It feels terribly late for me to be saying Happy New Year and ask how your Christmases were. My tardiness is down to my being run down before Christmas and ended up with the flu over the holiday period. But not to dwell on that, I spent some time on the sofa with a lovely blanket (watching The Waltons) and thinking about the coming year we are now in.

I used to be full of making new years resolutions which I never stuck to as they were so unrealistic and I had a list as long as my arm. So this year rather than write (another) list, I have picked a word to reflect what I hope this year will bring, and then created a list of goals to help me get there. So, drum roll please, my word for 2013 is.....


and yes isn't that a jolly corporate image to show you all. But yes, my word for this year is Improvement and I chose this because I want to improve as a person, I want to improve my business, improve on my relationships and improve my health.

And so, another drum roll please if you can spare me one, my goals for 2013 are as follows:

• To write a business plan and marketing strategy for Butterfly Crafts
• Reach 70 sales via Butterfly Crafts direct website
• To research and approach 5 retail venues for products
• To buy a bike and feel confident cycling around Cambridge
• To address my anxiety that has developed more strongly recently and get it under control
• To spend more time with friends and find new social circles in my new city
• Complete my Thirty before Thirty challenge now this has changed into within my thirtieth year challenge
• Find ways to enjoy exercise now that I have quit the gym
• Strive as much as possible to only give handmade as gifts this year including making cards and gifts wherever possible and if not created by my own fair hands then by a fellow handmade businessperson to support independent businesses.
• Be aware of spending with the aim of potentially buying a house next year.

So, we shall see how I go with these goals and I shall keep you all updated, in particular with the handmade gifts goal as I will share what I make, but only once the gift has been given obviously!

So if you set goals for the year, how are you going three weeks in? Managing to stick so far?