Why I Start the New Year in Kent
I love a good book. I usually juggle three at a time, depending on what takes my fancy.
That being said, it can be hard to find the time for a good read with the daily barrage of work and family life.
It doesn’t stop me from ordering more books, though.
The shelves in our bedroom are visibly heaving under the weight of all the works I haven’t got round to yet.
“Someday,” I tell myself. “Someday.”
This is part of the reason our New Year holiday to Kent rejuvenates me. I get to look out on that vast, weather-washed coastline and read to my heart’s content.
This year, I brought Status Anxiety by Alain de Botton in my travel bag, and I must say it paired nicely with the scenery. Botton’s musings on materialism really struck home on that desolate, primordial beach. It’s a land that reminds you of just how little you need to find happiness.
We started holidaying in Kent six years ago.
Soli, our daughter Rosie and I drove down to the coast in my brand new car.
We rented a lovely little cottage right on the beach. Unbeknownst to us, a heavy winter storm was on its way there as well.
The wind nearly ripped the door off my car when I opened it, leaving a nasty dent.
We had a good time, regardless, weathering the storm with some card games, long walks and of course, more reading. Perhaps this was the weather checking my own materialism.
When I’m not reading, Soli and I will go out for long walks on the beachs wrapped up. We talk about our life together and watch the clouds roll in.
At one point, we saw what appeared to be a seriously determined woman taking a dip in the sea on New Years Day.
I guess that was her resolution, as it was freezing. Now Soli’s got it into her head to go for a swim, God help me.
This being a new year holiday, we also revisit our goal maps.
We plot out what we want to accomplish in the new year, both professionally and personally.
This has always kept Soli and I focused and on track. It’s worked remarkably well in the past. The Claims Desk has grown so much since I founded it fourteen years ago.
We plan to carry that momentum into 2018.
Soli has been sticking to her goal map, as well. Last January, I mentioned in this newsletter that she was starting her own special-needs consultancy, Yellow Sun.
As parents of a son with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the issue of how to raise children with developmental needs has always been near to our hearts.
It can be very challenging for both children and parents to cope with these disabilities.
Yellow Sun aims to bring a little light into their lives.
I am happy to report that, at the end of last year, Yellow Sun launched its first digital training course for parents! It’s
a resource for education and classroom strategies for children with ADHD.
I couldn’t be prouder of Soli’s success.
As the year rolls onward, we’ll continue to map our way forward, from the windswept beaches of Kent to the cornerless estate of the internet.
So, dear reader, what are your goals this year?
I plan on ordering some new books.
