At the time of writing, we are just six days into 2020 and I wonder how you are doing with your new year resolutions so far? This year I have committed to both dry January AND Veganuary and was hugely surprised when my husband said (unprompted) that he too would try Veganuary and keep me company. What have you committed to this year? Any new habits, goals, or plans? Or are you trying to stop old habits? How is it going so far?

Sadly, though the stats don't tell a good story. Did you know that 92% of new year resolutions fail within the first two weeks! Why do so many of us fall at the first fence? Where are our resolve, commitment, and determination? Which group would you like to fall into - the successful 8%, or the 92% who give up?

My husband has already joined the 92% - having met with friends in a pub yesterday to share Sunday lunch and opting for the whitebait to start, followed by fishcakes for his main!!

I love testing and challenging myself to find out what I can and can’t achieve and I believe that small, realistic and manageable goals are one of the best ways of doing it. Whether it is just 31 days of sobriety, a couple of months to train for a Half Marathon or a month of totally different food options, we can find out what our strengths and weaknesses are, and I find that empowering, energising, fun, and interesting. I hate just plodding through life and little challenges like these make us feel alive, give us something to focus on, help us learn things about the subject matter (and ourselves), help us feel great whilst doing it (especially when we succeed) and remind us that we are alive. We can also bank our successes (however large or small), in our 'confidence bank' and draw on them in those wobbly moments of self-doubt.

So I say no more sleepwalking through life - add in some new things, challenge yourself, find out what you are made of, your strengths and weakness, and commit to flying over that first fence when it presents.

Good luck!