Are you resolved?
New Years Check in
Did you make any resolutions for the New Year? I didn’t. Well, on my birthday I decided to change my diet by going vegan, and to learn belly dance, but that was it for me.
It’s funny because around the first of January there is a lot of talk of goals, resolutions, and that sort of thing. People talk about everything from submitting their manuscript by a certain date to losing one hundred pounds. And during that first week everyone is stoked, there is a flurry of activity on all the weight loss forums, and then a few weeks later things are much quieter and a few weeks after that things are pretty dead.
I wonder why people always feel the need to set these massive goals on December thirty-first. Don’t get me wrong, I do it too. I was over at Peertrainer every day logging all my meals, supporting others convinced that if I so my entire life would be perfect! And now, four weeks after I started, I don’t get over there as much, and I haven’t’ logged a meal in days.
So how do we keep up that initial passion we have when we set our resolutions? I have no idea. I’m still vegan, and belly dance lessons start Monday. But I’m not as excited as I was when I set my goals. Maybe it’s because change takes time, and we think that our lives will become wonderful if we just exercise five times a week. When that doesn’t happen maybe we get disheartened and that’s when it’s so easy to run through the In-and-Out drive through. But don’t do it! Just sit down and remember why you set your original goal, and try and get back some of that enthusiasm! That’s what I’m going to do today
January 24th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I think we’re all excited because on Jan. 1st it’s like the whole WORLD is making goals. So it’s fun to join in and be a part of that. Rather than if I just said ‘I’ll start eating 5 servings of veggies a day on March 10th!’ knowing I’d be doing it *gasp* alone.
I think peertrainer really works when you write stuff down. Because then you’re ultra aware of what’s going in your mouth! LOL. And you’re doing GREAT, Feisty. Your skin looks FABULOUS.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Here were my I set for the year:
* Read 50 books.==I’ve read 1.
* Lose 50 lbs.== I’ve lost
* Finish writing Love Sux== still revising Bite Me.
* Write at least 2 YA Proposals==I’ve started 1
* Write at least 2 adult proposals (I cannot control what I sell, but I can control how hard I try)==I’ve started 1
* Complete new website (ahem, Fishdog….)==same as before…um, Fishdog?
* Attend 1 writing related conference. (may not be RWA National. Depends on when we sell the house in Oxford)==have made my reservations for SF
* Write 5 days a week.==Managing 4 days right now.
* Take a vacation with Fishdog. Just us.==have made our reservations.
All in all, things look to be on target! yeah!!!
January 24th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Shelley, that makes a lot of sense!
Mel!! You rock!! You’re done great! And I am SO glad you are coming to SF!!!
January 24th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
On made a comment on the Divas, but I think the whole goal thing at the beginning of the year is that it’s a fresh and new year. You get to start back and at one, and most people want to do it right. New Year’s really feels like you are getting a second chance. It’s so hopeful, and optimistic. Then Jan. 8th hits and you’re thinking, what the hell was I thinking?
January 24th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
LOL, Melissa! Exactly!
January 24th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Nope. no resolutions for me.
If I need to make a change I do. If I don’t make it I keep on trying and forgive myself for not succeeding.
Much less stressful that way.
January 24th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I don’t do resolutions anymore cos I always ALWAYS fail. So why set myself up to fail? But I do tell myself that I should lose weight or become more organized, or look for new ways to save money, etc, etc. And like Shelli said, it’s easier to do this at the beginning of the year when we’re all in this together.
But of course if you make the goal to start going to the gym say on Feb. 5th, it’s a lot easier cos all those New Year gym bunnies aren’t going anymore so it’s not as crowded! LMAO
January 24th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
I used to get in the resolution-rut, you know - where you’re trying to make over your whole life as of a certain date? But just as you’ve pointed out, I lost steam and then kicked myself. Now I’ve dialed back to one goal a year. That way, I can feel like I’ve accomplished SOMEthing. lol. ~Gwen
January 24th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I was all set to make some resolutions but then I went on a cruise and forgot all about them. But so far I’m doing okay without them. If I had any, they’d be to eat healthy, lose weight, write more and read more. And so far, I’m on track.
So maybe I’ll skip them this year.
January 24th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
I resolved to break my resolutions. And so far, I’m right on track.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
I didn’t make any this year because my Grandma got sick and died between Christma eve and New Years Day. No time to think about anything much but Grandma and all the stuff we did together. At her funeral I learned she drove trucks for the army in England in WWII, lied about her age to get in and then got kicked out when someone dobbed her in. I sat there and thought, SHIT!, how the hell do you beat that? I always said she’d turned into a stubborn old woman, but she was always stubborn, or maybe I should say determined. So half-way through Jan I made my resolution, to go after everything I want with as much energy as I can offer without restricting myself with a time frame. Sure, pick a date to get something done but if life gets in the way don’t kick yourself, you’re putting the energy in to get the goal and that’s what counts, not how long is takes you to do something but that you’re doing it!