Tag: new year

How I Prepare for a New Year

Like lots of people, every year I like to spend some time reflecting on the year just gone and figuring out my intentions for the year ahead. When I say intentions, I don’t really do hard and fixed goals or resolutions, but I like to think about how I would like my year to look and what kind of things I want to focus on. Maybe it doesn’t sound much different, but I think it’s softer and gentler and leaves room for change and growth. Sometimes I already have my intentions for the new year done and dusted in December and sometimes, like this year, I need to take some time in January too.

So, every new year I do three things to bring in a new focus.

1. I Make a List of 100 Things I Would Like to do

Now 100 things might sound like a lot, and it is! But, hear me out… Those 100 things aren’t all big goals like ‘run a marathon’, ‘write a book’ or ‘learn a new language’! A lot of them are seemingly basic things like ‘stroke a cat’, ‘watch a sunset’ or ‘bake a cake’. When I started my first list of 100 things it was after a year where I realised I couldn’t remember watching a sunset, as in really sitting to enjoy it rather than just noticing it out of the window. I also couldn’t recall stopping to stroke a cat and I definitely hadn’t taken the time to bake a cake. I thought what kind of year is it if I haven’t literally and figuratively given myself the time and space to ‘stop and smell the roses’?!

Every year I learn from my list of 100 things and it evolves. The first year I definitely aimed too high and made too many big goals that were ultimately unachievable, the second year I added too many fitness goals (which was a serious oversight for someone with chronic fatigue), the third year (2020) I added too many travel goals because I clearly had too much faith that COVID would end quickly, and the fourth year I added too many goals that cost me too much money. I try not to think of these 100 things too strictly though, it’s a guide, a way to keep focus, not a way to beat myself up with any perceived failure that I haven’t achieved certain targets or goals. This year I’m leaving myself some wiggle room because in the latter half of last year I came up with things that I wanted to add in, whilst there were some that I wanted to remove. So, if anyone counts my list and sees that there aren’t 100 things this year it’s because I’m letting it be a bit more organic! (Also, I’m going to keep a few things to myself!)

2. I Choose Three Words

To choose my three words I used to use a set of cards with word prompts on them to help me, but I can’t find where I got them from (somewhere free and online) and I have no idea where the original .pdf is saved on my laptop! But, it doesn’t really matter because you can obviously choose your own words without prompts…and that’s what I did this year as I already had something in mind. After these particular words or themes came up a lot after I had therapy last year I chose ‘Wild’, ‘Free’ and ‘Heart’. Normally I just write them somewhere prominent in my diary or sometimes in the form of an affirmation to stick on my bathroom mirror, but this year I made a little poster/screen saver. These words have meaning to me and I use them as a kind of anchor to keep me grounded in a core set of values that I want to carry through the year.

3. I Make a Mood Board

I love a good mood board and I make them semi-regularly to help me get my thoughts in order and visualised. Sometimes I have a very specific set of goals or ideas I want to represent and then sometimes I just pop different search terms into Pinterest and browse until I find a pin that elicits some meaning for me. That’s how I made my mood board this time. I now use this mood board as my laptop background and screen saver and each time I see it I get a spark of recognition of how I would like my year to look. A bit like my three words the mood board works to anchor me to my goals and my focus so I don’t get too distracted by societal pressures, external influences or expectations. It’s also just fun and aesthetically pleasing to make!

So, that’s a rundown of these are three of the main things that I do to try and get into the right headspace to tackle the new year. But, of course, any or all of these things can be done at any time of the year. Do you do anything to prepare yourself for the year ahead or fancy trying out any of these? Let me know in the comments.

100 things in 2021

A preview.

I mean it’s fairly self-explanatory! These are the 100 things I would like to do in 2021. I published my 100 things in 2020 list earlier this month (Jan 2020) and how I got on with that, and thought I’d also like to publish this years, in anticipation. I can probably count on one hand who’ll be interested in reading it, but it’s my blog, and I’ll do what I want!

