January is named after the Roman god Janus. His dual-faced image could be found on most city gates and many Roman coins. The two faces are said to be looking back at the past and looking forward to the future at the same time. He was known as the god of beginnings and was invoked at the start of each new day and often referred to as the Porter of Heaven.

As well as being a golden rule for crossing the road, looking both ways could mean taking lessons from the past when planning future steps, or seeing things from the other person’s point of view in a disagreement. Seems very apt for January, as we look toward the new year with its myriad of opportunities. Making New Year’s resolutions has long been a practice with this in mind. Here are some of the top resolutions, as voted by our team at least:

  1. Spend more time with family & friends. When we look back on our lives, I doubt we would ever wish we had spent more time at work or doing housework.
  2. Exercise the brain, solving crosswords and puzzles, of course.
  3. Exercise the body. Finding time is the hard part for me but I’m planning to escape my puzzle deadlines and have a lunchtime walk every day.
  4. Reduce stress. Yoga or meditation are highly recommended, but I find sitting outdoors admiring the view will do it for me. I really must work at slowing down generally. Any tips?
  5. Take a holiday. Sometimes it sounds like more work than ever, having to pack bags, arrange for pets to be minded, cancel the papers, etc. But it’s worth it once you’re on your way.
  6. Enjoy life more. You wouldn’t think we need to be told this one, but we do! It’s all about living in the present, not worrying about the past or the future.
  7. Learn something new. Learn a language or an instrument, take up pottery or something you’ve always wanted to do. Hmm…, now where’s that parachute?
  8. Achieve a goal. Give yourself a generous time limit but make yourself do it! Clean out cupboards, sort out your photos, write those letters you’ve been putting off. Such a great feeling when you’ve done it.
  9. Be more organised. My son often nags me to de-clutter my desk, but I know where everything is! I’ve gone mad with the sticky labels at home lately, labelling everything that’s not moving, so I’ll keep it up.

If you have any interesting resolutions, we’d love to hear from you. Happy puzzling!