How I’m approaching New Year’s resolutions this year - Jayne Dowle

Me neither. But I do now, and I’m thinking about the resolutions that make sense, gathering those frenzied thoughts, misgivings and mis-steps and considering how to make 2026 a happier and less haphazard year.

The promises we pledge to ourselves at this time of year have classical roots too, the modern equivalent of Romans making promises to Janus, the two-faced god of beginnings. You don’t need me to tell you that this is where we get the word ‘January’ from.

So Latin lesson over, let’s get down to business. Whilst some people think making resolutions is a waste of mental energy, I’ve always found it cathartic. Shedding off the bad habits of the previous 12 months to welcome in fresh beginnings has an attractive confessional air about it, and allows us to keep growing and looking forward.

I’m no paragon of virtue however. My attitude towards New Year resolutions is proactive rather than reactive. I believe they should enhance your life rather than make it more miserable. Each to their own, but gin and tonic and a square or two of dark chocolate will stay in my life for the next 12 months, and hopefully for ever.

I don’t write my resolutions down normally, so this column is a good placemarker to see how I fare.

Last year, I promised myself not to give in to self-doubt professionally. This took until about October to kick in, but I’m glad at least that I set the wheels in motion. It’s been a tough year in my profession, thanks to a perfect storm of budget cuts and the march of AI. I’ve laid the groundwork for survival this year, so I will at least tell myself to keep going.

Last year, I also vowed to join a gym or at least walk more, to keep an eye on my step count to stay fit and flexible, and give my ageing cardio-vascular system its best chance. I’ll just say I failed miserably at the former, and did well with the latter, mostly achieved by walking the dog around the field every evening.

As I clear out the mental clutter of last year’s hit and miss resolutions, I can at least see a way forward; this year, I am planning to walk further and explore more of the wonderful countryside that’s never far away, wherever we are in Yorkshire.

Also, I’m keen to help the environment practically. Over the last year, flytipping and rubbish dumping has become such a scourge. I see our team of local litter-picking volunteers with their prods and purple bin bags and feel a pang of guilt. It wouldn’t take much to give up an hour or two of my time every week and join them. It’s on my list.

Closer to home, I must achieve a better work/life balance. Since my two children became adults – now 20 and 23 – I’ve discovered hours of time I never had. Instead of filling it with fun and/or worthwhile stuff, I find work to do.

I love my work and am fortunate to write for brilliant people and publications, but I do need to realise that the laptop has an off switch, and ideally it should be activated no later than 6pm every evening.

On this point, I had a minor epiphany in the summer when I rediscovered my love of modern fiction. During a difficult period of family bereavement, reading was such a soothing activity, I’m hooked again. I won’t promise to read a book a week in 2026, but I’m definitely going to make a plan to read widely and discover new authors.

I’m also going to learn to let go. Not just of outworn mental attitudes and restrictions that hold back personal growth, but in terms of my son and daughter. It’s hard to accept that they are fully-grown adults now, and I do tend towards anxiety, whether they’re catching a train to an unfamiliar destination or looking for a new job.

As they keep telling me, I’ve got to allow them to get on with it and put myself first. I should certainly make more time to catch up with old friends, I know that. It’s so easy to allow our social bonds to fray, and before we know it, those who were once dear to us are lost.

I’m keeping in touch with people via WhatsApp, but I’m also planning to rediscover the ancient art of letter writing. There’s just something so poignant about receiving a handwritten letter, and if we don’t keep it alive, it will die too.

One way to put yourself first I guess, is to compose this list of personal priorities, which I guess is another way of saying resolutions. And not in Latin. Here are mine. What are yours?