New Year's Resolutions

Do you know what?

I've never been that good at New Year's Resolutions.

Of course, that's actually not true.  I've been pretty good at making them (although less so over the passed few years) but pretty terrible at keeping them.

I guess that's why I've avoided them recently... I know I'm going to end in abject failure, descending into a litany of self pity and then loathing.  I mean, why should I put myself in that position?

But I read a blog about how to make the most of New Year's Resolutions the other day and it pointed out the reason so many of them fail... and it's actually quite simple.  Most resolutions require us to stop something: drinking (so much), eating, watching telly, swearing and so on.

The problem is, as human beings, we find the requirement to stop doing things very difficult.  Fortunately, the flip side of the coin is that we are very good at doing more.  The technical reason is that the behaviours already exist and it's easier to more of something you already do than to change that behaviour by stopping entirely.

So, this year I have been inspired to set myself some New Year's Resolutions based on the idea of doing more.  Hopefully I'll remember this blog one year from now and I'll be able to measure my success.

Here goes; here are my 10 resolutions:

1. To go back to the USA - I haven't been for 2 years.  I think New York and Vegas are in order
2. To go on 2 mini city breaks (never done one).  I'm thinking Prague would be good and maybe a German Christmas market
3. To visit friends more (actually to visit friends, full stop.  We've been pretty bad at it this year).  To become good and proper friends once more
4. To spend more time at home in the evenings, which means leaving work a bit earlier
5. To laugh more - maybe even visit a comedy club
6. To visit the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and watch a sporting event
7. To try something new and scary.  Not sure what that is as I've done most scary physical things
8. To take a course of study.  Maybe creative writing or history... well, I'm of that age now!
9. To finish my next book... somehow
10. To ride a tram in Edinburgh.  Okay, okay, I know that one is pretty unlikely but we can all hope and pray!

I fully recognise these may not be Earth shattering but I thought that from small acorns and all that.

So, we'll see how they go and report back in a year's time.

Before then, it just remains for me to say on behalf of Renee, Barney and me... thank you for a stonking, fabulous, tiring, exhilarating, rollercoaster of a year.

We can't wait for 2014 so we'll see you ont he other side when we'll do it all again.

Thanks a million.