Image via Wikipedia“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” -Les Brown
It’s almost that time of year again. You know…resolution time.
I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. For me, they’re that pie in the sky I’ll probably never reach because they’re too lofty and unattainable. Instead, I set goals. I set them high enough to be within reach but still a challenge. For instance, in 2011, I set a goal to read 50 books. As of today, I’ve read 37. I’m working on #38 now. While I won’t hit 50 books this year, it was a challenge to read as many as I did, and within those 38 books, two were 600–800 pages each (the first two books in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series). I’m proud of myself for getting so close to that goal. That’s approximately three books a month.
So what am I shooting for in 2012? Here are some ideas I have:
- Meal planning and eating out less. I’m terrible at this one. If I have an Achilles’ heel, it’s eating out. I come home tired and hungry, and if Will is home, he’s my enabler when it comes to eating out. It’s part of the reason I’ve packed on some extra pounds. It’s time to get it under control, which should correlate to getting my weight under control again.
- Finish another full-length novel. What’s considered a novel? It means 80,000+ words. Here we go again.
- More quality family time with Will. Since Summer 2010, he’s been working 50+ hours/week and taking classes toward finishing his degree. This means we’ve had less quality time together, and since he’s set to graduate in May, that’s soon coming to an end.
- Attend more MCRW meetings. I’ve been a terrible member all year, attending meetings when I felt like it. My writing chapter is a wonderful place to learn and grow as a writer, and I haven’t given it nearly the attention it deserves.
- Get over my fear of query letters. I stopped at about #16, which is kinda pathetic.
- Continue working out 3-4 times a week. My health will thank me.
- Read 50 books. I will make it this time!
- Finally travel to New York City. I’ve wanted to visit there since I was a kid. I think I’ve talked Will into it.
How about you? What are your goals for the upcoming year? What do you hope to accomplish? What would you like to be different for you in 2012?