New Year’s Resolutions, you’ve got to love ‘em. There’s something very exciting about the start of a new year, and the potential for a clean slate. It’s the one time in the year when I really spend time reflecting on my life and thinking about the changes that I would genuinely like to make. A very old boyfriend once motivated me to write my resolutions down, and it’s something that I’ve always done ever since, usually at the start of my new diary so that I know where they are and can easily reflect on them.

Whether I stick to my New Year’s Resolutions is another matter, but I usually give myself a few so that I maximise my chances of success!

So this year, I’m trying something new, and publishing my New Year’s Resolutions for all of my lovely readers to see. I’m hoping the competitive spirit in me will rise to the challenge of not wanting to let you all down!

So here we go…

1. To blog a minimum of twice a week: I’ve been a blogger since 2006, but previously this was in a professional capacity, and only very recently as a Mum. Fellow bloggers out there will know that a blog is a lifestyle commitment, and as much as I love writing, sometimes it’s easy to find excuses not to, particularly with an attention-seeking two-year old about. But this year I have a personal goal to really grow the reach and readership of my blog, and a healthy volume of fresh content is the best way to do that. Additionally, I don’t want to miss documenting important memories and milestones in my daughter’s life through laziness – after all this is something that I want Little I to be able to read through when she is older.
2. To no longer use the ‘I have a baby’ excuse: procrastination is my biggest downfall, and since becoming a Mum it’s got worse. Rather than sitting down to get on with the important stuff, I’ll find a million minor chores around the house that need doing first. Being a Mum is tiring, and whether it’s a ‘work’ or ‘Mummy’ day, my ambitious plans for the evening often fall foul to the lame excuse of ‘I have a baby…I’m too tired’. But the fact of the matter is that Little I is no longer a baby – she’ll begin pre-school later this year. So in 2012 I plan to use my evenings in particular a lot more productively, and negotiate time with my husband on the weekends. Up until now, I’ve often felt like a bad Mum for doing ‘me’ things when Little I is about, but now that I’m a little older and wiser as a Mum, I realise so long as there’s a good balance, I shouldn’t feel guilty for this – it’s important that Little I learns how to self-occupy and that she sees me as a good role model. She already knows that I write a blog, and a few days ago told me she was “busy writing a blog post” on the new toy laptop that she was given for Christmas…so if I help to inspire her to write, I’ll feel I’ve done something good.
3. To read at least 24 books in 2012, and to read my RSS feeds every day: I have a confession to make…I am a book hoarder and a compulsive book buyer, and I used to be an avid reader.  When we moved into our home three years ago my husband agreed to let me turn the smallest bedroom into my ‘library’, and it’s filled from floor to ceiling with books complete with a lovely reading chair; but since having Little I, I haven’t gone in there nearly as much as I would like and there’s a stack of books that I’m desperate to read. So in 2012 I aim to read at least two books a month and I’ll be reviewing them here on this blog. Additionally, I’m a perfect example of someone who has ‘all the gear, but no idea’. I purchased a tablet PC towards the end of last year, primarily for keeping on top of my RSS feed reading…but have I done it?! When I am going to fit this additional reading in I don’t yet know, so please let me know if you have any suggestions!
4. To re-exercise my depleting brain cells: after spending a day with a very dear friend this Christmas, who doesn’t yet have a little ‘un (but bless her still reads this blog religiously)…I was inspired to once again fill my brain with interesting information. Growing up, my Mum would always tease me as I often began a sentence with “Did you know…[insert interesting fact]”; but since becoming a Mum I’ve become intellectually lazy, and whenever I see this friend I am always reminded of that as I continually learn fascinating things from her. Luckily she lives in Australia now so I’m not reminded of this too often! The details on how I’m going to achieve this are still a little foggy, but admitting to this is a first step I guess.
5. To be more organised, which I have already written about in my post about 2012 diaries. It should help with all of the above!

So that’s it. I can think of more, but this is enough to keep me going with. Wish me luck!

How about you? A free children’s scratch ‘n sniff book is up for grabs to the person who shares the best New Year’s Resolutions in the comments section below!