As a family who already have used food banks to get by in the last 6 months, to then not have benefits increased in line with inflation would be a devastating blow to our already struggling finances. Everything is costing more and more, I can't remember the last time we went out to the cinema or had a meal out - increasing days are spent at home, wondering how we can utilise what we already have and thinking about different revenue streams. To then have to worry further about our household income demonstrates how profoundly the cost of living crisis is still affecting families like mine. The stigma attached to people claiming benefits continues, as the general feeling surrounding increasing benefits is often frowned upon. I've heard people saying "They get enough already. Why don't they get up and work for a living" We still have a long way to come as a society, and increasing benefits will at least give those struggling a sense of dignity.

Wondering if I should try and go back to university ... for a third try at getting a degree ... this seems like a possibly good time (seeing as how I appear to be unemployable!!) ... but ... I'm just so time poor!! I can hardly even get to swim more than twice a week, even though I love to, and it's good for me ... so I don't know how to make space to study, when I'm always feeling guilty about how much I can't do for the kids, and when we really can't afford to lose any of my side hustles!

Endings and beginnings are hard when you have an anxious personality like mine.

Endings generally are associated with negativity for me, for example, the end of a relationship, the end of an era, the end of a really good book.

Beginnings associated with anxiety of over-thinking and worry about if I will cope, if things will go right and the fear of the unknown.

My self-awareness now makes me set smaller goals. These can have positive endings and positive beginnings. They can involve others or myself.

So currently, a new beginning for me is my middle son starting High-school in September. The anxious me worries about his additional needs, worries about his unique, quirky style, bullies, fitting in and making friends. The logical me realises that this is a step he will have to take regardless of the worries I have, and if he struggles I will be there to support him and help him navigate.

The same can be said for other life experiences. For every ending there is a new beginning, for every worry there is a logical solution. It just takes a calm mind to work through these.

Good luck in your new role at Salford University.

I look forward to the future and the possibilities. Lots of things have happened unexpectedly these few years. Things we could never consider or contemplate. It is sad when anything ends. I know where there’s a beginning, there will always be an end. I hope for a better future for my children. That life improves for us all. I will be sad to leave the past behind, but we must continue to move forward and to grow.

Hi Dotty,

I have many fears for the new year, not least how I am going to pay my energy bills! It has been so cold in our home and my son and I have been ill, so I had to put the heating on and I felt that the length of time it was on was careless on my part. What a thing to worry about!

I am worried that the government are looking to remove more rights of the UK people and that we are seemingly falling into something that resembles a dictatorship. Our rights to protest so significantly watered down and now the right to strike against low pay and unacceptable conditions, it is worrying. I worry about whether my son will continue to get funding for alternative provision for his education and that I will have to fight yet again for his rights.

There are so many more worries but what is the point of them? It feels a lot like things will get much worse before they get better...

My hopes are that we will be able to move home after a long battle on that front, that we can leave a toxic situation and finally feel some peace and safety in our home. That my son will get a renewed budget for his education and that I can begin to recover from really difficult times which are adversely affecting my health. That I will continue to be able to count my blessings rather than feel they are hollow.

I hope that there is some movement on the climate crisis and that we begin to take steps towards changing the way we live in order to make the difference the earth needs. I hope that there is further advance in recognising that for our society to prosper, we need fairness and parity across the board. I hope that we will have a general election and begin to see political change.

I hope that there are moves to get the companies and individuals who have exploited the pandemic to make money brought to justice and some of the money paid back to the British public.

I hope that this time next year, I am not crying and out of breath with anxiety every morning that I wake up, and that my son is more settled and flourishing.

Wrote 2 funding bids to provide cookery classes in the community. I make about 2p from it, but it keeps me going, seeing smiles on faces and eating together. Will not give up.