Becca Marriner

A few years ago I noted that I was unironically a fan of Mondays. At the time, I was working in a coffee shop that was closed every Monday, so for me, it was a guaranteed day off and when I would complete any necessary life admin and do a ‘Sunday reset.’ I left that job over two years ago but I still try and stick with the same Monday mentality, even without the same amount of free time. It’s still a new week – a fresh start – and I can tackle whatever chores need doing.

January is often described as the month equivalent of Mondays.

For some, the dread of going back to work after a weekend is similar to the return to office after the festivities of December. But having worked full-time in hospitality for close to four years, my work schedule doesn’t usually differ that much. If anything, we’re busier! But like a lot of folks, I still choose to treat January as a fresh start. So here we are in 2025 with the opportunity for a new year, new me.

I know a post discussing new years resolutions is coming a little late in the year for a lot of people, but I do have a good reason. My birthday is in the middle of February and I’ve typically considered the 6 weeks in the run up to it from Hogmanay, as a trial run. Now that my birthday has passed, and I’ve reached the dreaded age of 25, the real work begins. Happy New Year everybody!

That being said, my optimism is waning for this year. If you read my reflection on 2024 (part one to this post), you’ll know that I’m on the verge of a mental breakdown over what I’m doing with my life. Not to mention that within the first two weeks of 2025 I had almost been hit by a car not once, not twice but THREE times when crossing the road at a green man. Originally one of my goals for this year was to let the little things go (whether that was categorised as in or an out, I couldn’t decide) but I’ve since decided to sack that off because I feel like I’m going to need my internal rage to get me through the next ten months. A little fire in my belly if you will.

The trend of treating new years resolutions as ‘ins and outs,’ that began in the run up to 2024 has been really beneficial to me. It felt like a more balanced way to approach new goals rather than adopting a bunch of new habits at once. Last year I had a lot of fun with it, with M&S Chocolate muffins and jasmine tea qualifying as ‘ins’ to bring me small moments of happiness, if not healthiness. At the end of the day, I need to remind myself that it’s not that deep. As a repeat offender of failing resolutions anyway, it takes the pressure off Hogmanay realising that I’ve altered my habits very little in the past year. I’m not quite at the manifestation/vision board part of my life yet but an M&S did open next to my flat in last year so maybe I should be?

I would consider 2024 as the year of Carrie Bradshaw as I watched a whole bunch of Sex and the City, obsessed over clothes and fell in love with my home city. 2025 is the year of Buffy Summers. I’m thinking sassy attitude, team leader confidence, comedic one liners and (ideally) the ability to do a backflip. She is my new obsession and as we’re similar heights, she’s given me motivation to actually go back to the gym. So whilst I’ve not created a vision board or a manifestation plan, I do have a new list of ins and outs to help me achieve small goals.

This year, I’m not delusional and believing that my feeling of existential crisis will naturally fade away. I would just like to be able to face it with a clear head and a body that aches a little less. These first two months have already felt emotionally turbulent and I wish I could run away from a lot of it. However, running is not really an option for me, so couch to 5k is on the to-do list for the summer when it isn’t pitch black the majority of the day. Following my pathetic attempt at the plan last year, where I gave up about three weeks in, I’m determined to improve a second time around. I should be able to reach week 4 at least.

I wish I could’ve written this post with some renowned optimism or a promise that my blog will return to its former glory but we all know not to believe that. I’m a swan in progress (iykyk) where everything is great on the surface, job, flat, etc, but underneath I’m desperately paddling in a direction that I’m unsure of. I suppose that’s your mid-twenties for you but with my frontal lobe now fully developed, I’m sure there’s an epiphany around the corner… right?

Just keep swimming!

Becca x