Might as well, right?

I'm a bit of a grumpy cow when it comes to actually celebrating New Year's Eve (as I've said before I'm allergic to organised fun), and this year was no exception. However, there's definitely something to be said for feeling refreshed and coming to the year anew, rethinking all that's gone before and deciding on some changes.

So, a little bit late I know, but here are my new year's resolutions:

Lose some bloody weight

Now, I'm not the sort of person who really obsesses about their weight but that's because up until about two years before I got pregnant I could eat whatever I liked and I really didn't put any weight on. But then my metabolism changed completely, and suddenly I understood all the neuroticism surrounding food. When I was pregnant I decided it didn't bloody matter what I weighed so long as the baby was growing (which she wasn't - cue my excuse to eat even more). Then I gave birth and felt a bit horrified by my new figure, and worked a bit to get some of those maternal fat stores off. But then Daph decided to stop sleeping. And we moved house to somewhere where the car is needed to get to most places, meaning I don't even get to go for long walks anymore. And then it got cold and then it was Christmas and I ATE ALL THE THINGS. And now I am about half a stone heavier than I was in the summer, and I actually feel gross. So yes, new year's resolution no 1 is the most boring and predictable one of all but I must stop EATING ALL THE THINGS. Specifically, sugar. And get off my arse more. I'm back doing the XBX plan which I love (apart from the lateral bends which are bloody HORRID), and once the weather warms up, intend to start jogging again.

Stop spending so much money

I'm not terrible with money - I don't really have any debt apart from my mortgage, but neither do I have a pension and I only save enough dosh each year to pay my tax bill in January. From next month I'll be getting less income each month (long and complicated story, but some of my revenue from selling my business was deferred, and this comes to an end next month). So I need to stop buying things on a whim. I am a terrible whim-buyer - I see things I like and I buy them, without really thinking twice. Stupid stuff like coffees I don't really need, a new umbrella because it's prettier than my old one, another lipstick that's identical to one I already own but a different brand etc etc. If frittering money away was an Olympic sport I'd ace it. So I've started a new budget - actually written down all my outgoings on a spreadsheet and given myself a fixed sum each month to spend on crap clothes, beauty etc. It's not much but it should be enough to get by. Just to prove I'm down with the zeitgeist, I'm calling it Mindful Spending.

Read more books

I make this resolution every year. It's pretty obvious. Stop pissing time away on Facebook at night and instead spend more time with my Kindle. Specifically I'd like to read some more classics, rather than just stuff that's in the bestseller lists. I didn't do English A Level (and I call myself a writer - shock horror!) and there are some serious gaps in my reading that I'd like to fill (Oli was disgusted to hear that I'd never read Wuthering Heights last week when we were watching the Bronte programme on BBC... *hangs head in shame*).

Sort out my career

Ah the biggie! I am trying, honestly. I have been totally lost in sleep-deprived motherhood career-wise and I have so many thoughts on it all that I'd love to clarify in my own mind (do I try to find a full-time job? set up another company? continue freelancing in an industry that inconsiderately decided to die on its arse while I was off having a baby? retrain as a librarian? (seriously, have been considering this!) if not then what what what?) and then share, but I don't have time because, well, I'm a mother. So yes, more soon. Hopefully. Once Daph's settled into the childminder!