I make this New Year’s resolution every year – it changes everything

It’s officially the start of a brand new year – a time when many people think about how they can change their lives for the better. Popular resolutions include eating healthier, giving up alcohol, exercising or saving money in a bid to become more disciplined. 

However, a few years ago I decided to take a bit of a different approach. The start of the year is tough enough without depriving yourself of nice things, and I think I’ve found the perfect way to enrich your life without really feeling like you’re doing any hard work at all. It doesn’t involve giving anything up either, instead adding things into your routine.

The premise is very simple – every week of the year, I try to cook one new recipe, read one book, listen to one new album and watch one new film. They don’t have to be entirely brand new, just something you’ve never tried before.

I’ve been trying this for the past few years and I can’t even describe how much of a positive impact it’s had on my life, especially in those first few months when it’s cold, dark and dreary. Sitting down and planning each new thing I’m going to try gives me a manageable but small goal for the week, and each of them is so rewarding too.

Although I do love to read, getting through one book in a week is probably the most challenging aspect of this resolution, so it’s the part I’m determined to stick to this year. I plan to do this by reading on public transport instead of mindlessly scrolling on my phone, and intentionally getting up earlier each day to read and have a coffee before I start work.

Joining a local library is excellent if you want to reach your reading goals without spending money on books every month. I tend to switch between my Kindle and physical books to keep things interesting, but there’s really no right or wrong way to do it.

The same goes with the one-film-a-week rule. It can be a blockbuster or a documentary, a cinema trip or a Netflix stream, as long as you’re sitting fully engaged without going on your phone.

Choosing to watch a film feels much more intentional than simply watching TV, and it definitely adds a bit of excitement and cosiness to the long nights.

And so can the cooking element. This is probably the least challenging aspect for me because I love to cook anyway, but at the start of the year I’ll organise my many recipe videos I have saved on TikTok and Instagram and make a list of the ones I want to try first.

It’s also a great time to crack open those cookbooks and pick a few random recipes to try. I know you’ve got loads lying around and probably haven’t touched them in years, but they can be a fabulous source of inspiration, and they’re often packed with loads of decent recipes. 

And finally, listening to one new album per week, start to finish. Like many other people, I’m notorious for listening to the same songs on repeat all the time, so I find this is a great way to branch out and discover artists or bodies of work that I’d never given enough appreciation to. 

Again, this can be in the form of a Spotify stream, or actually listening to a CD or vinyl, which I think is so much more fun, and physical media makes a great gift as well. 

The most crucial thing of all when you’re doing this challenge is to document everything. Make a note of recipe links, take pictures, and basically create a mini time capsule for you to look back on in years to come. There’s absolutely no pressure if you don’t complete each of the four things each week – life can get in the way, after all – but making an attempt is bound to bring you some joy.