So, it couldn’t get much worse than 2016 really – in all sorts of ways.

From the deaths of almost every famous person I loved – for me, Alan Rickman’s was an especially painful passing – to the horrors of terrorism and war and people running for their lives into an uncertain future. And then there was Trump and Brexit. Two monumental decisions that feel so huge it’s hard to know how to wrap your head around them. And we can only wait and see what the shape of things to come will be.

And, personally too there’s been some major downs. Of course, there’s been some ups – like my nephew Rupert being born. And, we sold our house in London. And, R started working from home, making such a difference to our family life it’s amazing to remember what it was like before. But, despite all this, it’s been a challenging year for everyone as far as I can see.

Still, we’re now writing ‘2017’ on everything and, somehow, it feels cleansing. Like a new start, if ever we needed one. I’ve heard lots of people talk about how they feel good about 2017, how they’re looking forward, how this will be their year of kindness, how 2017 couldn’t, surely, be worse.

For my part, I’m hoping to do things more. I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. I hate giving things up and January is absolutely the worst time to give up anything you enjoy. So I am promising to do MORE this year. Not less.

I want to love more. Give more. Walk more. Laugh more (this is a big one for me). Share more. Garden more. Cook more. Sit in the sun more. Work more. Cuddle more. Giggle more. Discover more.

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something.”

Neil Gaiman

Happy New Year lovely people. What will you be doing more of this year?