Cyn

Wow! 2006! Can you believe it? The new year is already off to a good start. One of my publishers is very interested in a completed novel, and is taking a serious look at a proposed sequel to another. I can see the next few months being very busy writing wise!

Like many of you, I've also made a couple of resolutions. For me, a resolution is a new opportunity to make a positive change in my life.  My biggest resolution  is increasing my daily word count, followed closely by moving my body more. I do not intend to be ill the way I was last year!

But, how do you go about fulfilling a resolution? Experts say one of the first things to do is make the resolution positive, specific, and graduated. Not, "I will lose weight." Something more along the lines of "I will weigh 130 pounds by June 1st, 120 pounds by October 1st.."

The second thing I've determined over the past few years is that for me, I need to chart my progress somehow. My specific resolution regarding my body is this: I will become more physically active by walking ten minutes a day between now and April 1st, twenty minutes a day from April through June 30th, and thirty minutes from July 1st for the remainder of the year. Every day I complete this goal, I put a tiny heart sticker on my wall calendar. It's encouraging to see those stickers.

In my writing, I want to be able to accomplish the completion of five books this year. In order to do that, I did some math. I also took into account there are some months I just don't accomplish much in, like November and December. When you know you are going to have difficulty with your schedule in getting certain things accomplished, don't add more pressure ... take the time to include the "off" time in your calculations.

That means a book done in approximately eight weeks in order to meet the goal. At a minimum of 40,000 words that means I need to write at least 2,000 words a day, five days a week or for me about 50 pages per week.. On my desk, I have a chart labeled Monday - Saturday with a week total column, and a year to date column. I love seeing those numbers climb.

There is an old adage that says a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Nowhere does it say what sort of first step is taken. It might be a baby step, it might be a stumble, it might be a leap, all that matters is the first step. Even when that first step falters be it an hour, a day, a month ... the first step is always right there waiting for you.

Dieting? Have a day when you go off and really binge? Fine. Accept that, then take your next first step. It may take longer than you planned, but if you keep adding up those first steps, eventually you'll hit your goal.

Happy New Year everyone. May you be more blessed than you hoped for.