~ 2026 ~

 When my boyfriend asked me if I had any new years resolutions, I spikily responded 'I celebrate new year at Samhain.' I then proceeded to explain what Samahin (pronounced 'sowin') was and as I was doing this, realised I did not make any resolutions on the spooky moon holiday and actually, by saying that, I was perhaps being a bit pointlessly contrary. 

What I was really saying was that I felt too individual and cool for new years resolutions, but my little pedantic, list-craving, novelty-seeking brain actually quite liked the idea. My logical, knows-me-too-well brain as knows that I will never stick them and end up inevitably disappointing at failing something else. However, perhaps I could use quiet time of year to reflect a little on what would help me feel better day to day. 

1. My main goal for this year is to live more sustainably and work towards a more zero waste style household/approach. I started a part-time remote degree in Environmental Science in October and it lit the necessary fire up my arse to put into practice the eco-friendly actions I used to daydream about or half-heartedly try for a week before abandoning. I found a 12-month style plan for zero waste on Pinterest which assesses different rooms in a house with a new focus for each month. For me, a cash-strapped and executive-function-challenged twenty-something, this was a much better plan than trying to do it all at once and failing. January is kitchen focused, so I have re-organised my kitchen sides, plan to clear the fridge and bought a set of bamboo/non-toxic dishwashing sponges and solid dish soap. I'm aiming to hoard less over the year as well - I'm terrible for collecting items that end up in the bin or cluttered in a drawer - so a bit less of that. A bit more thought, a bit less magpie-ing. 

2. Eat better. This sounds nebulous and faddish, but in the couple of months leading up to Christmas I went fully vegetarian after years of being pescetarian with the odd sausage. I was very pleased with this decision, however I did coincidentally get two colds and the flu in that time and I am usually very robust immunity wise. My skin was pretty shit too and I think that maybe I was not being as proactive as I should have been with taking such a drastic life decision. As a greyhound girl, I am a bit gangly and sleepy, but I also need the energy to do crazy sprints and for those few months, I did not have that. I was just gangly and sleepy. Very sleepy actually. So a bit of fish is back on the menu and I am making conscious decisions about putting delicious and nutritious and iron-dense food into my body (LEAFY GREENS LEAFY GREENS)

3. No point doing anything about overcoming anxiety. I am anxious as hell at times and no amount of new years resolutions is going to change that. I do my little things to work at it but I cannot wish it away. But I could do with being a bit less contrary. Let myself listen to Ellie Goulding or read the Booker Prize longlist or be a person on the internet who likes to say things, even if no one is listening. 

4. Most importantly, this will be the year that I will get my greyhound tattoo. I will end 2026 with a restored bob (bobbit!), a smaller wardrobe and a greyhound tattoo that reminds me it's okay to be wobbly and sleepy and lazy sometimes, it doesn't detract from my ability to sprint like a mad-thing against the wind.