Like many people I start each January with a list of resolutions of all the things I’m going to accomplish during this calendar year. You know the list – ambitious, optimistic, unrealistic goals. Most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions by March and have forgotten all about them by April. Not me.
I stop actively pursuing those goals by March, but I tell (lie to) myself that I’ll get back to them. November is generally the month that I drag out the list and convince (lie to) myself that it’s not too late – that I just have to make an aggressive game plan, and maybe scale back a bit. Why November? Because I don’t want to get bummed out (drunk) New Year’s Eve, ruminating how I didn’t check any items off my resolutions list. And because I’m realistic enough to know I’ll be much too busy in December with Christmas stuff.
So, here’s my 2020 revised (fantasy) list of resolutions for November:
- Lose weight. I know I’m not going to lose forty or fifty pounds like I’d planned in January. But I can still lose thirty. A pound a day, right? Plan: eat only green things that have almost no calories, except for a thin slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving alongside my thin slice of lean turkey breast, no gravy.
- Get my home organized. Color code everything. Pare down my belongings. Embrace minimalism. Make room for joy. Plan: Invite Marie Kondo to move in with me.
- Organize my writing. Update (start) my character bible. Corral all my research. Stop scribbling notes on the backs of envelopes. Start outlining; stop pantsing. Plan: Use Scrivener. I actually have installed Scrivener on my computer. (My husband installed Scrivener on my computer. But, I have watched the intro tutorial).
In addition to getting serious about my New Year’s resolutions, I’m tepidly attempting NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in which participants write a 50,000-word novel during November. I figure it should be a cinch once I get organized. And as soon as I figure out how to use Scrivener the novel will practically write itself, right?
You probably won’t see me (anymore than usual) on Facebook this month. Wish me luck!
Are you serious about New Year’s resolutions, or goals in general? Do you devise a game plan to meet your goals? Anybody else attempting NaNoWriMo? Share in the comments.
Chicks on the Case 
Thanks for sharing, Vickie! I’ve stopped doing resolutions. Instead, I have a one-word theme for the next year (like “hope” or “kindness”).
LikeLiked by 2 people
What an awesome idea, Jen!
LikeLike
Great idea, Jen! I think my word for this year must’ve been forgetful, lol!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love that, Jen!!
LikeLike
I never make New Year’s resolutions because I fear one more than that pushes my less-than buttons. But I need to lose thirty pounds too, Vickie! Diet buddies, perhaps???
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw, let’s just be cocktail buddies, El — I feel good about our chances for success!
LikeLiked by 2 people
LOL Vickie!
LikeLike
I’m also in the No Resolutions camp. Makes it so much easier to not have to do them, lol! And besides, I think it’s a fine thing to scribble notes on the back of envelopes….and then have to dig through the recycling to find them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You, too, Leslie?! Then there are those special times when I discover an important note, or $20 bill, in my pocket that’s been there for months!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haven’t found a $20 bill in my pockets, alas, for many years now…
LikeLike
The only year I’ve actively kept my new year’s resolution was the year I resolved not to make any. Some years, I do a bit better than others, but by this point in the year, I’m back to my old ways and thinking about how I can start over again come January.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Mark, sounds like you’ve found a system that works for you, lol! I haven’t let my lack of success deter me from making a list. (I like making lists, and always put something on there I know I’ll get to mark off — like finishing a book I’m under contract for!)
LikeLike
You may not be surprised to learn I have a wall-sized dry erase 12-month calendar on the wall of my workshop. Since the last thing on it was the Puzzling Ink launch last week, I guess it’s time to start over, eh? I’m all about the color coding but I only put major things on it. It allows me to see the big picture of my year so I can see I really do have enough time to get all those things done! (And it helped jog my memory when I forgot I had a deadline for the third crossword puzzle book … d’oh!) Of course, I can’t redo my calendar until I clear my work bench, which I can’t do until I have some free time, which I can’t do until I wrap up all this launch stuff …….
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am NOT surprised, Becky, lol! You take the golden egg for being the most organized Chick!
Have you ever written on your dry erase board with the wrong kind of marker? I used to have one, but, um…
LikeLike
No … but now I’m totally worried I will!!
LikeLike
Love this post, Vickie! And I think it explains a lot about why we are such good friends. I could print your list out and use it as my own—except I have Plottr rather than Scrivener installed. Scrivener immediately looked way too hard to me, learning curve-wise. I still create index cards the traditional way, and store them in a cute little box, which I drop Every Single Time I bring them out. My resolution list is more of a wish list, but I do feel virtuous coming up with the items.
LikeLike
Thanks, Lisa! Take a tip from me and ALWAYS put some stuff on your list that you know you’ll be able to mark off!
I’ve done index cards, too.But mostly I type scenes in separate documents, then paste them into manuscript, since this is the least efficient way to do things! (Still haven’t worked up the courage to try Scrivener.)
LikeLike
Vickie,
if you have any questions about scrivener you know who to contact. I’ve been using it for a decade. I still don’t know all the bells and whistle ‘s, I just use what works for me. I personally, love the stupid software. LOL!
LikeLike
Vickie, this is so great and relatable. And I would be happy accomplishing any ONE of the things on your list. Also: “I figure it should be a cinch once I get organized” is like you’re inside my mind!!
LikeLike
I think getting inside your head would be a lovely visit, since you’re one of the nicest people I know!
LikeLike
Hey Chicks!
I should not be responding to this post, because I’m supposed to be doing Nanowrimo right now. I’m at 15,000 words as of midnight last night.
I am so organized I overwhelm myself! I have a daily planner I use, and I write everything in it. Each month I list the goals I want to accomplish. I don’t do resolutions, because I know I will fail! It’s much easier to do a couple of monthly goals than set up yearly ones.
And I am still trying to lose the baby weight from 35 years ago. It goes off and comes back. I am healthy, so I have learned to be comfortable with myself in case it refuses to budge.
LikeLike
Hesitate, you are amazing! And congrats on NaNo, so far. Fifteen thousand words is wonderful!
LikeLike
*Hestia*
LikeLike
This is hilariously relatable, Vickie!
I’m not much for resolutions. I’m more about micro-goals and how accomplishing even the wee little things can feel pretty dang big. Oh, and champagne on New Year’s Eve.
LikeLike
I’ll join you for champagne on pretty much any eve, Kathy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll drink to that, Vickie!
LikeLike
I’m late to the party here. I used to have goals for each year. I stopped that when I had to write two books a year. Now it’s one goal: Don’t go crazy. The jury is out on whether I accomplish it every year. 🙂
LikeLike
I don’t usually do New Year’s resolutions because I already know I probably won’t bother. I had plans to do NaNo this year, but those got sidelined when my September/October goals didn’t get done. With any luck I will finish by the end of the year what I wanted to accomplish this autumn!
LikeLike