Do you make New Year Resolutions? Start with lots of plans and ideas? I must admit, I love starting projects. It’s like opening a new notebook, and writing down the first word on the first page, isn’t it?

Finishing, or even continuing something is a totally different matter. Some of my plans for a new year is to continue, to pick up again, to restart. This year, I will be starting various new writing projects, having spent New Year’s Eve finishing off Beyond the Hills, the sequel to Walled City. I simply wanted it done, as I liked the idea of finishing before the New Year, so I could start with something new. Of course, Beyond the Hills isn’t done, it needs stuff added to it, and then there is the editing road… At least I can say the writing itself was done before the end of 2020, making me feel I have achieved some of my plans!

This year, I have more writing plans, especially as I signed up for a very exciting Academy, a writing course as well as a marketing course which I started already. I also got myself an exciting book about writing fantasy and science fiction (no, I still don’t like those genres, but some of the book applies to stuff I do enjoy, so there we are…). I’m excited about some of the projects I have in mind, as well as counting the days till the end of March when I will hear about the competition I entered with my writing. I honestly don’t expect to win, although that would be amazing, of course, but I look forward to publishing the books I entered.

Another thing that I joined is a lovely Reading List. I joined last year, and almost ticked all the boxes, but this year I’m more determined than ever to complete the list! A few books have been read so far, which is a great start! I love reading lists, as this gives me the necessary encouragement to read different genres.

None of these are resolutions though, more hopes, dreams and plans. One resolution is to restart my wonderful fitness programme. I’m looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time, haha. Knowing I will be writing and studying a lot, which involves sitting down, I know I really need the exercise. It actually makes me feel better, helping in so many different ways, but I can’t say I’m thrilled… I only enjoy exercise afterwards, when I feel so much better. Knowing this, I just have to push myself to get changed, get downstairs, and press the play button! Maybe I should write a sci-fi book about getting slim, toned and energised without having to jump around?

Then there are the kids. I have ideas for our homeschool. Things I would like to do, that I would like to continue or change. Dreams, plans and ideas. Resolutions? Not really, as I know what we’re like! You see, that’s what I don’t like about the New Year, New You idea. Last year, we did things for a reason and a season. Yes, I didn’t work out, because I prioritised my writing. I really wanted Walled City done and published, I wanted to set up my blog etc. Does that mean I failed, because I didn’t work out as often as I wanted to? Nope, not at all.

Also, January doesn’t see me turning into a totally new person, does it? Nothing changes much, to be honest. The bread shelf at Tesco is still in the same place, my car is still brown and I’m still working on Beyond the Hills. And that’s fine.

Of course, I have things that I like to start at the beginning of the year. It does give me a fresh start, as the new year is a good place to motivate myself and others. So is my birthday, or the beginning of the summer holidays, or the first day of Spring. I love new beginnings, which is probably what motivates me to think of new plans for the new year.

I also dislike change. Thoroughly dislike change, to be honest. And uncertainty. Not in the least because change and uncertainty cause my older two so much stress, which affects us all. 2020 was the mad year of Uncertainty, which helped me to rest in God. He never changed, the Word never changed. So much rest was to be found in Him, that the other things started to matter less and less. It made me withdraw into writing more as well, as a wonderful outlet of stress and uncertainty. This year, I’m resolved to cling more to the One who is never changing, Who knows it all, Who never lets go or gives up on us.

So for this year, I remind myself, don’t make resolutions, instead, trust the One who holds me in His hand. Fear less, trust more. Enjoy more, love more, try more. Read more and write more, but be less burdened with it all. I like the idea of Enjoy. To be filled with joy, to find joy in all places, and to remember that the joy of the Lord is my strength. I plan on enjoying my writing, my reading and my blogging.

There, my first blog post in 2021. Enjoy!