  1. Be more experimental with you kombucha. Actually make something with it!
  2. Do a life modelling course.
  3. Meet Mattia’s family in Italy.
  4. See Grandad.
  5. Go to Derbyshire to explore family history.
  6. See G.
  7. See Hannah.
  8. See other Hannah!
  9. Visit Ramsey.
  10. Get another piercing!
  11. Visit 5 more Aberdeenshire castle.
  12. Keep up monthly blogs.
  13. Write short quarterly blogs.
  14. Have a decent roast.
  15. Do a jigsaw.
  16. Give a talk.
  17. Make a dress.
  18. Publish something, anywhere other than my blog.
  19. Make elderflower wine/cordial.
  20. Make a climate blanket.
  21. Actually fill in my 365 diary.
  22. Complete another 365 photo challenge.
  23. Make a willow basket.
  24. Catch all fish and bugs in ACNH (Animal Crossing New Horizons).
  25. Read 12 books.
  26. Walk half of Aberdeenshire’s coastline (83 miles).
  27. Have a yoga/meditation routine.
  28. Make own granola again.
  29. Climb Morven.
  30. Climb Lochnagar.
  31. Swing on a swing.
  32. See an otter.
  33. Climb hill of cat.
  34. Go out for cocktails.
  35. Have a decent afternoon tea.
  36. Make bara brith.
  37. See the mappa mundi again.
  38. Get fish for my tank.
  39. Weekly yoga posts on IG.
  40. Visit Balmoral.
  41. Swim in the sea.
  42. Take an Italian course.
  43. Make mince from scratch for mince pies.
  44. Wear lipstick at least once a month.
  45. Wear heels out…just once!
  46. Enter the lottery every week and keep track of winnings and losses.
  47. Pay off credit card debt.
  48. Write a letter.
  49. Finally go to Balmedie beach.
  50. Go to the cinema.
  51. Grow and dye armpit hairs!
  52. Crochet a jumper.
  53. Carry binoculars with you more and keep a bird list.
  54. Get a new pet slime mould.
  55. Drink more water.
  56. Eat more veggies (5 a day!).
  57. Do a 30 day YWA (Yoga With Adrienne) challenge.
  58. Do that wild June thing.
  59. Walk around Loch Muick.
  60. Visit Arbroath.
  61. Make mead!
  62. See a red squirrel.
  63. Make a terrarium.
  64. Make a spring/summer wreath.
  65. Paddle in a river.
  66. Make a monkey’s fist doorstop.
  67. See whales/dolphins/porpii.
  68. Make a rope knot mat.
  69. Walk the Belties.
  70. Gamble 1ps and 2ps in an arcade.
  71. Make mulled cider.
  72. Watch a sunset.
  73. Naturally dye something.
  74. Do some tie dyeing.
  75. Felt some slippers.
  76. Visit St. Andrews.
  77. Have a beach bonfire/BBQ.
  78. Go and see a dentist.
  79. Make own lebkuchen.
  80. Finish grandmother’s line on the family tree.
  81. Go to the Gordon Highlanders museum.
  82. Buy yourself a bunch of flowers.
  83. Finish your house diorama thing.
  84. Re-learn sailing knots.
  85. Finish mooncake cross stitch and start baby yoda!
  86. Make mum’s old cucumber/celery vinegar thing.
  87. Cuddle a dog.
  88. Run 5K!
  89. Visit Hazelhead park.
  90. Go for a walk along the Dee.
  91. Dye hair an un-natural colour again!
  92. Go on a whisky tour in Aberdeenshire.
  93. Do one (or two) of the Aberdeen dark history audio tours.
  94. Eat a Bratwurst and drink mulled wine at a Christmas market.
  95. Buy a mystery box or auction on a suitcase or something!
  96. Get Grandmother’s and Great-Grandmother’s rings re-sized to fit my chonky fingers.
  97. Make a spring/summer salad with edible, foraged flowers.
  98. Go to the aquarium in Banff.
  99. Whittle something again!
  100. Re-pot all current houseplants into pretty/better sized pots.
(A bonus picture of my face, because people like pictures!…you’re welcome!)

100 things in 2020.

How I like to reflect and plan over the new years period.

