Monday, January 17, 2011

Happy New Year!

Here I am, wishing you all a happy new year, and the first month of that year is already more than half over. Hard to believe, isn’t it? I hope you had wonderful holidays and that your 2011 has gotten off to a great start.

This is the time of year I, along with most of the population, like to make resolutions.

You know what the number-one goal is, don’t you? Of course, you do. Say it with me:

“LOSE WEIGHT!”

I’d recently attended a workshop where the speaker announced how many people actually follow through on the resolutions they set for a new year. The answer:

Two percent.

That’s right.

Two.

And I’m proud to say I can’t be counted among them.

Last year, I went for the weight-loss goal, among others. In 2010, I lost almost two pounds. :-) That’s not so wonderful, is it? But it’s much better than going in the opposite direction!

Fortunately, I made more progress with my writing goals.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a blog on goal setting (http://bit.ly/f4F8k4). It must have been even more of a challenge than I'd planned, as many readers stopped by the blog that day but only a couple of them left comments. Either everyone was recovering from Christmas and getting ready for New Year’s Eve or else the idea I’d presented was more than people wanted to take on.

Or maybe the problem was that the post involved homework. :-)

Whether or not those people who read the blog entry have found time to do the homework, I hope they’ve taken a look at their goals. I have, and it’s been worth it. Among my aims for this year, I’ve vowed to lose weight—of course!—and to do a heck of a lot of writing.

As of yesterday, I’m down 1.3 pounds. That’s well on the way to beating last year’s goals already. But I’m taking the weight loss a week at a time.

As for the writing, I’m working on that every day.

How about you? Have you set any goals for yourself this year? If so, how are you doing with them?

All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com

10 comments:

Liz Lipperman said...

Barbara, I agree, 2 pounds are 2 pounds. I always set weight-loss goals and always fall short. So this year I've modified it a little. My goal is to exercise more and eat a little healthier and not worry about the pounds.Cross your fingers that I stick to it.

As for writing, having a deadline pretty much takes the goal planning out of your hands. Still, as an undisciplined writer, I'm trying to write so many pages a week.

At my local RWA chapter, we make goals every December and put them in a sealed envelope. The following December they are passed out and we can see how we did. It's kind of cool.

Great post and happy New Year's.

Barbara White Daille said...

Liz - happy new year again, and congrats on the sensible weight-loss goal. Follow that, and you're sure to be a success.

As for the writing and deadlines, I hear you.

Good luck with your weekly page count!

And thanks for stopping by.

Barbara
www.barbarawhitedaille.com

Gillian Layne said...

I thought I was doing well with writing goals, but trying to finish requested revisions is pretty daunting for me. I agree with the suggestions, or most of them, but I'm finding it difficult to blend the old with the new and not have it be one big disjointed mess. And of course it's so hard to cut lines I like but that don't really fit anymore.

If I'd realized how much of writing is re-writing, I wouldn't have spent nearly so much time worrying over the first draft. :)

Barbara White Daille said...

Gillian - you've heard the line about having to "kill our darlings" when it comes to revision? It's so true.

And so hard!

The best tip I've heard: make a separate file for the good lines, descriptions, scenes, etc. that you cut so you'll still have them handy if needed for that manuscript or another one.

Chances are, you'll never look in the file again, but the security of knowing it's there can be a big help.

Good luck!

Barbara
www.barbarawhitedaille.com

Dale Mayer said...

As you well know I did well on the weight loss thing last year, but I'd hoped to do more - always an issue with me. Now I'm trying to be more realistic this year.

Lovely post!

Estella said...

I don't set goals and have decided my weight is where it is gonna stay.

Trish Milburn said...

I always set a lot of ambitious goals each year. Some I meet, some I don't. But just the setting of them force me to make forward progress. I have the weight loss one again this year and will until I hit my goal weight. I'm down 2.6 pounds so far.

Barbara White Daille said...

Estella - sounds good. I'm glad you've found what works for you.

Barbara
www.barbarawhitedaille.com

Barbara White Daille said...

Dale - I think we all always want more. But you're right, I do know the success you had in 2010, and it was fabulous!

Good luck this year, too. I know you can do it.

Barbara
www.barbarawhitedaille.com

Barbara White Daille said...

Hi, Trish - congrats on the progress you've made already! That's an awesome start.

And I agree, the important part is setting the goal. With the weight, I wouldn't have lost those 2 pounds if I hadn't been shooting to drop 12. LOL

Barbara
www.barbarawhitedaille