We have challenges ahead but I am committed to making 2014 as positive as possible.  I now how helpful joining in the linky Reasons to be Cheerful is both to celebrate when times are going great and to dig deep when the blues strike.  Make it your New Year’s Resolution to get involved – believe me, it is a very powerful one.

What is making me upbeat this week?

1.  I have really started to tackle cupboards and drawers to declutter.  This can only simplify matters when the time comes to move.  I am not sure holding on to so much stuff from the past in particularly healthy.  It has felt good to let some stuff go almost as if by so doing, I can move on more positively.

2. I have purchased a new mattress for my son’s double bed.  This was long overdue and I am delighted that it is one little task sorted and now sees his room totally sorted.  Big thanks to Ebay.

3. I spent a lot of time looking through old photographs and wrote this post about my lovely Mum who set me off on the blogging journey in the first place.  I cried a bit but smiled and laughed a lot more.  What a great advertisement for adoption.

4. I made some very positive and life-changing New Year’s revolutions.

5. I decided to re-introduce Groovy Mums to help myself and other mums take action to rediscover or reinvent themselves.  There will be a linky, Twitter parties and probably the odd residential retreat or two too.  Look out for a post on Monday next and get involved.

6. I have decided to go dry booze-wise in January and possibly beyond.  I have lost several relatives to cancer including my lovely Mum so I have set  up a fundraising page! It’s live and ready to receive donations at http://www.justgiving.com/Catherine-Holmes-dryathlete2014.  However small the donation and I know times are tough out there, I welcome your support if you feel able to give it.  It will do good things for cancer research and help keep me motivated and on the straight and narrow.  With the removal of alcohol which too often acts as a depressant, I am sure I will be celebrating new reasons to be cheerful with you soon.

Now head over to http://beckywilloughby.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/reasons-to-be-cheerful-teamhonk-edition.html to see more people who finds smiles in everyday life.