Looking Forward to the Year Ahead

Jan 01 2012 Published by under The Quest, The Writing Life

Happy 2012!

Happy 2012!

Graphic courtesy of NKSharma888

Once again I’m amazed that another year has passed so quickly. It’s the same amount of days, weeks and months as previous years. So why does it feel like time is passing so much faster?

Perhaps the more time has passed in your life, the more aware you become of the sand slipping through the hourglass.

Maybe that’s why 2011 – though it was filled with ups and downs – was a good year for me. I set finite goals, developed a workable plan and stayed focused on achieving my end goal. I am proud of how well the year ended. But what I am most proud of is how hard I fought when things looked bleak. Of course, it helps when you have a supportive spouse, great family, and friends who are both your cheerleaders and advocates.

As I look forward to exciting accomplishments during the year ahead I am reminded of how important it is to set those goals and to share them with others. So I am doing that here.

Writing Goals for 2012:

  1. Continue to work toward of goal of becoming a published author of women’s fiction. (Broad goal, but important to state.)
  2. Join Romance Writers of America.
  3. Join the RWA Women’s Fiction Chapter.
  4. Join my local RWA chapter.
  5. Be active in both chapters.
  6. Remain active with my local critique group. (This has been a tremendous help to me as a writer.)
  7. Query two agents per week with completed manuscript.
  8. Participate in one writing contest per month.
  9. Take two additional writing craft classes this year.
  10. Attend a writer’s conference or workshop.
  11. Build short story writing skills.
  12. Pursue freelance writing opportunities.
  13. Write or edit a minimum of 100 words per day.

Life Goals

  1. Meditate daily.
  2. Eat healthier.
  3. Workout daily.
  4. Drink 6-8 glasses of water per day.
  5. Keep a daily journal.
  6. Revive “date night” with the hubby.
  7. Reconnect with one person each week.
  8. Pursue degree in Communication.
  9. Increase value at work.

Some of the goals listed above are vague. There are a few specifics I’m keeping close to the vest. (Hey, a girl’s gotta have some mystery about her!)

One of my goals listed above is keeping a daily journal. A task I’ve tried and quickly abandoned many times before. But writing in a journal is cathartic. It is also a wonderful way to inspire creativity. I will use my daily journal entries to record what I’ve done in pursuit of my goals. What better way to create accountability and keep focused on my primary life and career goals?

What are your goals for 2012 and how do you plan to reach them?

 

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Explore. Challenge. Write.

2 responses so far

  • http://demetriafostergray.com/demegray/ Demetria

    Roxanne, you are a brave one. I still haven’t gotten up enough nerve to publicize my list of goals to the masses. I can talk about one or two of them in general terms, but I usually don’t share them all with others. I know publicizing them helps hold you accountable to them, but the “up close and personal/private” side of me just won’t allow me to do that, just yet. One day.

    Also, that journal writing thing I, too, have tried and abandoned several times. You’d think it would come easy for us writers. Yet, one obstacle for me is being able to truly write my deep, dark feelings in a journal for fear it would fall into the wrong hands. I search far and wide for journals with locks on them, and can’t for the life of me understand how people use journals without locks. But even with the locks I still don’t find total relief. Locks can be broken, and journals are VERY personal.

    Okay, I’ll stop all my blabbering now. Good luck on achieving your goals.

  • http://MindfulBanter.com/ RoxStar in Raleighwood

    Sharing my goals publicly is terrifying. Believe. But it definitely gives you an increased sense of urgency and accountability. So far things are going quite well and I have lots of things to cross of my list.

    I get your issue with journals, too. I’ve had that happen. I have to admit, I am not as explicit with my expressions in my journals as I once was, but it is definitely a step in the right direction.