Let’s face it, 2021 hasn’t got off to the best start. COVID is still hanging around and disrupting our lives, lockdown is set to stay for another 3 weeks at least, the weather has been a bit grim, we’re missing our family and friends, and it’s easy to feel like there’s nothing to look forward to at the moment.

But let’s flip the situation on it’s head and focus on the positives. It hasn’t all been bad after all…

New Ventures

January is a fresh start to a whole new year. The first chapter of the book of 2021. For me, it’s been all about new ideas and planning for the year ahead. But in this case, I’m most excited for my parents’ new business venture. They’ve taken the plunge and launched Peak Adventures – a guided walking business – and I couldn’t be more proud of them. They’re worked as mountain guides and walking holiday leaders for years, but COVID put a stop to all their work in 2020. So they’ve now diversified and launched their guided walking experiences to help people get back into the great outdoors after lockdown. And my part in all this… I’m teaching them the tricks of the social media trade.

Check them out on Facebook – @PeakAdventuresGuidedWalks and Instagram- @your_peakadventures.

Goals to focus on

My goal this year is to buy my first house. I was close to buying a cottage last year, but it didn’t work out in the end. And I feel like it all happened for a reason. But now, I’m all set and ready to re-launch my property search. I’ve been saving like mad over the past year and I’ve secured my mortgage in principal, so now I just need to find my ideal home. I don’t mind a bit of a renovation project either – I think I’d find that quite exciting and it will keep me out of trouble. But whatever happens, I hope 2021 will be the year, because I’ve got my eye on the sofa I want to buy already!

Snow day fun

The recent snow day came as a very welcome surprise and light relief for us all. With lockdown rules reminding us to stay at home and stay local, I’ve been getting a bit fed up of the same walks and the same views all the time, no mater how much I love where I live. So when snow day came, all of a sudden everything looked and felt quite different. For me, it was the change of scene that we all needed to lift our spirits and add a bit of excitement to our weekends. To make the most of it, we got togged up and did one of our usual walks, but we laughed so much at Pepsi chasing snowballs and getting confused when they disappeared every time.

Picking up a good book

I’ve always been a book worm, but in recent years, I’ve struggled to find the time and motivation to read. I partly blame a couple of poor book choices which I didn’t enjoy. In fact, they made reading feel like a chore. But that all changed when I picked up a book that reignited my love for reading this month. I read the whole book in just a few days and just couldn’t put it down. Reading really is the best form of escapism in these times when we can’t travel and explore. But with books, you can go wherever you fancy!

Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate

One of the things I love after Christmas is the glut of chocolate in our house. It seems everyone knows I’m a chocoholic, and Christmas never disappoints. We’ve been working our way through our tasty treats, and with a lack of exciting plans and things to do at the moment, I’ve been enjoying my little bit of chocolate in the evenings. The pile of chocs received at Christmas is dwindling fast… I know it’s not a healthy habit to get into, but it’s put a smile on my face. The pile is now reaching critical levels, but don’t tell anyone… I’ve already ordered some more so our stash doesn’t run out yet!

Meeting new people

It’s been a tricky time to meet new people in lockdown, but I’ve found a way! After recently being diagnosed with Narcolepsy, I joined a support group on Facebook and it’s been a ray of hope and a huge help for me. I’ve joined group video calls and met people from all over the country, from Scotland to London, and North Wales to North England. As well as helping each other and providing support, we had a good laugh about all sorts of things, from our random narcolepsy dreams (I’ll save that for another blog) to dogs, and hair extensions to pink mohicans. They’re a great bunch!

So, as February approaches, I’m not feeling blue. In fact, I’m feeling quite optimistic. I’m hopeful that the situation we all find ourselves in can only get better. But in the meantime, we’ve got to make the most of all the little things that make us smile and find the joy in every day… even if that’s just a piece of chocolate to look forward to in the evenings!