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January Intentions

1. Floss twice a day.
2. Up and dressed by 8.30am even on weekends. I am sick and tired of being a sluggabed! (I’m giving myself a one day a week reprieve on this one in the interest of Release!)
3. Keep within the new household monthly budget for food shopping (which also means stricter meal planning).
4. Pedicure/eyebrow wax/reflexology appointments.
5. Do my physiotherapy exercises every day (having neck problems – nothing to worry about, it’s all par for the course!).

December in Review

1.  Write and post the Christmas cards by 10th December DONE
2. Work the Mill Road Winter Fair – I’ll be opening the clinic for free massage tasters and wearing tinsel in my hair. What more do you want? DONE (and what a successful day it was!!)
3. Make the mincemeat by 5th December DONE
4. Get the Christmas cards/gift vouchers for clients written and posted by 16th December (which is also the date of the annual Christmas trip to see the best band in the world). DONE
5. Make stollen and gingerbread by 20th December (there will be updates on this as this year I try to make them wheat free). DONE but wheat free didn’t really work – I gave myself a break over Christmas!
6. Master the art of the Yule Log for New Year. NOT DONE.  After reading the recipe several times I decided I just couldn’t face it and made a big yummy wheat-free chocolate cake instead!

If you’re in the UK, there’s a few hours to go until the New Year, if you’re in Australia it’s already happened and if you’re in the States you’ve still got most of the rest of the day to wait. And if the Mayans were right, this could be it (either that or they simply ran out of numbers).

Whatever, it seems that 2011 has been a crazy year for everyone I know, both on- and off-line.  I for one have had some stunning highs and some breathtaking lows!  Bring on 2012 – and if London can make it through the Olympic Games, we can all make it through anything.

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Have a very happy New Year dear readers and for your pleasure I give you my 12 favourite posts of 2011.

In January, in an attempt to be healthy, I made vegan carrot muffins.

In February, I took my gloves off about having M.E.

In March, I got a poem published and got all nostalgic about a letter from an agent .

In April, I did things in Sydney I’d never got to do before.

In May, I waxed lyrical on running.

In June, I turned 37.

In July, I made you a present.

In August, I made a little podcast about self-employment and my tips to smoothing the path towards it.

In September, I wrote about maggots and anxiety attacks.

In October, I asked you to be kind to yourselves.

In November, I told you a few things you might not know.

And in December, I likened Jared Leto to a yoga class.

Oh and as a bonus 13th – I love rock stars and soft furnishings.

Do you make resolutions?  I used to.**

I don’t know about you but I have always been notoriously bad at keeping them.  I think it’s something to do with the pressure we put on ourselves to do so much on 1st January every year.  Years ago, when I used to smoke, I always resolved to give up smoking on 1st January every year.  I think the longest I ever went without a visit to the newsagent for a new packet of cigarettes was 5th January!  Then one autumn day several years ago I just stopped.  Life’s like that sometimes!

In 2011 that word was JOY.  And opening my business has brought more joy than I ever thought possible.  A lot of headaches and panic attacks too, but mostly joy!

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In 2012 my word is going to be RELEASE.  Releasing expectations, comparisions, judgement, procrastination, scarcity mentality, poor health, credit card debt, the eternal straightening of my hair.

I wonder what adventures 2012 has in store for us all?

I’ll ride the wave
Where it takes me
I’ll hold the pain
Release me.
– Release, Pearl Jam

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**although I really need to drink more water, get more sleep and remember to floss twice a day!