A good start to the year

My main resolution this year was simply to end the year in a better place than I started.  I don't mean physically where I live but a kind of vague notion to be happier and healthier at the end of 2014.  Of course being happier is a massive thing and if I was taking a SMART target approach, I would have broken this down into mini-targets with lots of dates to achieve things by.  I have done this a little bit (no set dates or anything) and in terms of my blog, I've decided to aim for one blog post a month.  I know that once a month isn't very much but it still feels fairly regular-ish and it's probably all I can manage.  Of course, when I have more to say, I might blog more regularly and I have a number of blog posts in my head, I just need to actually write them.  Anyway, it's still February and if I crack on, this will just make it onto the blog before the end of the month.

For various reasons, 2014 has already been a good year and I'm looking forward to what the other 10 months bring.  One of the main reasons it has been good is because I've actually done stuff. Rather than feeling generally a bit fed up, I've decided to do a few things differently and I am enjoying the results.  The first thing I did, was rather sceptically, buy a copy of Leonie Dawson's Create Your Amazing Year workbook.

Now what teacher amongst us can resist a workbook? The chance to work through exercises in a nicely designed book was really appealing.  And perhaps even more persuasively, the cover used the word amazing - a pretty strong claim, which is probably why I was sceptical!  I got the life and business edition which, although I haven't got my own business, I have thought about for many years.

The look and language of the book can, at times, be a little OTT but having decided to give it a go, I didn't let myself be put off by some of the aspects that, if I'm honest, made me cringe (sorry Leonie!). I went through each page, working through the questions and as I did, it helped me to think about myself and my family and what I want to happen in 2014.  I started to feel more positive but at the same time, recognised that I am someone who is prone to mood swings.   The page that helped here was "The List of Things To Do When Everything Sucks".  On this page you make a list of things that you can do to move from feeling rubbish to thinking "actually I'm ok".

One of my favourite pages in the book is the one where you create weekly rituals, so each day or evening has a specific focus.  This is good when you have a lot of things to fit in and you don't want to forget the nice stuff - like simply spending time with your partner or having a bit of time to yourself.  So my week includes date night Thursday and TV catch up Tuesday :)

Another favourite page is the list of 100 things you want to try that year - it's like a giant to do list but much more fun.  Mine has important stuff that I've been meaning to do for ages on it but also fun, silly and frivolous stuff.  Some of the things I've already done, some I'm not sure I will actually do and some are just nice things that I need to remind myself to do sometime soon.

Overall, Leonie's book gives you the chance to think, assess what you are happy with and understand what you're unhappy about and why.  You do have to make time to revisit it and I am due an update soon.  I wouldn't say everything good that has happened this year is down to the workbook but it has certainly given 2014 a kickstart.

Talking of a kickstart, I have finally taken steps towards starting my own business.  For 5 weeks at the start of the year I went to a course at Hertford Regional College called Starting and Running Your Own Business.  The main reason for going was so that I could stop procrastinating and start doing!  I wanted the time, space and expertise to think about whether my business idea could go forward and so....myself and my husband have launched Cookie Craft, a company that sells cookie cutters and kits.



The business course was really good, the other students were really supportive and the tutor had great stories and examples.  I didn't realise how much support is out there for small businesses and I wish I'd taken the plunge sooner.  The business is still in the first stages and it will need time to grow but if you need any cookie cutters, you know where to come!

Happy February everyone!


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