Happy new year folks. It’s the end of 2020, something I know a lot of you have been looking forward to. I used to find the new year period quite difficult. Like a lot of people, I felt under pressure to make new year’s eve a big event where I’d celebrate everything I’d achieved over the preceding year, and toast in all the exciting things that would happen throughout the year to come. Ultimately, I’d find the whole thing both underwhelming and overwhelming at the same time. I’d feel like I hadn’t achieved ‘enough’, I’d compare myself to others and find myself lacking, and I had no idea how to make my next year ‘better’.  

Now, I don’t put any pressure on new year as a single night and I use the whole period as a time of reflection and forethought. Hopefully that doesn’t sound too pretentious or airy fairy! As part of that process, I write a list. Basically, I love writing lists, I love having things to tick off and I love having something to look back on. Lists help me to keep my blinkers on to what I’m doing, what I want and what I have achieved. It’s not fool proof and of course I still find myself making unhelpful comparisons, but it goes some way to helping me keep focus.

For the past 2 years I’ve written a list of 100 things that I want to do over the new year. I originally got the idea from Countryfile magazine (I think) where they suggested a list of 100 nature focused things to do over the coming year. I decided I wanted to make my own broader list. In the first year (2019) I only managed to do 20 out of my 100 things and last year (2020) I managed to do 62 of them. I start compiling it around the beginning of December and I really enjoy mulling over the kind of things I would like to do or perhaps achieve over the coming year. I wouldn’t call it a bucket list and it’s certainly not a list of things I HAVE to do or SHOULD do, it’s more a tool to help me focus throughout the year on what’s important to me. What’s important to me could be as simple as dedicating some time to idly cloud-watch or as complex as figuring out which types of pollen are in my honey (I didn’t manage that one)! Just from these two years I’m learning that I almost always fail to reach fitness goals and yet I’m still moved to create them, I think I have more money than I do and I think I have more ‘free’ time than I actually have!

I would definitely encourage you to have a think on your own list and if you can’t manage to think of 100 things just make a shorter list. As a guide I’ve provided my 2020 list with a few comments and photos. The first 62 things are those that I managed to achieve and the 48 things that follow are those that I didn’t.

This year I had to make some changes because, well…the pandemic! A few months in I realised many of the goals would be impossible or irresponsible to aim for, so I made some new and more home and Aberdeenshire based goals, plans and aims. The original things are still shown below but crossed out, with the new 2020 friendly goal listed beside it.

  1. Visit 10 5 Aberdeenshire castles. (Banff castle, Crathes castle, Knock castle, Findlater castle, Abergeldie castle, Abergain castle. Also, Kinord castle and the Peel of Lumphanan but I wasn’t sure if they counted!)

2. Read 12 Books. (1. The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide, 2. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, 3. The Outrun: A Memoir by Amy Liptrot, 4. Better Recovery From Viral Illness by Darrel O. Ho-Yen, 5. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeymoon, 6. The History of Bees by Maja Lunde, 7. Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Lon-Distance Swimmer by Lynne Cox, 8. The Five: The Lives of Jack the Ripper’s Women by Hallie Rubenhold, 9. The Hormone Diaries: The Bloody Truth About Our Periods by Hannah Witton, 10. She Speaks: The Power of Women’s Voices by Yvette Cooper, 11. Louis Pasteur book, 12. Untamed by Glennon Doyle.)

3. Keep up to date with bee research.

4. Write monthly blog posts.

5. Climb a mountain. (Carn na Leitire in Abriachan.)

6. Take my Holiday.

7. Visit Ramsey. Do some natural dyeing.

8. Dye hair. (August: pink balayage, December: blonde balayage.)

9. Open a new savings account.

10. Visit Muir of Dinnet – Burn o Vat. (With Yvonne from Tarland beekeepers in January.)

11. Climb Bennachie (12/9/20).

12. Go on a boat trip. Finger or hand crochet something. (Blanket).

13. Get a facial. Research family history.

14. Visit Banff and Macduff.

15. Visit the Black Isle.

16. Make margaritas.

17. Get some sea monkeys.

18. See a red squirrel.

19. Raise a kombucha SCOBY.

20. Find 5 geocaches (orginally 10). (Mostly around Nairn.)

21. Go to the Isle of Skye.

22. Visit St. Machar cathedral. (Even went for a tour around the conservation work.)

23. Grow an avocado plant.

24. Sew something.

25. Paint something.

26 .Book Chernobyl trip. Make a macrame wall hanging.

