It’s always such a funny time of year between Christmas and the new year, like being in limbo.
I often feel the pressures of having to get back to routine and reality but then I’m clinging on to the festive celebrations, and enjoying being surrounded by family and friends.
I’m not sure why but it’s always a time where, as a farmer, I’ve felt I had to be stupidly busy because “that’s what farmers do”. Well, until this year.
The ewes are on the fodder beet, the tups have been pulled out, there aren’t any jobs to do that can’t wait a couple of days until the new year, so I’ve taken the pressure off.
Instead of feeling the need to be busy I’m slowing down and breathing. I’m reflecting on the past year, and looking ahead to 2022.
We have a tradition that every year we get a book in our Christmas Eve box and since I opened it I’ve been dying to get my hands on it.
It’s a real personal growth and development kind of book. I’ve had the highlighter out, I’ve been scribbling notes all over it and I’ve been doing every task it sets throughout.
It might sound like work to some or even a waste of time, but one of my goals for 2022 is to push myself to be the very best version of myself I can be.
And in true Hannah style, it started before the new year has even begun.
To be the best version of yourself is to truly understand yourself as much as possible, it’s about being brutally honest with your goals — in every aspect of your life.
It’s laying yourself a bit bare and it’s a pep talk to say “you got this, we got this, dare to go further”.
2021 has been another weird year for us all. We’ve been locked down, again, we’ve said goodbye to some incredibly important people in our lives and agricultural community and we’ve continued to battle the never ending uncertainty that comes with our industry.
In many ways it’s been a year to slam the door on, but in so many ways it’s marked one of the most important years in my life. I married my best friend, I released my first book and hit The Sunday Times bestseller list.
We’ve nearly finished renovating our forever home, I’ve reached the goal of a 300-strong flock and I’ve had the honour to write these articles here for over a year.
So whether you had a good, average or terrible year please remember that with a new year comes new opportunities and endless possibilities.
Take the failures and losses as lessons, and hold on to the wins no matter how big or small.
Remember those who are no longer with us, and hug those who are.
Take some time to write down your goals for the year — they are 42 per cent more likely to be achieved if you write them down — open your mind to positivity and don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone; that’s where the magic really happens.
