Hopes For 2023

 A lot of pressure comes with a new year; social media is filled with people making resolutions, setting ambitious goals and reflecting on their achievements from the year gone by. It's been a good few years since I've made any resolutions; despite liking the idea of fresh starts and going into a new year with some gusto, I never quite manage to be in that right headspace at the start of a new year and so end up feeling like I've failed before I've even started. 

What I wanted to do this year though, is set out a few hopes for the year ahead. Not necessarily anything that I have to do or achieve, just things that I hope will happen. I see a lot of people setting 'words' for the year, which is something else I've never done, but the following is probably some sort of mixture of words and goals in my own more relaxed way. 

F A M I L Y // 2022 was a pretty momentous year for me with the arrival of my baby boy. While the end of last year was spent getting our heads around parenthood and with me putting myself back together both physically and mentally (although whoever said the fourth trimester only lasted three months is a blatant liar), this year I can't wait for us to start exploring as a three. There are going to be so many firsts for our little lad and all I hope for is that he continues to be the happy little ball of energy he's growing into as he starts to explore the world. 

G R O W T H // This is a bit of a broad one because I'm starting the year not really knowing quite what it holds for me personally. I'd like to grow this space, I'd like to expand my knowledge of the things I'm passionate about (such as sustainability) and I'd like to figure out where my career is heading and how that can work around my family. While it feels like there's a lot up in the air I'm feeling really quite positive about this one! 

N A T U R E // I've always loved getting out and about in nature and getting outside really helps to clear my head. I'd like to spend more time slowing down in nature this year rather than heading into it with a purpose and I'd like to teach our boy to love the outdoors as much as we do. 

N U R T U R I N G  F R I E N D S H I P S // Last year I was pretty focussed on being pregnant and giving birth so I didn't put as much effort into friendships as I usually like to. This year I'm going to work on that and try to spend as much quality time with friends as possible especially seeing as they've all made what could have been lonely maternity leave extremely bearable! 

H E A L T H // I don't like to get too hung up on health and fitness because it can be an incredibly toxic mindset, but I want to set the best example to our boy as well as feel more like myself again. I'm aiming to nourish my body with plenty of fruit and veg and attempt to do some form of exercise again (although that one is kind of tricky with a baby in tow). The general vibe is eating and moving to make myself feel good rather than to look a certain way.

Reading those back, they may seem a little basic and boring compared to some people's, but this year really is about slowing down and appreciating the little things for me and I'm perfectly content with that!