So it turns out that a yearly blogging schedule suits me fine. After three years in a role where posting my opinions online felt risky (what a thing to have to write!), I’ve got into the habit of being quiet. It’s good not to have to feel I have to share everything, or to curate a life I’m not living, after years of populating various social media accounts. But it feels useful to leave myself a note.

I’m not doing resolutions this year. Whenever I set myself goals out loud I miss them, and, besides, last year’s still seem good: be present (for work, for family). Don’t multitask. Finish things you start (start small things you can finish). Recognise distractions and procrastination as symptoms of fear. Get more sleep. There are some things I want to remember to work towards, though, and since I’m leaving my current role and starting one in which my public activity will be less circumscribed I can do more about them. I want to do more to help us adapt to a changing climate and more uncertain world. And in 2017 I learned much more about how different the world is for people not like me, and how unequal it is. I want to do more to redress that inequality.

This is all very cryptic and general. Perhaps my resolution ought to be writing things that are clear, and not hedged or circumspect. I’m out of the habit of being myself. Now that I’ve got used to making less noise, I should make sure that when I do speak out loud it’s worth hearing.