Resolving to Resolve

The New Year knocked at the door, came in, took its shoes off, and now, 7 days in, 2012 has curled up on the sofa with a cup of tea, as if it was never waiting one whole year to arrive.

I hope you had a merry Christmas and a happy New Year – I did, thank you.  Of course, we all do the same thing at Christmas (eat and drink too much, stress and spend too much, sleep and laze too much) and at New Year (wish we hadn’t done quite so much of the above).  Instead, we all resolve to do these ‘bad’ (but oh so enjoyable) things in moderation; to be healthier, fitter and more social (no more slumping in front of the TV, do you hear?)...and of course, we all often break these resolutions in some way or measure quicker than you can say “Happy New Year.”

Please note I deliberately didn’t say ‘fail’ just then.  Nope, no failing and no guilt at not achieving, not on my watch.  Because if we begin something already thinking we’ve failed and feel guilty about it, where on earth can we go next...and what’s the bloody point, anyway?!

So, now that 2012 isn’t such an odd date to write anymore (’fess up: who’s still scribbling ‘2011’, then?!), I resolve to make resolutions in moderation.  And by moderation, I mean realistic goals that are achievable for me to succeed at (so no losing a million pounds in weight and gaining a million pounds in money, then!).  Writing-wise, the last few months have been both difficult and distractive for me; I’ve been reading a lot, occasionally creatively-thinking, but not writing.  And, really, writing is simple: we all live busy, hectic, draining lives...but all you’ve got to do is pick up a pen/turn on the computer and do it.

But that’s where I often stumble – because life really does get in the way, resulting in me giving in rather than standing up to it – and I’m sure I’m not alone.  So, while reciting the saying Doing gets it Done, and remembering that to be able to tick off these things they must first be realistic to me and my lifestyle, I am making the following Writing Resolutions:

1.      To write for a minimum of 15 minutes every other day (this can be narrative, non-fiction,   poetry, blog postings – anything, so long as it’s creative writing).

2.      To record a Word of the Day on this blog each day of the week (no excuse with this one, seeing as I have the widest vocabulary going, and check my emails daily!).

3.      To enter at least 3 competitions per writing magazine I subscribe to (so a minimum of 6 competitions in 12 months).

4.      To spend my week off at the end of January having a ‘Girl’s Night In’ with the characters of Novel Number Two, to get to know them (so that I can then begin to write Novel Number Two and not just talk about doing it...).

5.      To finish my early-writing-influences poetry sequence by December (eight proposed poems in total: currently four down, four to go!)

See, today I can already tick off Numbers 1 and 2, just by having written this post!  Think I’m getting the hang of this malarky...

What have you resolved to do, and is it realistic?  I hope so, and I wish you luck – I really believe that getting the best out of life is about experiencing events, not merely achieving set standards. 

Here’s to 2012 – may it be a good, fulfilling and pleasing year for us all.