This week a 'roadmap' out of lockdown was announced, and people are making plans left, right and centre. Festivals sold out in 24 hours and people are booking holidays. After spending most of the past 12 months in one lockdown or another, it's no surprise that the rumour of an end in sight will raise hopes; 12 months in which every person has been touched by this pandemic in one way or another. I'm nervous, though, as we make this transition to some sort of normality, even if the road ahead is going to take a few slow months of careful steps. 

There are a few reasons I wanted to switch up my deodorant; I find deodorants full of unnecessary chemicals and alcohol easily trigger an eczema flare up on my underarms, and I wanted to switch to something that was more eco-friendly than the brands I had been using over the years. Whilst I've tried a good few animal-friendly brands and really enjoyed using them, they all came in plastic packaging and where I can, plastic is something I really want to reduce my usage of. After seeing one to many adverts online, I succumbed to the marketing plan and decided to give Wild Natural Deodorant a try. 8 months later, I'm still smitten.

Before Willow was officially enrolled in the public school system, I had toyed with the idea of home-schooling. It was something I wanted to do, because I had concerns about how school life over the years might damage her, like it did me, and a big part of me just wanted to keep my baby at home with me. Ultimately, when it comes to making decisions about your child's future, that decision is usually a two-person decision to make and my partner wasn't keen on the idea of home-schooling and firmly vetoed the idea. Who knew my feelings about that would go from mild-disappointment, to absolute relief; home-schooling is bloody hard.

I know. January is the worst time to share health and fitness goals if you don't want people to assume you've fallen victim to diet culture; but I'm not here to share this year's ambitions because I think my fat body is unworthy or because society has sold me a new fad diet. I'm here to share the personal goals I've set for myself this year, because over the past 5 or so months I have seen a real change in the way I think and feel about myself, all a positive consequence of becoming more active. Becoming active is something that has become a happy new addition to my life, I'm creating new habits that just so happen to be healthy, and my happiness has soared. This isn't about diet culture. This is about me.

It feels odd to see in a new year, one that many are filling with hope, and not acknowledge the difficulties of 2020. It's easier, though, to look forward and imagine all the possibilities that 2021 might bring; more vaccines becoming available, lockdowns easing and one day, ending, no longer being in a global pandemic but instead, moving to a new normal that loosely resembles life 'before'. Never have I felt more unsettled as we start a new year, trying to focus on my own little bubble and things I have control over, whilst wondering how 2021 could possibly outdo 2020.