Kick-start your New Year resolutions early and buy that canal boat you've always dreamed of owning!

What better excuse to buy that narrowboat, than its good for your health? With the new year comes new resolutions. Maybe your goals for 2019 include getting more exercise, travelling or spending more time with family. When it comes to boating, do any resolutions come to mind?

If you've always dreamed of owning a narrowboat, make 2019 the year to realise that dream!

Here are some ideas to add to your list of New Year’s Resolutions;

Spend more time with family and friends

Narrowboating can be a very leisurely activity, where you can slow down your pace of life and spend time in the quiet of the countryside. It's ideal to share time aboard connecting with friends and family, and live life in the slow lane, but also to share that time with others. There are a variety of different excuses to get together with your loved ones!  Make 2019 a more sociable year!

Fight the bulge

Boating is a great way to keep active. Cruising the canal network will mean that you'll have to pop on and off the boat to navigate locks, which can be great way to get exercise by climbing on and off your narrowboat and walking over lockgates and opening the lock gate with your windlass will use your muscles!  If you have a dog you can enjoy leisurely walks in a great environment away from all the stresses of city life. If you enjoy jogging, the canal towpath is a great place to run. The UK government recommends that we all take 30 minutes of exercise each day to help fight the bulge and improve our cardio vascular system! Make 2019 the year you get fitter!

Enjoy life more

Many of us assume that we need to make big changes to our habits, routines and/or bank balances to be happy. In reality, however, that’s not the case. Often we already have everything we need to enjoy life—it’s just a question of prioritising what’s really important.  Focus on yourself as we all have to live with the consequences of our decisions.  Make time to relax and reconnect with ourselves.  Nurture positive relationships with friends and family and meet new people as they can introduce you to new ideas and perspectives. Boating is great for meeting new people!

Visit more places

New places offer a different perspective on the world and add a healthy dose of inspiration and possibility to our lives.  Create a 'Bucket List' of places on the canal network that you've always wanted to visit and each year try to tick off places on your list and make sure they don’t just stay on your list!

Disconnect with the outside World!

Take a 'digital detox' and reassess what's really important to you.  Many people report that it makes them realise how reliant they've become on instant online gratification - news when they want it, films and music on demand. Avoid the news as it is all too easy to get down about what's going on in the world. Take a break from social media and spend some time in your own skin.

Have we missed anything?

Let us know your thoughts on our ideas on New Year's Resolutions, and let us know your New Year's Resolutions too by commenting below!