I chose fun over drudgery – and ran off to live at sea

After a miserable 2014, I knew I had to make more time for myself - and my beloved boat

I don't make resolutions. But one year I made an exception. It was 1 January 2015. It was the only nod to self-improvement I have ever made - and it changed the course of my life. Very seriously, I resolved to have more fun. I had been inspired by the American folk legend Woody Guthrie, whose 1943 resolutions had come to light, a list full of such gems as dream good" and dance better". Yes, I thought. Focus on what brings you joy - if that isn't improvement, I don't know what is. (I would humbly suggest this is even more pertinent as the cruel joke that is 2020 comes to a close.)

I had had a tough year, having taken on a difficult project on top of a demanding full-time job and spent the months leading up to Christmas working so hard I barely slept. When I did sleep, I dreamed of the ocean (unsurprisingly, given I was writing a book about sea nomads in my spare time).