I promise to read more, eat less, exercise more, be more, do less; some years I've gone as far as suggesting I might cook every Nigella Lawson recipe from the books on my shelves or start something I vaguely described as a "project".

What on earth was I thinking?

If there's one thing that I've learned over the past few years is that I don't have to do anything to change things up. I know now that I am, that my life is, quite good enough as it is.

I found my New Year column from 2020 where I'd spent New Year's Eve ferrying my children around to parties. Can you remember that night? The smoke from the bushfires had enveloped the whole city, you couldn't see two metres in front of you. Unsure of the direction you were headed. Life was a little like that back then.

But the smoke has cleared.

The pandemic rolled into town too soon after and I feel guilty for saying I am thankful for it, given how many people have died, or fallen ill, been hit financially and emotionally by the whole thing.

But I know now what is important in my life.

I'd managed to escape any Covid scare until the week before Christmas. Were we close contacts or casual contacts? Do we need to isolate? No one seemed to have firm answers.

But doing what I thought was the right thing, I joined a queue on Christmas Eve and decided to isolate until I had the results. My children were with their father, it meant I was spending Christmas at home alone. I should have gone all Macaulay Culkin.

But instead I spent the day reflecting on what mattered in my life. My little family, a few quality friends, nice food, my new home, the opportunity to head out for a walk in the fresh air, the bush at my doorstep.

I don't need much more.

I want to spend more time this year doing what matters. I want to spend more time with my children while fully acknowledging they are adults now with their own lives and that their time is precious too. The occasional dinner, a board game, a cuddle on the couch while we catch up on Love Island or Nailed It or some ridiculous show we've decided to binge together, a weekend away.

I want to make more time for those friends who really matter. To support them, to be there for them, to expect nothing in return. To do this I know I'm going to have to let some friendships slip. I'm good with that. Sorry.

I want to be kinder to myself and that involves eating well and exercising. This isn't the same as I will lose weight. Life is too short to do burpees so I'm going to do squats instead. I'm not drinking very much at all anymore because I just feel better for it. My dinners are full of vegetables now, a lot of the time from my own garden, the occasional roast potato or plate of creamy pasta is a treat.

I'm not doing any of this stuff because I have to, but because I feel better if I do.

I want to see more of Australia, spend more time making out in the afternoon sun, finish the pile of books, because I want to. I want to laugh more, kiss more, cry more. Because a life should be full of those things. A life should be full of joy.

I want to create as many happy moments as I can. Make people happy as often as I can.

I want to be able to sit down this time next year and look back at 2022 and think that was a good year. Who knows what it will bring? Who knows what twists and turns the pandemic will throw up at us? What changes will be unavoidable, for better for worse?

But I now know I am capable of change, I know now what is important to me, I am the happiest I have been in a long time.

And that's a pretty good way to start the year.