Happy New Year from togetherfriends!

togetherfriends wishes you a healthy and happy 2018, surrounded by the special people in your life!

There are two times of the year when I re-evaluate my life.  One is September when holidays are over, new terms start, and kids return to school and university.  Then there is the big NEW YEAR. The time when we look at where we are at and where we are going, planning any changes that we would like to make to our lives.   It fits in with New Year Resolutions, but I think it is more than that.  It is a time to assess your life, consider which bits make you happy or not so happy, and thinking about what can be changed to reduce the 'not so happy' bits. 

I like to write everything down, as it is easier to analyse if you see the words on paper.  Then I look at what can be changed easily and quickly, and what will be an aim, a goal but will take longer to reach. 

I've already written my list.  Family and friends are important to me, but I feel that I need to meet up with friends more.  With work and everything else in the way, it is easy to let friendships slip by the wayside, and suddenly you can feel a bit too isolated and in need of friendship.  Although I have great friends, I would like to meet more people with similar interests,  so I vow to join a local walking group, where I can meet like minded people and get fit at the same time!

Then I want to improve on my work/life balance, taking time out of my day to go for a walk, meet a friend for coffee, plan a cinema trip and basically give myself 'time out' to relax and appreciate all the good things around me.  It's alright saying all these things, but doing is a different matter, so I am going to look up what's on locally, text my friends and put the event on the calendar, then it will happen rather than being a maybe.

The hard bit is the motivation, a well known issue that often drops by the wayside with New Year Resolutions, so a plan of action, or even better a joint plan with a friend may just help you get there.  Whatever it is you want to succeed in, make a plan, invite friends to join you, write it on the calendar and keep to it!  The event will then be a real thing rather than an ' I wish' list.  A few years ago I took part in the 50 day challenge, where, with a friend I exercised for every day for 50 days.  I swam, I walked, I danced, I cycled I went to exercise classes.  It was a slog at times as I had to make myself go out in all weathers,  but I ended it feeling healthier, fitter than I had in a long time, and vowed to keep the exercise going. On my own I would have struggled, but with a friend, I was not allowed to give up.  Read about my experience here

New Year's Resolutions and plans for the year are all well and good, but they are so much better with a friend in tow.  So if you have a plan, but would like to find a friend to share your plan with, togetherfriends might be able to help.  Through the website, lots of women are meeting like minded people who live close by who want to chat over a coffee, go out for a meal, take a weekly walk in the countryside or even go on a cruise! 

If you feel that you would like to broaden out and make new friends, we can help! https://www.togetherfriends.com/register/