27. Write a paper – publishing it doesn’t matter. (Completing my second year PhD assignment which counted in my eyes!)

28. Go to the Den and the Glen. Carve a turnip/pumpkin.

29. Complete a cross stitch.

30. Needle felt something.

31. Bake a cake.

32. Lie on a beach. (Hmm, I mean I did lie down on a beach BUT it was very cold and I had a lot of layers on. Not quite what I had in mind!)

33. Go on an Aberdeen tour. Climb Scolty hill.

34. Visit St. Andrews. Crochet something.

35. Learn more about Aberdeen’s history.

36. Make a Christmas wreath.

37. Visit a seabird colony. Fill your flat with plants. (I guess ‘fill’ is open to interpretation but I did by A LOT of plants this year!)

38. Monitor health better. (This one is also very open to interpretation but I feel like I did this.)

39. Stop and smell the roses.

40. Work a 9 – 5 (as opposed to overwork.)

41. Stand up for yourself. (I’m still working on this but I stood up for myself more I think.)

42. Celebrate your achievements.

43. Get another piercing.

44. Give a talk.

45. See an otter.

46. Learn more about politics. (I kept very up to date for a while and it made me really, really anxious!)

47. Do a jigsaw.

48. Have a day with an average resting heart rate below 50 (I have quite a low heart rate anyway! I think the lowest average HR for a day this year was 48).

49. Stroke a cat.

50. Complete a yoga challenge.

51. Drive a car.

52. Complete a 365 picture challenge.

53.Go to the theatre.

54. Go for a fancy afternoon tea.

55. Have a decent Sunday roast.

56. Go to a Highland show. ID 10 flowers.

57. Write a letter with a fountain pen.

58. Do some origami.

59. Buy a ring and wear it. (I really don’t like my hands so this is more of a challenge than it sounds.)

60. Go camping. (With parents in a campervan – it counts!)

61. Skim stones.

62. Watch a sunset.

The following 48 things I didn’t manage to do!

63. Keep up to date with M.E. research. (I started to do this, but it was really depressing so I stopped.)

64. Wear high heels…just once.

65. See whales or dolphins or porpii!

66. Go to a spa. Make a rope knot mat.

67. Get nails done.

68. Get a massage. Gamble 1ps and 2ps at an arcade.

69. Visit Loch Muick.

70. Visit Abroath.

71. Find out what pollen’s in my honey.

72. Swim in the sea.

73. Make mead.

74. See grandad. ID 5 spiders to get back into it. (Only did one!)

75. Get back into yoga.

76. Go on a ghost tour. Walk the Belties route in Tarland. (We went but did the wrong walk!)

77. Learn some Gaelic.

78. See a contemporary dance. Make another Winogradsky column.

79. Get to know Aberdeenshire whiskies.

80. Visit Forsinard.

81. Make a terrarium. (I tried to make a bog biome but nothing thrived, everything struggled so I scrapped it and now I’m turning it into a fish tank.)

82. Go to a conference. Nail forearm stands.

83. Climb Arthur’s seat. Whittle something.

84. Go in a hot tub.

85. ID ‘some’ mosses.

86. Nail crow pose.

87. Re-learn sailing knots.

88. Dancer without an aide.

89. Run somewhere – any distance.

90. Have a bonfire.

91. Meditate ‘regularly’. (I meditated more than last year but definitely not ‘regularly’.)

92. Cook more. (I can’t remember how much I cooked the year before but I definitely didn’t cook as much as I intended!)

93. Dance often. (Again, I danced more than previously but I wouldn’t say it was ‘often’.)

94. Eat less meat and dairy. (Yeaaaah, no.)

95. Do the splits.

96. Go to a BBQ or have a BBQ.

97. Bathe/paddle/swim in fresh water.

98. Reach level 1000 in game.

99. Go to the Shetlands. Make a sourdough starter.

100. Make a monkey’s fist doorstop.

So, there you go. My 2020 ‘100 things’ list. If you make your own I’d love to know the kind of things you put on it and if by the end of 2021 you’ve found it helpful.

Happy new years and here’s to 2021!