For the first time in living memory, I have not made any New Year’s Resolutions this year. New Year sort of crept up on me. Usually I have given some thought to things that I might like to address in the coming year but somehow this time I didn’t get round to it.

I have discovered that resolutions seem to get more realistic as I grow older. In my youth, I made all kind of promises to myself about diet, fitness, commitment to work. You know the kind of thing. Then they changed with my lifestyle. For several years it was all about home/work balance and after that they were focused on trying to reward myself with more “me” time. Last year, the theme was making more of my evenings with promises of cinema and theatre trips which, to be fair to me, did materialise.

So what happened this year? Well, at the risk of sounding smug, there was nothing that I either wanted to or realistically felt that I could change. I have the perfect job for me. I already go to the gym and am happy with my body. I eat healthily. I don’t really drink. I have a rock solid relationship and am financially in control. Please don’t hate me!

But what about the other stuff that flicks through my head from time to time? I will properly utilise my cookbooks and make a wide variety of meals? I will make more time for my children and be more family centric? I will be fully groomed at all times? Whilst these things all sound appealing, I am now old enough to know that I am setting myself up to fail.I have to work within my capabilities, taking into account my current commitments and, more importantly, my character flaws, which are many and varied. Maturity has taught me that there are always opportunities to make a new start and that I don’t have to wait for January to change something. Any old Monday, or even Thursday will do.

I do have lots of plans and dreams for the coming year but I will address them as and when they fit in with everything else that I have to do. Not exactly a New Year’s Resolution – more a Year Long Resolution. So bring it on!