that we seem to be stuck in at the moment.  I certainly have enough cookery books to find inspiration.

I could …

Do a writing course.  I have wanted to do a writing course for many years but this could be the year.  I have found a couple that I like the look of and I really want to find sign up and commit to regular study.  I think it would be good for me to get my grey matter working again and who knows, I might even write that book.

I will …

Lose more weight.  Last year I lost over a stone and I am thrilled to be so much lighter.  It has made a big difference to me and how I feel about myself but I would love to lose more.

Visit Lyme Regis.  That probably sounds rather strange, but it is a place that I have always wanted to visit and for one reason or another, we have never quite got there, so this year I am determined that even if we only go for a couple of days, I will get there.

Spend more time as a family.  Trips out and holidays are much needed as the children are growing up so quickly, I need to spend as much time with them as I can.

I won’t …

There are lots of things that I won’t be doing.  I won’t be overspending.  I won’t be eating as much.  I won’t be allowing my weekends get swallowed up in a haze of housework and ironing which does seem to have happened since I went back to work last year.  I need to organise myself to do a bit during the week so that for at least one of the days, we can do something nice as a family.

What are your plans for the next twelve months, what should, could, will and won’t you be doing?

This post was written in association with TSB but the resolutions are all mine.