2012 New Years Resolutions

Now that the New Year is here, what resolutions have you decided on?

Did you decide to lose weight, exercise more, save more or pay on your bills?  These resolutions are wonderful, but have you planned out how you will tackle them?

Why haven’t you achieved your resolutions before?  Was the goal too big or did life just get in the way?

This year my resolutions will be tackled one day at a time.  One thing that I’ve noticed while journalizing was that something happens before, during and after a major decision in my life.  It was during the journal writing that I discovered this.  In retrospect it has happened all, I just wasn’t aware of it.  Now I can go back and read what I was feeling, what I did, and how I came up with the new part of me.  It’s really fascinating. 

Break down your resolutions into short term, or daily goals. Check every few months on your progress and make adjustments.  Then continue on the daily goals.  In this way it’s easier to see the actual progress and at the end of this year, the growth or weakness will be glaring.  Later we can discuss ways to address the weaknesses. 

Did you stick with your resolutions? Perhaps you decided on something completely different. Anything can happen that can make that resolution not a priority at the time.  What happen and how did you compensate for it.  Understanding the reasons for it will help in the long run.  Was it something that was completely out of your control? Or was it something such as fear or you want to do something but don’t know how. So the best route would be to research how to accomplish what it is you want.  Again breaking it down on a daily basis or short term goal will help you. 

One of my goals is to do more writing.  I know that I am doing a good job of journalizing so I want to concentrate on my storytelling and writing of my manuscript.   So I will have daily, weekly and monthly goals.  This way I can chart my progress.  If something comes up, I won’t chastise myself.  I will simply start again where I left off. 

For my first writing goal.  My critiquing group has told me that the next time we get together I was to read first, so I better have something prepared.  I also realized something else.  Like most writers, we think our work is boring or well mainly bad.  The critiquing group tells me they are very much interested in reading more of my work, but I am unsatisfied with it.  I realized I was comparing my work to my favorite published writers.  Writers that I love reading and have been writing for numerous years.  It’s wrong for me to compare my writing from them.  I realized I needed the feedback and that I should face what they had to say about my story.  I cannot grow as a writer without it.  Our meeting is five days away so I better get to writing. 

So for my first weekly goal.  Continue to journal.  Tackle one chapter at a time on my manuscript. Then after the next meeting plan how I will tackle the revision of the feedback and tackle the next chapter. 

Oh and one last goal for the week, another blog post.  I have struggled to find a voice for this blog, it’s a work in progress. I’m sure it will go through more changes but it is all in the learning. 

I will be charting my progress on the New Years Writing Resolution much as I did last year on my book reading challenge.  My book reading challenge will not be as much because this year it is mostly about the writing.  But check on my progress from time to time and see how I do.  At the same time keep track of your own resolutions and see how you do.  Then we can compare notes. 

Take the challenge with me.  What is your weekly challenge, then chart it, and at the end of the year, you can be proud of what you do.  Or realize what needs to be done for the next year.  Either way it will be a good look at you.

Until next time.