How to Help Make that New Year's Resolution Stick
A few days before January 1, my son and I couldn’t find the remote control to the nice, big television in Hubs’s Man Cave (which he insists is the Family Room, but that’s his guilt talking). We looked everywhere: between the couch cushions, underneath all the furniture, in the trash can. To no avail.This is not an unusual situation. Remote controls are constantly misplaced (courtesy of Hubs and Son, Inc.), an annoyance that prompted me to suggest via clenched teeth and tight voice: “Hey, maybe for a New Year’s Resolution, you guys could resolve to put remotes back where they belong.”From there, a family-style resolution idea was born.This year, each member of my family has pledged to resolve to work on a particular annoying behavior that has negatively affected the family as a whole.We all sat down and had to agree on each member’s choice of resolution. For instance, they wouldn’t let me get away with resolving to eat more pizza in my ongoing effort to support pizza-makers nationwide.
No, I had to choose to work on something that has bothered, annoyed, ticked off, or otherwise alienated the rest of the family.It. Was. Illuminating.What does this have to do with writing (seeing as how that’s what my blog is supposed to center upon)? Well, every year around this time hundreds of posts pop up from writers “resolving” to write more, get published, finish that book, start that book, find an agent, and all that oo de lally. And then, as the year saunters past, those writing or publishing resolutions don’t get seen through.Is it because there isn’t anyone else holding them accountable for these goals?
I have learned that we writers need a bit of hand-holding with big-ticket items—things that put our levels of commitment to the test. I'm sure that lack of accountability isn’t the only reason we don't accomplish some goals, but it’s definitely in the top 10.So writers, if you’ve resolved to do more with your writing this year, consider finding someone to hold you accountable. You can even reach out to me, if you can’t find the support you need, and I’ll do everything I can to root you on and keep you on track (albeit virtually, but one of my superpowers is virtual ass-kicking). What is your New Year's Resolution? Do you have someone holding you accountable? Do you need some virtual ass-kicking compliments of yours truly?