Do I have any New Year Resolutions?
Let's think back to 2020, in January I'd never have asked for more spare time but a lot of positives came out of that spare time.
I tried my hand at gardening, growing flowers and veg from seed. Watching the flowers bloom and putting fresh veg on the dinner table gave me a great sense of achievement.
As I love macro photography free time allowed me to spend hours observing and taking photos of the tiny natural world that lives alongside us. Photography and nature combined for me is one of my happy places to go to. Until this year I'd not seen a Speckled Bush Cricket, they are tiny but WOW did I become hooked watching the one living in a pot of petunia plants. 😊
Back at the end of 2019 my brother had created a wildlife pond in my garden and so in 2020 I was able to really watch the pond mature. Nature is quite incredible and as spring started I had huge mounds of frog spawn, 6 or more frogs would guard it, quite happy for me to get close and photograph them, then newts, snails, water fleas, boatmen and damsonflies also appeared.
I read up on encouraging hedgehogs to the garden. Made some holes in my garden fence and bought a hedgehog house and put food down. I put my trail camera out and found not only one hedgehog came and visited but two. As well as two magnificent foxes.
I also took the plunge and became a member of The Guild of Photographers. Pushing myself to improve my editing skills and thinking about my composition skills. I began entering their Image of the Month competition. Over six months I entered 39 images and received 1 Silver, 6 High Bronzes, 16 bronzes and 14 Classified.
This made me realise that YES I was a good photographer and to follow my dream to start my own photography business up sooner rather than later. It is a passion just like my dancing that fires me up and makes me ALIVE.
Don't get me wrong 2020 has not all been great, I love teaching, being in the company of so many that share my passion of dance, and having to adapt, create dance tutorial videos and teach on zoom has been difficult. My husband was made redundant, as he works in the Air Industry. My son who thought he'd have a job with Rolls Royce engines after his apprenticeship looks more likely to have to rethink his future and start again but I want to keep reminding myself of all the positive things that have happened. However small they were.
None of these things were in my mind at the beginning of 2020, they came out of the blue, so to answer my question at the beginning.
No I don't really have any New Year Resolutions. I'm going to see what surprises 2021 brings me.
All I do know is I will, continue to
