My 5 Goals for 2021

So it’s the end of 2020! Our family has changed completely with the arrival of our little girl, Charlotte, at the end of February, followed shortly after by a global pandemic. Eek!

It hasn’t been the first year I expected BUT we have had a lot of good times, as well as the worries and anxieties shared by many.

I wanted to start the New Year with a few aims. I’m notoriously bad at sticking to things, as I have a really short attention span and I know that I am a real defeatist. But I thought that maybe if I wrote them down I would feel a little more accountable and a bit of a checkpoint back for myself as I progress through the year. I’ve bought a new diary. I’ve bought some highlighters. Here they are:

1. Get Outside

Everyone told me ‘when you become a new mum you’ll walk all the time with the pram’.

The lockdown scuppered that a bit. But when everything started to settle and we were allowed our 1 walk, then 2, etc, I did get out a lot.

The weather was glorious, so Charlotte and I would go out early doors and walk in our village for about an hour before it got too hot. As the months progressed we could meet friends again and walk in the woods, on the seafront and really get back out exploring.

The plan for 2021 is to keep this up and some. I had a Fitbit a few years ago but pushing the pram it asked once ‘are you cycling?’ so I quickly realized this wasn’t compatible. I also realized I was getting a little obsessed with the 10,000 step goal. So I’m ditching the Fitbit and just making a bit of a promise to get my wellies and coat on and get out every day and get some fresh air, exercise, and a podcast.

2. Continue to Learn

I’ve been using the time in lockdown when Charlotte was small to try and get a little bit of professional development done and to stop my brain completely falling into the depths of Mr. Tumble. It’s a slow plod but I’ve enjoyed feeling like the cogs are still there and hope to continue this into 2021. I also want to try and keep up posting on my blog and Instagram. I have gone for weeks without posting sometimes, fretting that the pictures weren’t quite right and didn’t want to post for the sake of posting, but likewise, I enjoy the not-so-perfect bakes or moments of kitchen chaos. I’m not a chef and never claim to be so the imperfect rambles or photos are all part of the fun. I love including little snippets of Charlotte’s favorite foods as I hope I’ll enjoy looking back on these for months to come.

3. Play lots

Charlotte is getting funnier and busier as she approaches turning 11 months. She loves to jump holding onto any piece of furniture and loves shouting ‘Dad’ constantly. I really want to try and nurture her learning through play, which can all just go to the wayside and end up with a rainy day in front of CBeebies. There aren’t currently any ‘real-life’ baby classes in my area and Charlotte seems to struggle with the Zoom online ones, choosing to scream, crawl away, or frantically hit the laptop. So maybe thinking of some good learning games would be good and maybe picking up the odd online class here and there.

4. Read 12 books

I know this is a very small goal. A lot of my best friends are amazing readers and can munch a book down in a night, but I’m a slow reader, who forgets the characters, loses the actual book, gets bored, and watches the series online. However, this autumn I read a book, cover to cover, for the first time in ages that wasn’t a cookbook or baby book and it felt great. I also love listening to podcasts and audiobooks when out and about and cooking, so maybe I’ll increase it if the year allows.

5. Find Peace with my Garden

I am not a natural gardener. I’m impatient and get frustrated when I don’t understand things. But my Dad, who is a really good gardener, reminds me often that gardening is a state of mind and you can learn a lot from a garden. As with life, things don’t always go the way you want them, so you have to up-root and re-pot, some things thrive and other things whither. That’s all a bit deep but what I mean to say is, I believe these things to be true and as a family, we have really enjoyed our little bit of outside space this summer and are very grateful for it. We are due a new fence in early 2021 which I think will kickstart the love for the garden again.

I hope you’ve had a good 2020. I know it’s been a lot of things to a lot of people. But a New Year always feels like a clean slate doesn’t it?! What are your 5 Goals for 2021?