So This is 2012…
I’m not into New Year’s Eve. I never really have been. It all seems rather arbitrary to me. I mean, when you think about it, every day is the start of a new year, right? We could just as easily celebrate October 22 or June 30 or April 3 as New Year’s Eve. And it’s not that I can’t stay up late–I’m up till midnight most nights, really. My owl nature doesn’t like to shut down before 11:00 or so. I’m just kind of a Scrooge about New Year’s Eve.
But I do understand the need to periodically look back and reflect on where we’ve been and look forward to where we’re going. So I’ve been reflecting on 2011. I re-read my resolutions for last year, and oh my Gandalf, y’all. What was I thinking? It’s not that any of those were bad, but they didn’t take into account the rest of my world. They were only about writing.
If there’s one thing the year 2011 brought home to me, it’s that I am incapable of putting my writing in a compartment. I can consider writing my full-time job all I want, but I can’t ignore my family, my house, or my other obligations.
A Facebook friend challenged us to come up with one word for 2012, and I think mine will be balance. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I have a lot of trouble with balance, so 2012 is about integrating writing into my life in healthier ways. As a result, my writing goals for 2012 are somewhat unusual in that they aren’t really measurable, but here they are:
- I resolve to stop comparing or feeling jealous of other peoples’ writing careers. In the immortal words of Popeye, “I yam what I yam.” My speed is my speed. My sales are my sales. My audience is my audience. I will live and let live and congratulate sincerely and offer advice only when asked and plod along.
- I resolve to stop putting unreasonable deadlines on myself and to quit publicizing publishing dates until the work is done and ready to go. I cannot tell you all how horrible I feel about not having finished Bloodbonded yet. I’d really hoped to have it done by now. There are many, many reasons why it isn’t, and I don’t really want to go into all of them, but at this point, I have no idea when it will be available. I am learning, slowly but surely, that everything goes better when I play it close to the vest. I’ll be doing a lot more of that in 2012.
- I resolve to read more. I don’t know when I’ll accomplish this feat, but I resolve to do it.
- I resolve to maintain my publishing agnosticism. “This bowl of porridge is just right,” said Goldilocks. She was right. I like this new position of no position when it comes to publishing. It helps me maintain my inner peace.
- I resolve to find some new happies. I need to rediscover some joyful things besides writing. You know—hobbies. If I find a few happies, I won’t feel so unbalanced. I’m not a complete nitwit in other areas of creativity. I used to knit, crochet, cross stitch, and scrapbook. Not well, perhaps, but I did. I also used to play the piano. I haven’t played in… years. I miss it, sort of. It made me happy. I need more happies.
I don’t want to make it sound like 2011 was a bad year, because it wasn’t. It was a great year. I published Ravenmarked and Servant of Dreams. I had a short story in the Twelve Worlds anthology for charity. I went to Europe. My family stayed healthy, and we even found out that Squirrel’s peanut allergy isn’t as bad as we originally thought. We took a fun family vacation. The kids continued to thrive in school and extracurricular things. I celebrated my 20th wedding anniversary. I mean, lots of great things happened in 2011. This is just what made the short list–there are other things I didn’t even mention.
But I do want 2012 to be filled with a lot less angst and a lot more joy. I think balance is the key.
If you could pick one word for 2012, what would it be for you?
My word for 2012 is write. It kind of ties to your 2011 goal – write first, edit second, tweet and all that jazz whenever. (Of course, here I am commenting when my writing time started at 11am PST. Not off to a stellar start, am I?!)
It’s possible that non-measurable resolutions are the best because they remind us it’s not about the goal, it’s about the journey, and that usually consists of two steps forward, one step back. Happy 2012, it’s going to be a fantastic year.
LOL, Cathryn. I wanted to write today, too, but life got in the way… All the beasties are back in school on Wednesday, though, and then maybe we can all get back into a routine…
I like you’re point about non-measurable resolutions being about the journey. That’s a great point. I do have some measurable goals for this year, but they’re personal and not related to writing at all. Still, I fully expect they’ll also consist of a two steps forward, one step back journey. Happy 2012 to you as well!
My 2011 word was “joy”. I haven’t thought too much about my word for 2012, but I have noticed (distressingly) that I fritter away far too much time and energy on useless or unimportant things. So, this year I’d like to be more focused and intentional on doing things that are important to me, even if they are harder to do.
I’m not sure how to sum it all up into one word, though. Focus? Intentionality? Prioritize?
Rabia, I like “focus,” but it has baggage, doesn’t it? But maybe if you define it in a way that works for you, that could work. I totally get what you’re saying–spending too much time and energy on the useless, unimportant things is a big issue for me, too. I think that’s part of my balance challenge–I need to determine what those pointless things are and eliminate or greatly reduce them.
I love your word for 2011! I hope you found joy, and I hope you continue to find it in 2012!
I think I would go with ‘discovery’ as I am exploring new things for me, old things too, setting aside some other things and just learning, growing and exploring. Just one word is hard! lol Balance is going to be important too, as I have so much to juggle. it’s going to be great.
I like your resolutions! They should make for a really great year
Oo, discovery! That’s a great one. I think that really suits where you are right now, too. And I love your energy.
I wish you all the best in 2012, Cassie!
My word for 2011: Change – As I moved, and ended about 5 friendships that were not really proper friendships and were actually bad for me.
For 2012, I think I’d like my word to be a simple one: HAPPINESS
Because I just want to feel at peace with a lot of things…
I don’t really do resolutions, I find that you set yourself up for failure by being overly-ambitious at times, so I’ll just say that the one thing I want to achieve in 2012 is to be finished with my boy’s novel, and to be able to say I sent at least ONE query letter to an agent…
Happy New Year
Change is a hard word, isn’t it? But it sounds like you made changes that were healthy and right, and that’s good, even when it’s tough to do. I love your word for 2012, Alannah. I wish you the best in 2012 and hope your bucket overflows with happiness by the end of the year.
Excellent ideas all around, Amy! I think 2011 must have brought you a lot of wisdom, particularly about yourself and your own limitations. We all have those; it’s just a matter of recognising them and making them a part of your strength. Good luck with your balance.
~Ashlee
http://ashleesch.com
http://theDragonsHoard.bigcartel.com
Thanks, Ashlee. The irony about wisdom is that the more you gain, the more you realize you still need. I think the same can be said of writing ability, too.
Best to you in 2012!
I think you’ve nailed the best word for 2012. I had mixed feelings about 2011 because I just felt so damned beat up by the last twelve months. But then I realized it wasn’t 2011 that did that to me, it was my unrealistic expectations for myself. I’m not sure how I’m going to change that in the coming year, but I think trying to stay aware of it is a good start.
I think you had a great 2011, Lisa. Dang, you accomplished a LOT! Maybe a good word for you is “appreciate”–as in, appreciate the things you accomplish.
All the best to you in 2012, my friend!
My word is “forward.” It’s positive and slightly ambiguous. I like ambiguity. It gives you an out and sometimes we need a recess from the “nose-to-grindstone gotta-get-it-done-today” attitude that is always hammering away. Thanks for the insights, Amy.
I love it, Alice. I like ambiguity, too.
Happy new year to you!