Ever make a plan with high hopes, only to see it crash and burn? That’s been my year. While I haven’t accomplished many goals, I have started several projects, and I’ve made progress in completing them. I’m grateful that I’m moving in the right direction, and picking up speed. Here’s some of the items I’ve been trying to check off my 2018 To Do list.
Writing. The plan was to write three books, prepare them for publishing (decent covers, a couple rounds of editing) and then release them 3 to 4 weeks apart. All in 2018. Yeah, that didn’t happen, although I have started the first drafts of book 1 and book 2. Now my goal is to push for a Spring 2019 release, which sounds just as crazy, but that’s the plan.
Marketing. Oh yes. A blog, a newsletter, social media — the whole nine yards. Probably the most important thing I completed this year was simply getting started. Now to keep up with it all.
Personal routine. This has been my biggest hurdle to overcome. I’m still struggling to establish systems for my regular daily priorities. Recently, someone suggested that it takes ninety days to really develop a habit, so I’ve started my own 90-day challenge to accomplish four priorities each day: Walk, exercise, write a novel, and journal. My initial goal is to somehow get these done each day, and eventually build a routine that gets them done at a semi-regular time. I’m five days in and I’ve been successful so far. The big focus is on doing the thing daily, not how much. Ten words count as writing, one push-up counts as exercise — my focus is on building the habit first, then setting additional goals for those habits.
My word for 2018 was Forward, and I don’t know that I made a lot of forward progress this year. But I have started, and I have taken the first baby steps in the right direction. That’s something worth celebrating.
So what progress are you proud of this year? Maybe it’s big, maybe it seems small. But let us know what you’re working on, and what’s moving in the right direction for you!
My mantra this year is ” Always forward”. I applaud you for the progress you are making. Wish you the best in 2019.
Thank you! Yes, my favorite Rocky speech where he tells his son to “… keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!” Here’s to moving forward in 2019. 🙂