It’s been months since I last wrote this blog. It’s not easy to begin again, to pick up an old habit that I have neglected. My mind is filled with doubt, can I still write, do I have anything interesting to say. Maybe I won’t bother, watching Season 3 of The Handmaids Tale would be easier!

But here goes. I know I must feel brave and just begin. Surely the words will come, and inspiration will strike. It’s New Year’s Day, I’m near Ravenglass in the Lake District, and it’s a pretty grotty day. Low cloud hides the hills, and I’m alone in the caravan.

I don’t set New Years Resolutions, preferring to spend time on my own, usually in the mountains to gather my thoughts on the year that has finished and the year that is about to start. Sometimes I walk, sometimes I cycle, but most often I just sit and look out of the window.

My mind wanders, playing over events that have happened, dreaming about the future and what it might bring. I write a lot during this process. Not for others to read but to guide my thoughts. To help me learn from the past and give me the strength and belief to tackle the coming year.

This process takes time and isn’t something that can be completed through writing a thirty-minute list of New Years Resolutions. Nor is it something you can do while watching TV or playing with your phone.

Maybe you find being on your own hard, alone inside your head with your thoughts and fears. But it’s here that you will discover who you are. Put away the distractions, take time out from your friends and family and use this opportunity to think deeply about your life and your situation.

What events have brought you to this point? What would you like the next 12 months to look like? Reward yourself for the past year’s achievements. Your life is a journey, and you must mark the progress you have made. Feel the joy of this progress and know there is more to come next year.

Your dreams are in your hands. You can make them a reality in the coming year by being consistent. Keep things simple by creating small daily habits. Forget the big resolutions instead make a simple plan and stick to it. Do more of what has worked before and less of what didn’t.

Together, we climb the mountain, not in giant leaps but one small step at a time.