Wherein we review gloss over last year
So as last year drew to a close, I saw a lot of friends posting reviews of their 2011 Resolutions: accomplished this, failed that, oops forgot this, etc. I dug through my archives to see if I should do the same.
The answer was a resounding no. And not because I failed all my goals—but apparently I didn’t make any public resolutions last year. Which kind of explained why I couldn’t remember a single one.
(Except my goal to read 50 books, which I hit after a read-fest the first four days of last week.)
I like that I won’t be starting the new year with the baggage of “oh, I failed at such-and-such.” I love new beginnings—as a child, I actually had toys I never played with because I didn’t want to ruin their pristine state. (Sadly, they were not valuable collectors’ items. We’re talking a rock tumbler and a pottery wheel. Fun, right?)
2011 had some great highs and . . . some nots. I mired myself so badly in edits that I lost all joy in writing, and had to walk away for several months. And soon thereafter, we had a death in my family.
But on the other hand, I had my first book accepted by a publisher! I wrote another book and had so much fun! Hooray!
But I’m ready for a new start. A year without failure and baggage in it yet. A year that’s still mine for the making.
Now to figure out what we’ll make of it.
What do you think? How was your 2011? What do you want to make of 2012?
I had hoped to finish my book last year–but didn’t. The problem is that I don’t take my writing seriously. It’s still just a hobby. This year is “still mine for the making” and I’m going to get it done! Thanks for your excellent blog.
For me, resolutions (or goals, which I like better) are simply a list of things I hope to accomplish over the year. Will I achieve them all? Maybe. Well, not if I ask to be young and thin. It’s a been a long time since I was the former, and I’ve never been the latter. lol But as a list maker, my goals are things I can check off.
It’s so satisfying to check things off of a list.
Happy New Year!
I love setting goals, but I’ve been so busy with edits on my final proof that I haven’t done mine yet! I agree with you that it’s fun to look at the new year and imagine the possibilities. I’m excited for you and your upcoming book.
I’m actually the type of person who is careful NOT to articulate my goals, because I’m so uptight and sensitive that I know I’ll want to quit if I don’t accomplish them. I’m the type who never made a studying schedule in college because I knew I’d be too hard on myself if I didn’t adhere to it. I actually do BETTER when I go by my gut (otherwise my poor children suffer from Mom freak-outs) so with my writing, I just have to do my best. I’m too hard on myself anyway. 🙂
As for your frustration with your edits and unfortunate death, I think that’s just the way our lives work, and when we bounce back, our writing has another quality we’ve learned from real life.
I never look back at goals I didn’t reach. I just make them again. 😉
Sometimes we struggle with keeping set goals when we don’t really know what’s best for us. Then, unexpectedly (usually through the help of another), we make a significant jump in progress in a way we had never intended, and it’s such a pleasant surprise. Is it possible that one jump could prove more influential on our career than all our goals combined? When I think about 2011, that’s the way I feel.
: ) Happy New Year, Jordan!