As the calendar turns and a new year dawns, many across the UK find themselves contemplating fresh starts and self-improvement pledges. The typical roster of resolutions often involves austerity: cutting out alcohol, adopting a stricter diet, hitting the gym with newfound vigour, or clamping down on spending.
A Different Approach to Self-Improvement
However, lifestyle writer Nicola Roy has championed a refreshingly different strategy for several years. She argues that January is challenging enough without denying oneself life's pleasures. Instead of focusing on restriction, her transformative resolution is all about addition and exploration.
The concept is elegantly simple yet profoundly effective. Each week, she commits to four creative pursuits: cooking a new recipe, reading a new book, listening to a new album from start to finish, and watching a film she has never seen before. The items don't need to be brand-new releases; they simply must be new to her.
Nicola reports that this practice has had an immeasurably positive impact on her life, particularly during the dark, cold winter months. It provides a manageable, small weekly target, and each accomplishment delivers a significant sense of reward.
Practical Tips for Sticking to Your Weekly Goals
While she loves reading, Nicola admits that finishing a novel within seven days is often the toughest part. To succeed, she swaps mindless scrolling on her phone for reading during her commute and sets her alarm earlier to enjoy a book with her morning coffee before work begins.
She strongly recommends joining your local library as a cost-effective way to hit reading targets, alternating between physical books and a Kindle to keep the experience fresh. The same principle of intentionality applies to the weekly film. Whether it's a cinema trip, a documentary on a streaming service, or a classic DVD, the key is full immersion without the distraction of a phone.
"Opting to watch a film feels much more intentional than just flicking on the telly," she notes, adding that it transforms an ordinary evening into a cosy occasion.
Expanding Horizons in the Kitchen and Beyond
The cooking element, she finds, is pure fun. At the start of the year, she raids her saved recipe videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, creating a list of dishes to try. It's also the perfect excuse to dust off neglected cookbooks, which can be treasure troves of inspiration.
Finally, the commitment to listen to one new album weekly is a deliberate antidote to the common habit of playing the same songs on loop. This practice broadens musical horizons and gives proper attention to artists who might otherwise be overlooked. She suggests using streaming services or, for a more tactile experience, playing a CD or vinyl record.
The crucial final step is documentation. Jotting down recipe links, taking photos, and keeping a simple record creates a personal time capsule to look back on. Nicola emphasises that there's no pressure to complete all four tasks every single week—life inevitably gets in the way—but making the effort is guaranteed to inject a dose of weekly joy, creativity, and richness into your routine.
