New Year Resolutions:

Posted by Stacey on January 19, 2013 in Holidays, Humor, life, writing | 0 comments

Resolutions, it’s that time of year.

You might have made a few and even broken several by now too.

Every year I make of list of things I’d like to accomplish. Half the time I feel like an idiot because my list consists of things I know I will never do.

-Give up refined sugars

-Drop 10 pounds

-Stop swearing

I think you get the drift.

Those things are just not going to happen. My gummy bear munching, ten-pound heavier than it should be body is quite happy with its profanity-laden mouth.

It is who I am and I should probably learn to accept it.

But, over the years, I have made a couple of promises, on that cold December night, that I have stuck with, and they have changed my life.

In 2010 I made a list that looked a little more realistic.

– Keep a journal

This is a must for every writer. It’s nothing big, just a little ditty about something that happened each day. Seriously, I am talking two or three sentences.

I placed a empty note book on my bed side table, picked it up every night, and wrote in it every day that year.

Accomplishing one of my New Year’s goals felt amazing.  So I decided to add more.

In 2011 my list looked like this:

– Keep a journal

– Write Princess Blakely, (this was Hush’s first working title)

On a wet January morning, I sat down and created a loose out line. Six months later I finished my first draft.

I loved this. Finally I was making resolutions and keeping them. I felt accomplished.

Finally, last year I made an even longer list. Now I was really pushing myself.

Resolutions 2012:

1. Continue writing in my journal
2. Edit and find a publisher for princess Blakely, now Hush
3. Write Whisper (Book two in the Lakeview series.)
4. Learn to play the piano
5. Read a book a week for the entire year.

Our youngest daughter dared me to do the last two idems on the list.

But you know what?

I completed everything I wrote down.

Granted my piano skills aren’t great, I have never played or read music before, but my daughter and I played two duets on Christmas night smiling from ear to ear.

I am also pleased to report that by December 31st I had read 72 books.

I guess what I finally figured out was that if I made up a resolution list that took into consideration who I am and what I like to do, I could get it done.

So what’s on the list this year?

I will continue journaling, playing the piano, and reading, I have also promised myself to write a book a year. (An unedited, first draft, I am not that good.)

Every thing else, I am going to keep to my self. I don’t want to curse my luck after all. Maybe next year I will tell you.

What resolutions did you make?