12 Things I Want to Do in 2012

You might call them resolutions. Or plans. Or a to-do list. Whatever you want to call it, I have 12 totally obtainable things that I really want to do this year. The point of these goals was to reach high — but also be realistic. There’s no reason I can’t be successful with every single one of these goals.

So, here you go. These are my personal goals for 2012.

Read 52 Books – Last year I read somewhere between 40 and 45 books. That was good, but I can do better — so this year I am aiming to read 52 books — one for every week of the year.

Weigh Less Than Today – I could totally set a goal to lose x pounds. But that seldom works. And in the end, what I really want is to be healthier today than I was yesterday and healthier tomorrow than today.

Hand-write (and Send) 1 Letter Each Month – I think handwritten letters are a lost art that should be revived. So I am going to aim to write one every month this year.

Get Ahead of Deadlines – I have always been deadline-driven and really thrive on deadlines. But this year, I want to get things done even sooner — less stress that way. You know, as in before the deadline.

Be Hyper Organized – Look, I know where all my receipts are. And I can tell you just what pile that book I am reading for work is in. But I can do better. So in 2012, I want to be super organized — spreadsheets for all my expenses and income from day one and so on.

Pitch Every Month – Some people get a rush about preparing pitches for editors. For me, the rush comes with the idea. But the pitching part? Cringe. So I can get a little … lazy about it. Not a good thing. This year, I am making it my goal to pitch every single month. It’s important — especially if I am going to have the financial freedom for some of these resolutions.

Craft a Book Proposal – Like many writers, I dream of having my own book published. In fact, I once had a book deal with a really small, really new publisher, which didn’t work out (publisher closed up shop). But this year, I want to buckle down and write a new book proposal and send it out. It’s time to stop fantasizing and just do it.

Write Fiction at Least Once a Week – Fiction writing is a secret pleasure of mine, and one I have tried to get back into several times. With two books outlined in my fiction notebook, it’s time to let the characters start telling their story.

Travel New England – For my food blog, I’ve decided to write more about New England cuisine. So, it’s only natural that I take this show on the road a little and visit far-flung points in New England. Where would you go? What should we see and eat?

Vacation – In 2011, we literally had to cancel every single vacation we planned due to a variety of circumstances — from finances to intense soccer schedules. So, we never escaped for a vacation. This year, we need to. A non-work-related trip without all our usual technology.

Purge – Living a little more simply with a little less stuff around us … well, I think that’s a good thing. So I want to purge more this year. I started this project a year or two ago and have cut out a lot of stuff that was unnecessary — and stopped buying things we didn’t need too. But I need to do more and finally tackle the attic.

Dress Intentionally Every Day – You know, wearing sweats is fine. As long as I work out. But if not? Well, I can do better.

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Category: Writing Exercises