IT is that time of year again isn’t it, when millions of us across the country make New Year’s resolutions for the year ahead. Many are cynical about making resolutions at this time of year, but in the spirit of optimism I will be setting myself goals for the year ahead. Whether that optimism lasts beyond January remains to be seen!

Right at the top of my list is to improve my health and fitness.

Like many others, my work has dominated my life over the last five years and it often involves late nights, eating late into the night and eating whatever junk I can get my hands on. I am only 30-years-old but I reckon I probably have the lung capacity and metabolic rate of someone at least ten years older. Work and other priorities are often just a convenient excuse, if we can’t make time to look after our own bodies and our own health and wellbeing then we seriously need to re-evaluate our priorities.

With that in mind I started back at five-aside footy with my mates last month after a four year absence. I won’t lie; it was a painful experience! However, I am glad I’ve got back in to it; I feel physically fitter and it does the mind a whole load of good too.

So what else is on my New Year’s resolution list?

It probably won’t be any surprise to Evening Times readers that it will be my aim to win Glasgow Pollok at this year’s Scottish Parliament elections. This won’t be easy and my resolution is to knock every single door in Glasgow Pollok and speak to every constituent to persuade them that I am the best representative they could have in our nation’s parliament. Luckily I have the best team of SNP activists to help me get round those doors.

New Year is also a good time to ditch bad habits as well as take on some good ones. With that in mind, I am going to do my best to be more understanding of people with different opinions. As politicians we can often fall into the trap of thinking an opposing point of view is a direct criticism of ourselves. However, I remember Nicola Sturgeon saying in her first address to Parliament as First Minister that she would rightly listen to any proposals put forward by the Opposition.

My hope is that all candidates and politicians (and I begin with myself) from across the political spectrum will engage with each other in good spirit during the upcoming Holyrood elections. The vast majority of politicians I know are in politics to improve their local community, their country and to help create a better world. In that vein, one of my New Year’s resolutions will be looking forward to engaging in the battle of ideas as opposed to the battle of personalities.

I hope whatever goals you have set yourself for the year ahead will be realised and I wish every Evening Times reader a very Happy New Year and all the best for 2016. Lang may yer lum reek!