This year started off the same as any other. Thinking about resolutions.

I usually make the standard – lose weight, do more exercise, be healthy – kind of resolutions, but this year when I made a few, they were actually a little different. I decided I wanted to read more books, and figure out how I could travel the world.

But now, I am sitting in a cafe, on my own, waiting for my lunch, thinking about my bucket list and have decided to scrap my resolutions!

Resolutions are, in all honesty, pointless for me. I never stick to them, ever, if I look at my resolutions from last year I’ve maybe done two or three things, but not because they were my resolutions, just because I have grown up a bit over the year.

I really wanted to go to galleries and museums in 2013, indulge in some art and history, but I didn’t visit one. Not one. I didn’t even get near one. So it just makes me re-evaluate the point in making them.

My bucket list, however, is a list of things that I really want to achieve, and am determined to do so. There’s not so much of a time limit on them (just whilst I am capable to do so), so there’s a lot less pressure!

One thing on my bucket list is to go for a meal on my own. This really is referring to an evening meal, at a restaurant, but I figure the fact that I am sitting in a cafe on my own for lunch is a stepping stone to that point. Five years ago, I wouldn’t even go into town on my own, let alone go to a cafe and sit on my own for lunch, so I think I’ve come on leaps and bounds already.

Instead of trying to fulfil some more unrealistic goals this year I want to focus on the bigger picture, and work on a few bucket list dreams.

One thing on my bucket list is to write a book, and I think to be able to do this successfully I need to read more novels by different authors and of different styles, so I am going to endeavour to keep that goal, but not for the sake of it being one of my New Year’s resolutions!

I want to encourage people to do the same, don’t start resolutions then give up hope half way through February, focus on the bigger picture! I went for dinner with a couple of friends last week and we were talking about hopes for the year, and resolutions, and one of the girls kept saying to us after certain hopes and plans, think big, God is a big God, and He can do it! Which is so true. I think we can dream big, we can do big things, and why should we? With God on our side, nothing can stand in our way of achieving great things.

I wrote a letter to myself on New Year’s Day, to open on New Year’s Day next year, an idea I got from a friend who did it last year. I’m excited to see how much of the stuff I will do, and how much I will forget about, and it not interest me any more!

I’m not a big fan of New Year as a celebration, because I think people can party, celebrate and start a fresh whenever they want to, they don’t need a year to come to an end to do that stuff. However, I am excited for this year, excited for what it holds and excited where God can take me!

I’ll let you know as the year goes on how my bucket list ticking off goes!