The New Year is fast approaching. It’s traditionally a time to establish resolutions for improvement. Mine often revolve around eating healthier and exercising more. This year, I decided to add a writing resolution. We all have our own dreams and aspirations, but it can seem daunting to convert them into attainable goals. Norman Vincent Peale once said, “Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” There’s no harm in setting lofty goals and resolutions—even if we fall short, we’re still making progress on our journey.
Sometimes the end goal seems like it’s totally out of reach, even if I climb up a ladder. I have to break it into smaller parts so it’s more digestible. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.” I have more faith in my ability to achieve a goal if I have a plan of action or a to-do list. I derive great satisfaction from crossing something off. Sometimes I add something I’ve already completed just so I can draw a line through it!
I want to publish a cozy mystery book. To do so, I have to finish the book. And I can’t finish the book if I don’t sit down and write. So, my writing resolution is to get my seat in the seat and write a little every day. It’s easy to get distracted by other responsibilities and the mundane tasks in our daily lives. If I don’t intentionally carve out time for writing, I never seem to find the time. Any open space in my schedule gets filled, kind of like my closets.
We are often our own worst critics. I speak from experience. We need to cut ourselves some slack, and focus on the strides we are making instead of our missteps or missed steps. I’m going to try to change my perspective next year and find satisfaction in each step taken on the road to publication.
