Hi there everyone, and if it’s the first time you’ve read the blog this year, Happy New Year! It’s my first official day back at work, and my mind is turning to resolutions – so I thought I’d see what yours were. Have you planned any life-changing strategies for 2013 yet? Will you be?
New Year’s Resolutions: where will you find happiness in 2013? Photo credit Nick Ilott http://www.nickilottphotography.co.uk/ click to see the woodland wedding ideas shoot!
When I make new year’s resolutions I tend to go with the normal things: eat healthily, do more exercise, be organised. The first two of those I already have covered (she said, smugly! I lost a bit of weight in 2012) and the third is frankly a lost cause! It’s all happy chaos here and you know what: it works for me.
My new year’s resolutions for 2013 then are:
- to have adventures
- to climb some mountains
- to be happy
I started a new life in 2012, and took control of my own happiness. I love where I live, I feel as though I’m thriving here by the beach and the mountains. Happiness seems to have found me, and I’m determined to make the most of every moment of the coming year. Life’s too short to live half-heartedly: as Frank Turner says, I plan to “grab life by the throat and then live it to pieces”!
I saw the New Year in at an intimate gig in Manchester, with my boyfriend. 2013 began with a kiss from my man, and with a huge grin, dancing, singing and smiling! So I’m carrying on the same way – and I want to spend time with my guy and with family and with friends, both old and new. I want to work and play hard, to enjoy life, to do new things and say yes as often as I can!
It’s possible I might also lose some weight, if the fierce marketing of yoghurts gets to me again this year. (Can’t wait for that to start again! 😉 I will exercise more – because when the sun shines on my beach I can’t resist being there! And I’ll work my little head off to bring you all the best real weddings from around the UK on English Wedding Blog of course!
So tell me – what are your new year’s resolutions? What will you do in 2013? Is anyone else keeping a diary (I am!) or doing a photo a day, maybe?
Whatever your resolutions, good luck. Have an amazing 2013! Claire xxx
A wedding photograph which makes me happy! By Mister Phill – http://www.misterphill.com/ Click the image to see this blog post from English Wedding’s Focus On series of articles
17 COMMENTS
Julie Dawson
8 years ago
What a lovely post! So lovely to hear how well things are going for you! Am so pleased my grin is just from ear to ear. I plan to exercise too! Failed miserably last year but sitting at a desk is tying me in knots so start small then grow. Eat healthily like you, started last year so no real big change.
The biggest thing for me is to get some life balance and be more in touch with friends. Plan adventures with them and my husband. You can get tied up so much in work that you forget why you work in the first place. A little bit like wedding planning! lol planning takes over and you forget why you are getting married!
To grow my wedding business is another resolution. Slowly and steadily is good for me. My goals are on the wall and a little map on how I am going to get there.
Happy new year and lets hope we stick to our resolutions. x
Claire Gould
8 years ago
AUTHORHi Julie,
Lovely to hear from you and Happy New Year! Good luck with your resolutions, and I know exactly what you mean about life balance and friendships. Your adventures with friends and your husband sound like fun – it’s so easy to get involved in our line of work and forget about real life – but the more you live life I guess the more you can bring to your work. It’s all about passion and enthusiasm which I know you have in bundles!
I love the sound of your little map to get to your wedding business goals as well. What a great idea! I will bear that in mind and perhaps make one of my own! It sounds great!
Have a lovely January and I hope we get to meet up some time this year!
Claire xxx
pat
8 years ago
Happy New Year lovey. xxx
Claire Gould
8 years ago
AUTHORThank you Pat, Happy New Year to you too! xxx
Javier
8 years ago
Lovely photo.
I always write my New year resolution in a paper, then fold it and place it under a candle.
This year we asked for a baby, and a lovely house in the mountains of Portugal, amongst other things.
When the year passes, if you have a look at what you wrote, you will be surprised of how many things did accomplish, so we may feel blessed.
Happy 2013
Rob Dodsworth
8 years ago
That’s a really lovely idea! All the best to you and hope your 2013 wishes come true.
Claire Gould
8 years ago
AUTHORI love that idea too! I think it’s quite brave though: I’d be nervous to write my new year’s resolutions down….
… I realised what I was writing halfway through the sentence. I wonder if I’ll come back and read this post next year!
Claire x
Belinda Mccarthy
8 years ago
Great post and I’m so glad your New Year arrived in such a happy style! I love your resolutions as well – they are beautiful and I’m sure seeking these out will provide you with wonderful memories 🙂
As for mine – I haven’t got to the stage of writing them down, although maybe I should, as by doing so, you are making the first step into making those resolutions come true? I’ve already started with my business, by making the commercial side into its own entity (and giving it a shiny new website!) and also giving the wedding photography a new string to its bow by offering an analogue film service as well. I’m really looking forward to shooting some weddings on film this year 🙂
Personally, I don’t know…. I like the idea of adventures though. Can I borrow that one for a while?! 🙂
Claire Gould
8 years ago
AUTHORThank you Belinda 🙂
I’ve just realised that writing resolutions down is quite a scary thing to do! Although keeping them simple and achievable makes it less daunting to do so.
Best of luck with your business resolutions – and shooting weddings on film sounds fantastic. I hope you’ll still be able to share them on your blog, as I’d love to see them.
Help yourself to the adventures – there are plenty for everyone 🙂 Enjoy!
Claire xxx
Kelly Chandler
8 years ago
Loved your post Claire on New Year’s Resolutions. Good for you!
Hubby and I completed our “goals” as we call them and this year they were much shorter and simpler than before – essentially some specifics on how to find us more “family/us time” and do the things we enjoy the most, country walks, days to the coast, cosy-ing up to a film etc. Here’s to 2013!
Claire Gould
8 years ago
AUTHORHi Kelly,
Your goals sound a) lovely and simple and b) they have a focus I think everyone in the wedding industry could use.
Inspiring – thank you 🙂
And Happy New Year!
Claire xx
Nathan
8 years ago
I want to be more structured so have time for more adventures and maybe to finish editing a book I mostly finished writing quite a while ago, that would be nice!
Claire Gould
8 years ago
AUTHOROoh Nathan, I’m intrigued! You’ve never mentioned you’d written a book?! Good luck with the editing 🙂
Structure is something which has always eluded me… you’ll have to share your tips on that one if you crack it!
Claire xxx
Rob Dodsworth
8 years ago
To spend more time with my wife and daughter – building my business is important and it’s a way to make a living but it’s just as important to remember the reason for living in the first place. My baby girl is changing so quickly each and every day I don’t want to miss a moment of it! She’s asleep right now…so catching up on blogs is ok 😉
Claire Gould
8 years ago
AUTHORHi Rob,
Oh that’s lovely – and again it’s something we can all struggle with a little. Family time and personal time is so precious.
Have a wonderful 2013 with your wife and baby daughter.
Claire xxx
Steven
8 years ago
Such a cracking picture there by Phil. New Years resolution number one is definitely to have more fun. Both in and out of business. And also to continue to focus on providing my clients with what THEY want, without worrying about what everyone else is doing.
Claire Gould
8 years ago
AUTHORHi Steven and thanks for commenting! It’s one of my favourite images, I love it too.
Great resolutions – fun, and happy customers – it all seems so simple when we can write it down, doesn’t it?! Love it.
Happy New Year!
Claire xxx