#WriteMotivation January

#WriteMotivation January + Question of the Month

1/4/2016

With the holidays and craft shows taking up my time November and December, I opted to skip #WriteMotivation. I was knitting instead of writing so there wasn't much progress to be had. (One goal I did want to highlight was I have a review up at StoryDam about a book on writing that I really recommend. You can check it out here.) But I knew I didn't want to give it up. As I said in my New Years Day post, it really helps keep me accountable. With that in mind, time to set some goals for January.

Go through Christine's notes. No more excuses!
Exercise on my days off.
Keep plugging away on the TBR pile
Friday Quick Fic and Weekend Picks
Start rewriting Half Slayed

Now that that is out of the way, it's time for Michael D'Agostino's question of the month.

What are some new year’s resolutions you’ve had in the past?

(If you don’t believe in new year’s resolutions, you can either explain why you don’t or you can talk about a big resolution you made that wasn’t necessarily on new year’s day.)

I've never really done resolutions. It feels like a waste of time and something I'll forget. I've gotten that impression from watching others make them and end up failing them. But after a rough 2014, for 2015 I decided I needed to do something to hold myself accountable and get stuff done. So I wrote a post highlighting some goals and made a rememberlutions jar. Both helped immensely and I'm doing them again this year. My post on my 2016 goals is here and I'll be working on filling up my jar with even more accomplishments throughout the year. Wish me luck!

38 Comments

M.J. Fifield link

1/4/2016 04:53:05 am

I was still in college when I started making new year's resolutions, or at goals for the year ahead. I'd set two hard ones, and then one easy goal. For example, one year I set a goal to eat more donuts. Not my smartest resolution ever, but a delicious one. I fail a lot (last year was a near-total wash), but I like to set them anyway.

Best of luck to you with your goals for both the month and the year!!

Patricia Lynne

1/4/2016 04:01:03 pm

So did you achieve the goal of eating more donuts?

Sarah Foster link

1/4/2016 06:55:37 am

I'm not making any actual resolutions this year because they never seem to work out.
Good luck with your goals!

Patricia Lynne

1/4/2016 04:01:25 pm

I'm not sure I've ever set a resolution.

HR Sinclair link

1/4/2016 08:21:49 am

I have goals, but no resolutions. Best of luck with yours and Happy New Year!

Patricia Lynne

1/4/2016 04:01:52 pm

Goals work better for me. Resolutions seem too set in stone and easy to fail.

C. Lee McKenzie

1/4/2016 08:43:00 am

Hope these resolutions are doable,but I'm sure they are. Mine just always vanish after the first week, so I pretend they never existed.

Patricia Lynne

1/4/2016 04:02:45 pm

That's if I don't forget what I set. I did last year and only remembered when I stumbled upon the post about it.

Alex J. Cavanaugh link

1/4/2016 08:44:27 am

Clever idea. If it works for you, do it!

Patricia Lynne

1/4/2016 04:03:32 pm

Exactly. I'm a big believer in doing what works for a person.

L.G. Keltner link

1/4/2016 09:40:49 am

I have a list of goals written out for 2016, and I hope I can meet them all. Good luck with filling up your jar! That's a great idea!

Patricia Lynne

1/4/2016 04:04:02 pm

Good luck to you too!

Jemima Pett link

1/4/2016 10:50:19 am

Good luck!

Patricia Lynne

1/4/2016 04:04:16 pm

Thanks, Jemima!

Heather M. Gardner

1/4/2016 03:48:45 pm

I try not to live one year at a time.

Best of luck with your goals. I'll have to check your vlog out!

Heather

Patricia Lynne

1/4/2016 04:04:52 pm

I generally don't either, but after 2014 being so crappy, I needed a change and decided to set goals for the year.

tara tyler link

1/6/2016 05:32:09 am

i love rememberlutions! and a jar is a great idea to remind! my goals look similar to yours, just fill in different titles... try try in 2016! happy new year!

Patricia Lynne

1/8/2016 08:26:15 am

It was a fun thing to do and I was able to keep it nearby so I wouldn't forget about it.

Aditi Kaushiva link

1/6/2016 06:09:16 am

Love the idea of rememberlutions jar! Hope it gets filled this year with many many of your accomplishments! :)

I am also not too big on resolutions but I chose a word for the year in 2015 and doing the same this time. My word is 'Focus' and to get things done!

Happy 2016 dear!

Patricia Lynne

1/8/2016 08:26:36 am

I'm hoping I can fill it more than I did last year. =)

Christine Rains link

1/6/2016 12:22:29 pm

Good luck with the jar! I set goals and hopefully I can stick to them. Speaking of which... check your email. :) Here's to a grand 2016 for all of us.

Patricia Lynne

1/8/2016 08:26:55 am

Well, now I'm excited. =D

Crystal Collier link

1/6/2016 12:56:21 pm

Remembrance jar, eh? That sounds awesome. I don't do resolutions either. I do set goals though, and typically reach them. Here's to living out the new year and making it a successful one!

Patricia Lynne

1/8/2016 08:27:24 am

I find goals much easier to achieve than resolutions.

EE Giorgi link

1/6/2016 02:50:03 pm

I'm almost ashamed to say that I've never done new year resolutions either ... the few things I do to keep healthy I've done for so long that I no longer call them resolutions :-) Happy new year, and here's to a 2016 full of creativity and inspiration :-)

Patricia Lynne

1/8/2016 08:16:13 am

I'm so not ashamed to say it! =D

Gwen Gardner link

1/6/2016 02:53:35 pm

Resolution sounds ominous so I use the word "Goal" instead. Haha! I went easy on myself this year and only set 2 goals (in public, LOL, my private one is to lose weight): to finish first drafts of the 2 outlines I wrote last year. I think I can do it :) Happy New Year!

Patricia Lynne

1/8/2016 08:27:53 am

That's how i think of it too!

Chrys Fey link

1/6/2016 03:31:49 pm

I think people end up failing resolutions because they make them too grand, don't make a plan, and aren't motivated. Like Gwen, I say goals. Makes them less stressful.

Patricia Lynne

1/8/2016 08:28:29 am

I agree. They expect too much then get discouraged when life makes it difficult.

Donna McDine link

1/6/2016 04:52:01 pm

Many moons ago I set new years resolutions and before I knew it I broke most of them and ended up disappointed. Now I live for the day!

Patricia Lynne

1/8/2016 08:28:57 am

I think it's better to live for the day anyways. =)

Michael D'Agostino link

1/6/2016 07:30:12 pm

It sounds like you're reaching your goals your own way, which is great. Good luck Patricia!

Patricia Lynne

1/8/2016 08:29:32 am

I believe it's much easier to achieve things when you figure out what works best for you.

Michael Pierce link

1/6/2016 08:10:40 pm

I've never been good with New year's resolutions, but I'm trying to work on my goal setting to increase my productivity this year. Trying to juggle work, writing, and family has so many competing priorities, I need to get myself organized. So some goals will hopefully keep me on track...mostly writing, but I need to dedicate some time to marketing, too. Cheers to a busy and productive year!

Patricia Lynne

1/8/2016 08:30:12 am

Family and day jobs: the writers biggest distractions! ;)