Hi, Today's podcast is all about new year resolutions nd whether we keep them . So jump right in to podcasts with Alison at English for French transcript : Hi, welcome back to E4F podcasts. I’m Alison and today we are going to talk about New year’s resolutions. Do you make any ? Do you keep them? Are they an important part to the start of a new year? All this and more, so let’s jump into this weeks’ podcast. Here we go.. Most of us do it, every year we make resolutions. Sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, but how often do we keep them and how do we feel when we don’t succeed? Whether it is a fitness, or new health fad, giving up something you enjoy because it isn’t good for you, it is not easy to stay motivated. Dry January, while you are suffering from your New Years’ eve hangover, is easy, but as the month moves on the idea seems less necessary and so temptation creeps in. Fat-free February is fine, until we are invited to share a delicious, hot crêpe on Pancake Day,(Shrove Tuesday) with sugar and lemon or fat-laden Nutella, and our determination falters. So, should we rethink our resolutions, maybe be more realistic or gentler on ourselves, choose something with more meaning? Learning English for business or leisure, using less electricity or petrol, planting trees,? You name it there are plenty of opportunities to change our habits for the better good of some or all .Altruism is a strong motivation ,spurring us to new routines and habits maybe doing voluntary work as I do, a truly beneficial pastime for everyone including the volunteer. Tiktok and other social media have become an infinite source of trends, not just dogs and cats being clever, and many are indeed time- wasting ones, but some can spark an idea which can lead to good resolutions. My latest fad is something called “Swedish death cleaning”, sounds morbid right? Well yes, initially based on how one clears a loved one’s house when they pass away, it has now become a new trend, how to declutter your home, ruthlessly, little or no sentimentality allowed. Items lurking at the back of my wardrobe unworn for years, knickknacks collecting dust but kept for sentimental reasons, out they go ... into the recycling , donation or rubbish bag, they say if it is difficult to choose then just one or two articles a day is a start, 11 recycling and donation bags later I am still going . This can be adapted to your needs, some people “tidy up” their friends list on Instagram and Facebook, or delete unwanted contacts on their phones , print out photos and liberate space in their data banks, whatever suits you, it is liberating. Whatever you choose as a resolution , and you may choose not to make any of course , make it something positive , for example taking the time to sit in the sun in a sunny spot , close your eyes for ten minutes with your phone switched off can make a difference to your mood during a hard working day, be kind to yourselves , losing 3 stone before the 31st January is neither realistic nor gentle to your mind and body. Remember the positive effect of succeeding is often more important than the actual reason you made the resolution in the first place. So, jump into the new year, come and learn a new language with English for French online or in one of our centres. That’s a great resolution. I hope you enjoyed this week’s podcast, happy new year to you all from the E4F team Cheers then.
