Normally I have these goals up sooner, like the first day of the year, but this time around I needed a little more time to finalize them.
Not sure why, though. After all, one of them is the exact same goal I set last year because I failed to accomplish it last year. (No, I'm still not over it.)
I'm guessing the delay can be attributed to the fact that I am terrified about screwing up again. I've mentioned this on a few previous occasions, but screwing up is just something that I do. Regularly. With gusto even. And I'm so worried that no matter what I do this year, I'll still end up with the same result.
Needless to say, I've not been in the best of moods so far this year. Here's hoping I can surprise myself.
So, anyway, without any further rambling on my part, here's what I'm setting out to accomplish in the next 359 days...
Part One: Writing
1. Publish Effigy.
I'm getting seriously sick of having to make this goal year in and year out—and I can only imagine how sick y'all are of having to hear about it. I really have been trying. Given my absolute failure, it probably doesn't seem like it, but I have been trying. And now I will try some more.
2. Complete first draft of Second Nature.
So, if by some miracle I do manage to get Effigy out into the world this year, I'd really like to get its sequel out a year later. I imagine having a completed first draft will be instrumental in making that happen. My brilliant plan to complete said draft in 2013 didn't work out (quelle surpise, oui?) so I'll be looking to redeem myself this year.
Part Two: The Requisite Health Related Goals
1. Walk, run, or bike 700 miles.
Last year I logged 667 miles, and I had really blown off fitness toward the end of the year (And also in February, if we're being honest), so if I put in a little more effort this year I don't think 700 miles will prove to be too outlandish.
2. Eat healthier.
I have horrible eating habits. Like, really horrible. I have a tendency to binge eat muffins or donuts or cookies or cake or brownies or whatever fattening yet totally delicious baked goods happen to be within arm's length. I should probably stop binge eating those things. I haven't gotten off to the best of starts with this particular goal (the draw back of waiting until the 6th to post your goals...you may have already failed some of them), but I hope to make a course correction soon. Soon-ish.
Part Three: Last, But Not Least
1. Read 60 books.
I had the same goal last year and finished well above that total fairly early on the 2013. Goodreads then spent some time trying to get me to up my goal. I didn't then, and I'm not now. My writing goals are listed first for a reason. This is not to suggest that reading isn't vastly important—because it is—but I'm not going to push myself to read 100 books when I'm striving to publish one. If that makes sense.
2. Turn weird little spare closet space into tiny little library.
I have this little room in my house that would probably best be described as a decent sized walk-in closet, and we've never used it for anything. My cats used to hide out in there from time to time, but now it's sitting empty and abandoned. This year I'd like to rip out the flooring, put in something new, fix the lighting situation and line the walls with bookshelves because I have no more space in my house for books, and I like buying books too much to stop because of a minor detail like having no place to put them. I need the library from Beauty and the Beast, but until I can buy a castle in France, I'll make due with this. Of course, I have absolutely no idea how to do such a renovation, but that's what HGTV is for, right? (Disclaimer: I also have no idea if that is what HGTV is for.)
§§§
So that's going to do it for me today...Have you set any goals and/or resolutions for the new year? Have you already given up on them?
Thanks for stopping by. It's always appreciated.