By Clare Langley-Hawthorne
I usually view New Year resolutions as a complete waste of time since so far I have never managed to actually keep (or for that matter remember!) any of them but this year I have a few that I really, really, really want to keep and I thought if I committed them to the blogosphere that would somehow make me feel more accountable. I’m sure there’s logic in that belief somewhere though in this economic and publishing climate I doubt logic has much bearing on anything at the moment…but here goes – my top five resolutions for 2009. One is noble; one is totally impractical; one is probably totally unrealistic; one reveals an embarrassing lack of ability; and one may be the dumbest thing I’ve ever tried to do. I leave it up to you to decide which of the five is which!
1. I will put the writing first. This goes beyond a commitment to no more procrastinating over email or anything else that might hinder my progress but to the core of the matter – to stop worrying about all the things I have no control over or cannot change. This leads to a number of other resolutions about having the confidence to assert that what I do is valuable and worthwhile and putting aside those around me who try to undermine that confidence…This could be a whole other blog post so I’d best stop there or I’ll never get to any of my other resolutions!
2. I will get my boys to preschool by 8:30am every day – otherwise number 1 will be almost impossible to achieve.
3. I will grow my hair long (pure vanity on my part)
4. I will do whatever it takes to get fit/lose weight so I can fit a certain pair of pants I last wore before I had the twins (I’m not fessing up to just how hard this is going to be!)
5. I will learn how to ride a bicycle (pathetic…I know)
So if you have any other noble, pathetic or vain resolutions please confess them here:) At least I’ll know I’m in good company…or you can always tell me again what a waste of time these new year resolutions truly are.
I’m doing the weight loss thing, too, and I set up a separate blog about it at newyearnewass (here on blogspot). If you want, you can come share the pain with me and we’ll get skinny together.
Good luck with your 2009 resolutions, Clare. Like you, I need to eliminate distractions so I can get more written each day. And I definitely need to exercise more while watching what I eat. I watch it now, but only from the standpoint of it going from plate to mouth. The only advantage I seem to have over you is the bike-riding thing. Have fun with that. 🙂
Your resolutions sound remarkably similar to the goals I’ve set for myself. Well, except for the preschool thing. (I can’t ride a bike either, but I have no desire to learn how.)
Even though I said I was going to put the writing first, notice how I’m visiting here instead!
Thanks everyone and yes, here I am instead of writing:) But hey I got the boys to preschool at 8:10am and we were he first there – so I’m pleased one resolution passsed muster today! Lisa and Joe, I will take to heart your resolution too – so we’ll be fitter and leaner before we know it! Joyce – it’s nice to hear that at least one person apart from myself can’t ride a bike! I have to learn or I’m just too much of an embarrassment to my boys who are all riding around!
I never do resolutions at the New Year, but I’m riding the wave of a friend’s resolution by joining her at a twice weekly aerobics class. I want to spend most of my time nurturing and advancing the important aspects of life, like friendship, family, and health. A studied evolution, if not a resolution. Happy New Year all!
I’ve always felt that NY resolutions tend to be sadly negative, so I always make the same one every year: to learn something new. One year it was driving a stick shift, the next was learning to ride a motorcycle, followed by belly dancing and sewing (so I no longer have to spend a ridiculous amount of money to have my pants hemmed). I haven’t worked out yet what it will be this year, but figure I have 12 months to decide…
Happy New Year everyone!!
Lovely evolution rather than resolution Kathryn! Michelle your plan sounds cool – I guess my bike thing will be my new thing:)!
I’ve pledged to make writing a priority. I joined the local RWA chapter and discovered to my delight, my favorite author also attends! What a bonus!!! I started the workout thing on Halloween and now that the holidays are over, I expect it to be more effective than just warding off disaster and actually making me SMALLER!!