The last research I read on New Year’s Resolutions suggested that only 19% of people have succeeded in sticking to them after two years. Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t like those odds.

Since I was old enough to dress myself (which some may argue is still a skill I’m yet to master) I’ve delighted in writing down my New Year’s resolutions. But I have to admit, if I was to give myself a success rate for sticking to them – 19% would be overly generous.

Yet - there is just something almost magical about making these big bold promises to myself. Thinking about the new, improved version of me that I will be creating. This new improved me, who in twelve months’ time, will not need to make any resolutions as I will be my best self already!

Have you spotted the problem with this yet? For starters, living is learning so our ‘best self’ has ever shifting goal posts. For mains, the longer the list of demands we place on ourselves, the greater the odds for buckling under the pressure of them. And for desserts, change takes time and patience. Rome wasn’t built in a day – but they were laying bricks every hour.

So, while I am all for focussing, prioritising and creating the life you want, I also don’t think this should be a once a year deal. We shouldn’t be waiting until 1st January to make changes and then scrap the idea if we haven’t made them all by the 2nd.

Life inevitably lifts you up and then knocks you back down on your ass, the trick is just to try and land with a little grace when it happens. So, in the spirit of all this, yes, I have multiple to-do lists and one or seven planners to provide a bit more than a direction of travel for 2020...

But my New Year’s resolution? It’s the simplest one I’ve ever made.

“Do more stuff that makes me happy”

And if I can do that, I know the rest is going to take care of itself.