Start a business

In 2012, Olive Rankin’s resolution was to set up her own business.

“It was something I wanted to do for years. I always moaned about wanting to make a change so I decided to stop complaining and start doing,” she says. “I started with a book of ideas and it formed my plan for 2012.

“I read an interesting quote coming up to that January: ‘The way to chop down a tree is one chop at a time.’ I took that as my inspiration. I did something small every day – otherwise it wouldn’t happen.”

The result was LoveOlli, with Olive, who is based in Co Down, selling products such as scented candles, handmade soap, gift wrap and cards with a vintage twist.

“The business has been building slowly. We currently have 120 stockists, mainly in the UK and Northern Ireland and parts of the south,” she says.

And it’s not just her professional life that has benefited.

“I met my husband Richard the same week that I delivered my first shop order,” she says. “We were engaged eight months later and got married the following year, in October 2013.”

Establishing a business isn’t Olive’s only successful resolution.

“Our son Kingsley was born in October. He was last year’s resolution.”

www.loveolli.co.uk

Make the leap

Laura Wright took a massive leap in 2013 – and we don’t mean that in a figurative sense. Laura, who is from Clondalkin in Dublin, fulfilled her dream of completing a parachute jump, which she did in aid of Ataxia Ireland.

“I’m up for anything and always said I’d love to do it,” she says. “It’s a great organisation and I raised €500 for Ataxia Ireland when I did my first jump.”

The 27-year-old has Friedreich’s ataxia – a genetic and progressive disorder of the central nervous system that causes clumsiness, difficulties with balance, lack of co-ordination and a slurring of speech.

Laura showed symptoms at the age of 13 and was diagnosed at 15. She has been in a wheelchair since she was 23.

“By doing the jump I want to prove that people with ataxia can still do things that everyone else does. I did another jump in November.”

After jumping from the plane, you free fall for 30 seconds and it takes around two or three minutes to reach the ground.

“Honestly, I can’t even explain the feeling. There are no words. When that door opens and you’re about to do the jump, the adrenaline is amazing. You feel so free,” she says. “Everyone should do it. I try to convince everyone by saying: ‘Come on, it’ll be grand.’ My family think I’m mental but I’m doing it again next year and hope to raise more money for Ataxia Ireland.”

Laura has no intention of making any resolutions this year.

“I don’t make plans. I just live every day as they come and go wherever the wind blows me – literally.”

www.ataxia.ie

Keep it simple

Suzanna Crampton is all about minimalism when it comes to resolutions.

“My best piece of advice is to make it simple. Pick a word to live by for the year. My word last year was write. I originally wanted to write more for my blog, which I had kind of neglected. The world took me in a different direction and I ended up writing for more publications. It wasn’t what I’d expected but it was good.”

When it comes to picking a word, Suzanna says to keep it broad.

“Pick something that isn’t difficult to accomplish. Maybe your word can be walk if you want to exercise more. It’s just a different way of looking at things.”

Suzanna, who is a farmer from Kilkenny and is known for her popular Twitter account, @ZwartblesIE, wasn’t a fan of new year’s resolutions before figuring out a system that worked for her.

“I think that 99% of people’s resolutions are based on insecurities and most of us make promises we know we won’t keep,” she explains. “You end up creating an angst you can’t solve and feeling guilty, thinking that you’re letting yourself down.

“I think resolutions can result in starting a new year off badly. You’re starting at the bottom of the draining ditch instead of looking at the field ahead of you.”

And what will Suzanna’s word of 2015 be?

“I’m debating it at the moment - it’ll either be read or travel.”

Find Suzanna on Twitter as @ZwartblesIE or visit www.zwartblesireland.com.

Change your life

At the start of last year, Deirdre O’Donovan was determined to do more than lose weight – she wanted to overhaul her life. The mother-of-two from Cork was a leader in last year’s Operation Transformation and weighed just over 17 stone before taking the challenge.

“I made the decision that this was it,” she says. “The final straw was when I couldn’t play with my kids on the floor. I couldn’t even do everyday activities.”

Deirdre lost seven stone in 2014 by making changes in her eating and exercise habits, though it wasn’t an easy process.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be a quick fix, but I had to do it. I found it very difficult to grasp nutrition. I didn’t even know what a courgette looked like. Before, my portion of veg was tinned or frozen.

“Adapting to running was hard but it soon started to come naturally to me. My recommendation would be to start by walking two or three times per week. All you need is a pair of runners and a rain coat.”

For anyone who is thinking about losing weight this year, Deirdre has some sound advice.

“You need to think of it as a lifestyle change instead of a diet,” she says. “It’s one thing to lose the weight, but you need to keep it off. In January, everyone starts a diet or joins the gym, but interest goes after a while. You have to look at the way you eat and exercise and be committed to change.”

Operation Transformation returns to RTÉ in January.