2016 will probably go down as a fairly negative year in newspaper terms. But in this post there shall be no mention of Brexit, Trump or celebrity deaths (though I’ll always miss Alan Rickman). 

New Year’s Eve every year has us all readdressing what we did wrong in the past year, what we should change about ourselves over the next year, how we can be better versions of ourselves, thinner, fitter, healthier, more successful, ultimately all to make us happier. But we make the same grand plans every 1st January, and more often than not we give up, we fail, we get fatter, older, lazier, we carry on eating chocolate and drinking wine, and rather than enjoying it we beat ourselves up every 31st December for ‘failing’ and promise the next year will be better, hardly setting ourselves up for life long happiness. Maybe one way to being happier versions of ourselves starts not by highlighting all our flaws, but recognising everything we did that was great, every thing that made us happy, everything that we were grateful for? Instead of New Years Resolutions, I will be making a list of why I loved 2016. Here’s mine, share yours when you write it and spread the positivity!!

1. Oatcake! Well the first one is obvious for me, we made, cooked and birthed our gorgeous boy! It was hard and challenging, but also amazing and brilliant, I did it and I’m so proud of myself. Honestly the biggest achievement of my life!

2. Leon! My wonderful man asked me to marry him, he’s been my biggest supporter, my number one fan, my favourite team mate and a brilliant daddy and now I get to keep him forever.

3. The NHS! I’ve spent a disproportionate amount of time in hospital this year, but how bloody great is our NHS? We are so lucky to have a service with such brilliant people working in it, I’ve also been lucky enough to work alongside some of these brilliant midwives to be and I can assure you we are in good hands for years to come! 

4. I have wonderful friends and family around me. 

5. Surbiton! I totally love where we live. The community here is amazing, especially for a fairly big town in the London Suburbs! I hope we can keep living nearby for a long time!

6. Pregnancy Sickness Support Charity. Hyperemesis- I beat this awful, awful illness this year and though I’m likely to see it again one day I know I’m strong enough to fight it! This charity was amazing which is why I gave them a donation as a Christmas present to myself this year!

7. I finished my first year of my midwifery degree with a first! 

8. Apparently Pandas aren’t endangered any more as of 2016 too, which seems apt, for those that know how Leon and I met! 

I might add to my list over the next few days, but wasn’t 2016 great! Make a list and tell your friends to make one too! No News Years Resolutions for me!