New Years Resolutions SUCK! 3 Reasons Why, as a Writer, I Resolve to do NOTHING.

1/9/2012

I wasn't going to blog about New Years Resolutions. I wasn't going to do it. Just like the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy, I don't believe in them ( I totally believe in Santa though).

But I went to the gym this morning--this first part of January--and was floored by how many people were there. So many that I had to park WAY, WAY, WAY out in the far reaches of the parking lot. I hate that. When I go to exercise, I don't want to have to walk very far.

Just as was expected, the entire place was packed--old people, young people, little kids, babies--darn those babies and their mommy and me swim class. I raised my fist in the air and cried to the heavens above (really it was just the running track above my head), "I HATE you January! I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I always have and I always will!"

Not only am I fighting for a decent parking spot, I'm fighting little old ladies in the dressing room for a locker (ever see an old lady naked--it's not pretty) and there are far more little old men than usual at the swimming pool (little old men have wandering eyes. They tend to sit in the hot tub and just watch us ladies do laps in the pool. Perverts). I went from doing laps in the pool with just a handful of people to now having the whole state of Utah right there in the pool with me.

But here's the thing, come the first part of February, things will be back to normal. No babies. No old ladies. No old men. Just the regulars doing their regular thing. The pool will be mine again. Mine, all mine! Wha-ha-ha!

It happened this way last year and the year before that. Even my pool buddy said, "Give it a few weeks, the New Year resolution group will slowly go away." They always do.

I've noticed many writers posting their New Years Resolutions on their websites and I think that is great. For some people, this kind of thing works. For me, it doesn't.

The first reason is doesn't work for me? I have very little self-control. I know myself well enough to freely admit this. I will make the goal and I will break the goal.

The second reason? I can't handle the pressure. If I make a goal, it's all I can think about. It's always in the back of my mind, teasing me, and testing me, and wondering when I will break. And the more determined I am NOT to break, the worse it gets until I finally do (I always do. See reason #1 above).

The third reason? If I fail, I will beat myself up over it and feel like crap--like a failure. I will feel like I let myself down. And who the heck wants to feel like a failure? Not I, that's for sure.

It is so much better, for me, not to set resolutions. Not a one. I don't promise to lose weight. I don't promise to exercise more. I don't promise to read five new books on writing (though I probably will). I refuse to resolve to write several new books this year, or even one for that matter (though I probably will). I won't say that I will write every single day, because more than likely I won't. There will be days I just can't do it. I also won't say that I will be a better blogger either (I'm doing the best I can right now and I think I'm doing an okay job--feel free to say yay or nay in the comments below).

So does this mean I'm going to become a stagnant writer? That I won't grow and learn and become something better this new year? Of course not. I can guarantee you that this time next year, I will be a much better writer than I am today. I will have learned so many new things that it will BLOW MY MIND. I can't wait. It's going to be an awesome year even if I don't make one single goal. You wanna know why? Because I'm going to continue to keep doing what I have always done--work hard, write hard, and keep on learning every single day, just like I did yesterday and the day for that, and just like every day in 2011.

Goals? I don't need no stinkin' goals!

And I bet I will still accomplish stuff. I just won't have that little nagging voice in the back of my head telling me how much I suck because I ate a cookie or skipped a day of writing so I could go on a date with my husband or snuggle with my kids.

I'm pretty sure I will be all right. Past experience tells me I will be just fine.

Are you a resolution kinda person? It's okay to say yes. Just 'cause it doesn't work for me doesn't mean others don't benefit from it. If so, what kinds of things do you do to keep motivated and on the path to achieving your goal? What goals have you made for yourself this year?

23 Comments

Diana link

1/9/2012 11:06:29 am

The sad thing is, the little old ladies with their naked wobbly bits will be there when everyone else has gone too. Good for you working out! Nice.

Angela Scott link

1/9/2012 12:54:36 pm

I don't mind some little old ladies. They're pretty nice and I know I always look hot in my bathing suit when they're around. Wait. Did I just say that out loud? So mean.

Núria Coe link

1/9/2012 11:18:53 am

Amen! No, I'm not, pretty much for the same reasons you have posted. I have to admit that I used to be one of them. Having two kids changed me in so many ways it's not even funny.
The first thing to go away was my sense of modesty: ("I don't care if my butt is hanging out the back and my crotch is out there for all to see, just get this baby out of me NOW!")

The next thing was resolutions, goals, and other ways to drive myself artificially crazy. I will get done what I can get done, whenever I'm good and ready to get it done. No more, no less, no sooner, no later. So sue me.
I'm so glad to see I'm not alone!

1/9/2012 12:55:53 pm

"I will get done what I can get done, whenever I'm good and ready to get it done" --I like that!

Kortnee link

1/9/2012 11:31:21 am

I don't do resolutions, I do goals. Yes, there is a vast difference between the 2, at least in my head. Resolutions are huge, over arching dreams that I have permission to break in a week. Goals are things I want to accomplish within a certain time frame. That time frame is, and will be, altered as life changes.

I keep pictures around me that are what I want to accomplish. I wanted to write a book so I actually made a book cover, printed it out, took it to barnes and noble and put it on the shelf and took a picture of it. Since taking that picture, I have written more and learned more about publishing than I had in years.

My health goals are ones that my doctors set for me. Mostly to get me in as good a shape as possible while we're trying not to focus on the possibility of the "C" word.

I also take the view that a tracked number grows so I've created a database of all the things I'm working on. I update it every week to see what's working and what's not; this includes word count and the time of day I'm working. So far, I write better at night but I edit better during the day. Good to know for the editing job I just got.

Núria Coe

1/9/2012 12:13:29 pm

What a novel idea!

