New Year resolutions

Our Head of High Street Engagement, Katie McKenna, considers what brings her joy as she contemplates new resolutions for the year ahead.

New Year is a fantastic time to take stock of the year before; what you accomplished, created, the contacts you met and how you’ve grown.  It’s also a perfect time to practise gratitude. When you take the time to think of everything you have achieved and all the aspects of your life that bring you joy, in amongst the various pressures and setbacks that we all experience.  

It’s been a great year for me professionally and personally.

• One full year of working for the Law Society:
• 57 local Faculty meetings
• 13 Presidential constituency visits all across Scotland
• 15 Sole practitioner meetings (including the launch of the Aberdeenshire Sole Practitioner Group)
• Four events to promote high street traineeship to students
• Six meetings focused on Lawscot Wellbeing
• Becoming a mental health first aider
• Three new nieces (to add to my original two!)
• Another successful year of marriage to a fantastic man
• Several trips to explore cities across Europe and a visit to Tangiers

I’m truly thankful for the opportunities that 2018 provided and hope that this year is as productive and adventure-filled.

Sadly, a lot of people feel pressure to focus on how they can improve year on year.  Matt Haig puts it perfectly:

“My New Years resolution is to resolve not to resolve. To stop seeing myself as a Russian doll with endless better versions inside. To just be.”

So leave the punishing resolutions in 2018 and let’s be kinder to ourselves – success doesn’t mean starving yourself or splitting your time between work and the gym.

Let 2019 be the year that you rest more and make sleep a priority. Take more time to accept yourself. The year that you take your entire holiday allocation, whether that’s to have time to enjoy being at home or taking off somewhere new - and if you want some travel tips or recommendations I’m happy to provide them!

Let 2019 be the year that you don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be better than the year before.

This is the year to focus on being your authentic self, recognising all your strengths and weaknesses, and silencing the societal pressure to change or conform.

For more information, see our resources on Lawscot Wellbeing.