Happy first FriDad of the New Year people! I apologise for my unexplained long hiatus, I have been on since before Christmas. The only explanation I can give to you is an honest one. I have been reflecting on the year just past and glancing at the darkened road ahead. I realise that the big jump from University to reality has been a HUGE one and those grand plans I held never grew to fruition. I had a few setbacks after University and because of it, my confidence dropped.

However, that time away left me thinking. Last year, I got engaged, graduated University, pitched a script to a Hollywood exec. (If you’re wondering how it went, I’m here in Hampshire, not in L.A), a film I made got picked up and applied for a promotion at work. I had a pretty solid year, but I felt uncertain of my future. With money supplies dwindling, our car falling apart as was our energy levels I panicked that we would simply collapse as a family. I found myself distancing from friends and simply fell off the radar. No money, no home, no friends, no dream, no hope.

Whilst stepping away from FriDad to quite simply guzzle down beer and accept defeat I kept saying to myself: I can’t let this happen to me, I don’t want my family to be put through this. It took a while for me after talking to Laura, talking to family to know that nothing has really been lost. Okay some money got spent to stay alive, but dreams don’t die, not if you truly believe that they are possible.

That’s when after Christmas it hit me. There is no defeat, only setbacks. If you let problems and obstacles overcome you, you give in without attempting to try and succeed. What I needed to do was lick my wounds, pick myself up and march towards what I believe is the next step for my family.

I made a note of everything that I wanted to accomplish the coming year: Write and complete a handful of scripts, go make business contacts, socialise more, teach Max some things about life, save up for our own place, get a new car, stop drinking…that’s never gonna’ happen. I know exactly what it was that was going to make me wipe that miserable look off my face and fill my belly with a fire.

The morning of the New Year I began straight away, I put into plan everything that I wanted to do. I’m confident that the goals I set are possible. They are doable with a push, but if I made it easy I’d have no real reason to try. I wanted to give myself a challenge to get better, show that I have plenty of space to grow as a writer, a father, a spouse and a person.

At the end of the year I intend to tell you how it all went on, if I succeeded or if I failed and if I did, what I learned from it. I hope that everyone reading has set aside their goals for the year and given themselves a chance to go do something they’re truly passionate about…it’s certainly not to late to plan something now.

Anyways, that’s why I’ve been away so long, but it’s good to be back, it’s good to tell you I’m acting on the grand plans I have and how proud I am of my family pushing to do the same.

Have a great weekend and go get every bit that think you’re worth.