1/9/2012 01:03:50 pm

Congrats on the editing job! You do need to be effiecient and be a goal setter for that.

Don't get me wrong, I keep motivational quotes and pictures around to keep me on track. I know what I want to see happen this year, I'm not haphazardly messing with my writing career. There are things I want to see happen and I work each day toward making them happen.

I do like the idea of creating a cover and taking it to the book store. That's a great idea.

1/9/2012 01:30:57 pm

Thanks! There was a bit of a shake the booty dance when I got the offer. They sent the first manuscript today and, when I was done running around the house squealing like a school girl, I sat down to break it up into what needs to get done.

One of the reasons I'm so anal about organizing myself is that I'm not naturally organized. In fact, if I don't make a special point of organizing myself, I'm more than a bit scattered. Unfortunately, all the things I want to accomplish require great organizational skills. I either get with my own program or I don't get it done.

The cover thing was not my idea. I have a friend who is a management trainer/motivational speaker and she told me to do it. I felt so silly but it worked. She very kindly didn't say "I told you so" when I was telling her about it and everything I've done since doing it.

1/9/2012 12:12:02 pm

By the way, I love your writing motto! :)

1/9/2012 01:04:21 pm

Thanks!

Misha link

1/9/2012 05:18:52 pm

I'm not really a resolution person either, since I've realized that I get a lot more done when I fly by the seat of my pants.

Still, this year I set goals again (with the goal of seeing at least six of them through), because there's something to be said for setting out (publicly) to do something and getting it done.

So this year, my goals aren't really to get me moving. They're more there to hold me accountable to KEEP moving towards what I want.

1/10/2012 02:23:47 pm

Goals are good. Just the idea of setting goals or resolutions gives me the hebbie-jeebies. My husband says it's because I'm afraid to commit to anything, and that could very well be it. But so far, I think I'm doing okay. Good luck with your goals. Let me know how it goes.

Michael Offutt link

1/10/2012 12:59:21 am

As I said to you on twitter, I think it's funny that you are at the gym to exercise, yet don't factor in that walking further from across the parking lot is just warming your muscles up and allowing them to cool down. I think you should rethink your aversion to parking far from the door if indeed the goal is to "burn calories". I have read often that one thing you can do to add exercise to your schedule is to take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc.

1/10/2012 02:25:17 pm

Yeah, I heard that taking the stairs does burn calories. Still, I like the elevator best--the music is so soothing :)

J. Joseph Wright link

1/10/2012 01:53:53 am

So true. The key to success is to create good habits and stick to them. Resolutions are just whims that almost never turn into habitual behavior. One must make real and true changes for the better and it must be all year 'round. Not just in January.

1/10/2012 02:26:37 pm

EXACTLY! Habits--that's it. It has to be a habit or it just won't work no matter how you resolve that it will. That's totally the word I was looking for--Habits.

Ileandra Young link

1/10/2012 04:50:23 am

Lol, previously I've made goals and been useless at keeping them because they aren't about things important to me. The usual, you know: eating less, exercising and that junk. I never EVER kept up with them (well some made it to July) until I went back to 'how I was before.'

Though saying that, I have made some writing resolutions this year. Its weird because I'm not treating them like I've treated resolutions in the past. These are more about giving me direction and focus. Because if I don't have those things I don't get anything done; I spend too much time dithering and wondering about what I should be doing. Rather than doing it.

I notice that some people have said similar things and I'm glad I'm not the only one out there; they not so much 'must achieve these objectives or else!' My resolutions are more to keep me on track and ensure that I do the things I want to do rather than the things I drift into doing because I've lost focus (or because staring at the blank page at the start of a project is really, really hard!).

1/10/2012 02:27:59 pm

I wish you all the best with your resolutions. Stay on track--and do whatever it takes to do so :)

Brooke R. Busse link

1/10/2012 05:17:44 am

While I am a resolutions person, I do agree with a few of your points. I, too, am a person whose goals nag them. And it's horrible. Absolutely horrible. I've been dealing with it for a straight six months. Which is why one of my private NYR was to not stress so much because stress just makes me not want to do anything. Taking things a little slower is way better than that.

Also, I find it easier when your goals are more specific to want exactly you want.

1/10/2012 02:31:14 pm

You know what else I found with goals and resolutions? If you just write down what you know you will actually accomplish, that works too.

ACTUALLY, the best thing I heard someone say was instead of writing NYR, they wait until the end of the year, in December, and write down everything they accomplished up to that point. Hindsight is 20/20 after all and we just may surprise ourselves just how much we actually did do. I would much rather look at all that I have done than dwell on the things I failed at. That's why no NYR for me :)

1/11/2012 01:20:56 am

I thought Coke had bubbles in it too. What a strange reason to like a soda.

Charlotte link

1/13/2012 11:42:31 pm

If I see goals as fluid, vague guidelines I'm attempting to work toward they work just fine. But as set-in-concrete things I must accomplish? No, that just makes me vow to do the opposite. As for January, though, I love this month. All the craziness of Christmas (which I also love)is over and there's a feeling of clarity unlike any other time of the year.

New Years Resolutions SUCK! 3 Reasons Why, as a Writer, I Resolve to do NOTHING.

Leave a Reply.

Now Available!
It's HERE! Get your copy today!

My Books

Fun Stuff

My BLOG Awards

New Years Resolutions SUCK! 3 Reasons Why, as a Writer, I Resolve to do NOTHING.

Leave a Reply.

Now Available!It's HERE! Get your copy today!

My Boo﻿ks

Fun Stuff

My BLOG Awards

Now Available!
It's HERE! Get your copy today!

My Books