How are the New Year’s resolutions going? Did Dry January fall at the fence on the 6th? Well, if you had an offer to be dropped off and collected, you couldn’t not join the women for a drink on Nollaig na mBan.

Were you in the gym on 1 January in your new gear? Were you able to go back the next day or were your muscles too sore to even get off the couch?

We’ve all been there. We start with great intentions and resolve to change the world – or, at least, our little corner of it. Many a year I’ve lost a stone, but the flipping thing keeps finding me again.

language classes

I signed up to online language classes determined to impress on my next Spanish holiday. I can say hola and buenos dias with great confidence and, sure, what more do I need? Waking up to a telling off from the little man on the language app berating me for not practising the day before got really annoying. I had to delete the app as I felt sorry for him and his determined attempts to cajole me back to daily learning.

Many of us ask for Christmas presents to help us get started on a new hobby or interest. Our dreams of playing Chopin on the hi-tech keyboard may have to change to belting out Happy Birthday at the next party. The shiny new stationary bike, placed strategically in the living room so we could pedal away watching Corrie, now sits in the corner daring you to get on it. Not to worry – you can always reuse it as a clothes hanger. Did you sign up for campanology classes or doesn’t that ring a bell? Will the sommelier course give you an appreciation for the aroma of citrus blossom or the rounded notes of vanilla or coconut?

Resolutions

Looking up some statistics, apparently 85% of us will make New Year’s resolutions. The top four are to improve fitness, finances, mental health and diet. Pretty laudable, so here’s my take on them.

I’m going to move more to improve my fitness. Having a dog means I take a daily walk anyway, but I’m also going to dance around the kitchen. The expression ‘dance like no one is watching’ was made for leaping around to Elvis on the radio.

Growing more of the fruit and vegetables I eat will improve my finances, fitness and mental health. That’s a hat trick of resolutions sorted with one activity.

I’m going to read real books. I reckon if I read a book for even half the time I’m scrolling through nonsense online, I’ll get through quite the library.

Meeting people and really engaging is a priority for me. It’s so easy to WhatsApp and yet a quick phone call would be better than a string of messages. I’ll consciously stop to chat with neighbours when I’m out for a walk or drive. Never a big fan of self-service checkouts; I’m going to stop using them and exchange a few words with the cashiers.

The one I’m most looking forward to is learning and creating. It might be a new skill or hobby or improving something I already do. I might even have another go at learning a language, but it will be Irish this time.

None of these are cast in stone, nor am I going to give myself a hard time if I spend an hour scrolling on my phone instead of moving, creating or reading.

Life is for living, and I guess my primary resolution is to keep doing just that.

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