Ready to Ring in the New Year

Dear Maggie,

Did you make any New Year’s resolutions this year?

Sincerely,

Resolute in Reno

Dear Resolute,

I definitely use the turning of the calendar to review my previous year, make adjustments, and set new intentions. Most often, rather than creating specific goals, I think about what I want to accomplish and then try to align my resolutions around those things. For example, this past year, I didn’t have enough time for my own writing projects. As much as I enjoyed paid work as a free-lancer, it took away from my ability to produce original content.

My intent, as an author, is to have a robust body of work and continue to produce original novels. If I spend half my time writing for someone else, well, there are only so many hours in the day! So, I’ve opted to stop working for other people, at least for this year, and focus exclusively on my own writing. To that end, I have a goal in mind as far as content, but it’s pretty aggressive. With a nod to reality, I’ve built some flexibility into my schedule.

As far as other New Year’s resolutions, I’ve found my current fitness and wellness habits really work… when I stick with them. In fact, physically, I felt really good last year after sorting out some previous issues. I tend to go off the rails a bit between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I’m eager to get back to my routine. My trick, as far as exercise, is to create a workout schedule filled with activities I enjoy at times I enjoy doing them. No more 5 am dates with the treadmill. Instead, yoga, barre, and hiking at reasonable times of the day! I take a similar approach with nutrition in that I try to create a lifestyle habit rather than adhere to a diet. This way I don’t feel deprived, but I’m still paying attention to my fitness.

A stark lesson from the last few years is that the world can change in an instant, and this moment is all we are guaranteed. The habit of realigning our priorities, both personally and professionally, is a good one. The new year isn’t the only time I assess and make adjustments, but there’s something powerful when we do this collectively. I love the concept of a fresh start. I think we’re all entitled to one, and I’m happy to use ringing in the New Year as an opportunity.

Wishing you all a healthy and happy 2022!