Hi everyone! *waves madly*
New Year has hit and along with the new year, we like to
make resolutions. I've heard some people say, what's the point of resolutions
if you're just going to break it?
Well, what is the point? Just think, what if none of us ever
tried to make our lives better, to treat ourselves better? What then? I think
the new year just gives us a new beginning, a place to start. For my writing, I
use NaNo as a good jump start place to get me back in the habit.
New Year's resolutions are another place to get yourself
back into the swing of things. As for breaking it, first, try not to make
unrealistic resolutions. Second, there's breaking it, and then there's breaking
it. Like me. I've been very sick for a year and a half. I've finally had more
than a month without needing my nebulizer. So I started walking with my young
son while waiting for the bus. Mostly good until I had double ear infections,
then I cut back on the walking.
Did that mean I broke my resolution? No. It meant I had a
double ear infection and, with my history, couldn't push my body. Finally, ears
quit hurting, so I made a plan. First one thing then the other interfered.
Until, finally, I could go for a walk with my boys. We all walked, had a blast,
no need for inhaler. Next step, went walking with only the older boys and used
the c25k week 1 to start up.
Wait, did you see me say the next day? No. It was a few days
later. Does that mean I broke my resolution? No, it means I had to take care of
life. Does that mean I quit and don't keep trying? No, it means I celebrate
because I didn't need my inhaler, and made it over a mile. A couple days later,
I went again, c25k week 1. I will do week 1 three weeks. At least. I need to
strengthen my lungs. Muscle wise, I could easily, despite my weight, go week to
week. But 2 weeks of week one makes it better. But I need to fix my lungs
first. So, if I have to do 3 weeks of a week other people can just do one, does
that mean I broke my resolution? No, it means I do those damn three weeks,
strengthen my lungs and be grateful I can even walk. You know why? Because a
year ago, I could barely walk from being weak. 11 months ago, I got so sick, I
was basically bed ridden—husband's orders—for nearly two weeks. Usually, it's
you're fine, when's dinner, but yeah, sick. Took me another 6 weeks to go more
than a day without needing my inhaler. So did yard work, worked my tail off,
and did the c25k. I managed to go 6 weeks without needing my inhaler, except
when running, and not always then, before the heat and the weeds attacked
again. But that's okay. A little Benadryl, and a lot of inhaler, and I
continued to do yard work as long as I could. But I digressed until I ended up
at the doctors and started the whole thing again. Only this time, allergies hit
hard. Daily allergy pills, Benadryl, etc, and still ill until October.
Does that mean I broke my resolution? No. It means reality
bites sometimes, and as soon as you can, you get back up, wipe off your arse,
and you try again. I'm trying again.
I did not write as much as I'd like, and in fact, am
currently working on finding balance with writing, editing, family, and
relaxation. However, I kept going, even though it would have been easier to
give up.
It's the same when writing. Things will get in the way, no
matter what you do. So, give yourself a break. Here's my suggestion to making
New Year's resolutions.
Make realistic goals—not too easy, but if you're currently
not exercising, don't say you'll run a full marathon by end of March.
Make allowances, not excuses. I ran until I had to take my
inhaler 4 times in a half hour period. That is stupid stubbornness and not
determination. Don't do that. If you got up at 2,230,3,330 with sick kids, then
up at 6 am for work, then work 10 hours, then come home, make dinner. Well, you
might be exhausted. That would be making an allowance. If you slept 10 hours,
worked 4, well, then, going to work is an excuse to not do something if you say
you can't because you had to work.
Take baby steps. This falls within the purview of making
realistic goals, but is important. Make sure and congratulate yourself on
making smaller goals on the way to the bigger one.
Remember: You. Are. Not. Alone. Find someone with similar
goals, or who is willing to say, hey how are you doing re this goal?
Visualize. What do you want, where do you want to go, how do
you want to get there? Find something that can be the symbol of your goal, and
keep working.
Figure out what it is you really want. Losing 50 pounds. Is
that what you really want? Or is it that you want to feel better, healthier
physically? If that's your goal, perhaps 30 min/3x a week is a better goal than
losing 50 pounds. Make sure your goals are taking you where you want to go.
Never. Ever. Give up. You will want to. You may even think
you have. But as long as you bend over, pick up that baton and start running
again, you will eventually cross that finish line. How fast you go is up to
you.
Remember, breaking your resolution can be a permanent, or a
temporary thing. Are you on pause? Or have you turned off the game? Only you
know the true answer to that.
My goal this year is to write consistently. I'd like three
more stories published, more if they're all shorts. It's possible. New Year's
Eve is a good time to start that magic. After all, if I hadn't made my goals
last year, then I would not have accomplished all that I had. I would not be
where I am. I would not have published three anthologies, a novel, and a
novella, with another anthology to start off the new year. I wouldn't be
rewriting a couple of stories for resubmission to my editor. I wouldn't have
expanded my wings. I would have wallowed in self pity, instead of only dipping
a toe in before deciding I didn't like the water. I didn't get 10 books
accepted last year. Does that mean I broke last year's resolution? No. It means
the resolution took me further than I could have gone with no goal, no purpose,
nothing to shoot for.
“Ravaged – Volume 2” is a newly released anthology by Breathless
Press. You can find Leona’s story, Witchy Wolf, inside along with other fabu
stories!
Want to keep up with this
shooting star? You can find her at:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLeonaBushman
https://www.facebook.com/LeonaBushmanArtisteExtraordinaire
Leona, thank you so much for being my guest today!
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