Kelly Pegg: Let's aspire to be something other than a celeb this year

So we are into another year and no doubt you, just like myself, have already set yourself new goals for the year ahead.
Nicola Adams.Nicola Adams.
Nicola Adams.

One thing the majority of us will have in common is health and fitness. It seems from the months of September to January luxurious foods and fine wine becomes a coping mechanism for the dark, cold days.

However once the jeans zip won’t go up all the way to the top (I think for me it was on Christmas Day!) we know it’s time to embrace the gym and get back on track with a healthy diet.

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Celebrities of course jump on this band wagon immediately bringing out fitness DVDs and the latest fad which seems to be cookery books – apparently everyone is a qualified chef now didn’t you know?

It’s just what we ordinary folk really need to see at this time of the year – slim celebrities screaming, “look at me, I’m thin and it’s Christmas, you can be thin too”.

Well thank you, but no thank you very much. For a start, some of the lifestyles these celebrities lead is questionable.

Secondly it isn’t real, what they’re portraying isn’t how normal people live.

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I feel saddened that we live in a culture now where people, young women especially look up to these so called celebs and want to be like them.

Whatever happened to wanting to do something that makes a difference or changes the world some how? Is it just me or does it feel like everyone wants to be famous?

I know grown men and women who work in my business – radio - and just “want to be famous”. Being called a celebrity for them means they’ve made it in life.

Social media plays a big part in this whole celebrity versus reality bubble we all seem so swept up in.

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I’m as guilty as the next person of looking at instagram and seeing pictures of Louise Rednapp or Tess Daley (I have massive girl crushes on them both) and thinking ‘wow I wish I looked like that’.

What we see on social media leads us to believe that celebrities lead glamorous lifestyles where it’s easy to look great, wear nice clothes, have a full face of make-up on every day with immaculate hair.

In reality though it just isn’t the case, everyone is faced with his or her own private battles and nothing can be perfect all the time, no matter who you are.

There’s nothing wrong with having role models and there are some truly inspirational people out there. In Yorkshire we have Olympic boxer Nicola Adams, and the Brownlee brothers for a start.

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It does make my blood boil when I hear people talk about how reality TV star Kim Kardashian is a role model – no she is not! If you look at the drama that’s unfolded in her life in the past year, living her life in the spotlight the way she has done has definitely backfired for her.

I’m currently praying that this will be the year where Kim Kardashian won’t be the most talked about woman in the world!

It can feel hard to be happy with what you’ve got, it can feel like it’s never enough. I often look at what other people are up to in their career and life and compare it against mine; I think most people behave like that at various points in life. The trick is to love your life and love yourself and that is 100 per cent easy to say but so very hard to execute. I recently read something from the online site Power of Positivity that I’m going to use as my basis for 2017.

The next time you are looking on social media at a celebrity or it could be someone you know and you think their life looks much better than yours, this might help.

The Five Most Important Rules To Remember in Life:

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Over thinking can ruin happiness; everyone is on a different journey; positive thoughts create a better life; kindness doesn’t cost a thing; the past cannot be changed.

Hoping for a kinder new year

I’ve read a lot over Christmas about how 2016 was a terrible year because we lost so many great people including artists David Bowie and Prince.

More recently we lost the sublime George Michael, and Hollywood greats Carrie Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds.

There have been many sad losses in 2016 - for me one of the biggest was the fatal shooting of Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox.

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I’ll never forget watching the story unfold on my TV screens, that feeling of not quite believing what you’re seeing.

There are so many terrible things that go on in the world and unfortunately bad things will continue to happen.

I believe what we can all do more of in 2017 is love unconditionally and learn to accept everyone’s choices.

The less hate we can promote the better. Here’s hoping we can all be kinder and love more in this New Year.

I’ve turned into the litter police

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I was raised as a country girl and I’ve always been very aware of the environment around me and how important it is to look after it.

If I had my way I’d live on a farm in the middle of nowhere. My husband has other ideas though and being a city boy, say’s he’s not ready to live like he’s retired!

So we bought our forever home five months ago in an urban area surrounded by woodland, and 15 minutes away from the city.

I do love it and I feel very lucky to have a garden with lush big trees in and lots of greenery.

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What I can’t get my head around is that not everyone feels as passionately as me about where they live.

Over the Christmas break I have spent a big chunk of time picking up other people’s litter and poo bags – yes poo bags. That they have flung into my front bushes. I’ve never felt rage like it!

What an earth is wrong with people? There is a bin just around the corner from my street, surely they could manage to pop their rubbish into the bin? Evidently not.

I find myself looking constantly for litter now especially when I’m out walking my dogs.

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My husband said I should buy a litter picker online so I think I’m going to invest in one. I will probably look like I’m doing community service but it’s worth it if I’m helping our environment stay clean.

We need to look after our planet and I’m so horrified some people don’t seem to get that or care.