I’ve never been much for New Years resolutions, and the ones I have made I tend to make quietly. In some things I actually do better without a lot of fanfare. For example the 53 pounds I lost this last year would have been much more difficult if people had been constantly reminding me I’d been losing weight. Much nicer to just have people comment after the bulk (literally) of the work was done.
So it’s my nature not to trumpet my successes, nor to loudly proclaim my intentions. Still, there is a particular thing I’ve been trying to do for several years now and every year my progress seems minimal. So, in the interest of doing something different to make something different happen, I thought this year I’d share this resolution in full view. I want to write more. The only thing that keeps me from being one of those annoying and pretentious people who’s constantly talking about their work on their latest great novel, but never actually finishing anything, is that I don’t talk about the numerous unfinished books I’m “working” on. So, at this moment, in this blog, I’ve crossed over from lazy and undisciplined to annoying and pretentious.
This is not an auspicious beginning to my resolution.
Anyway, as I went back to school this last semester, I was forced to write many papers for classes. As I did, I realized that the more I write, the more I write. That is, the mere act of writing papers, lead to progress being made on my books, reinvigorated this blog, and reminded me that sometime I like to write.
Anyway, the long and short is that to cultivate the habit of writing, I’ve decided I want to blog more. So I’ve embraced Word Presses challenge to blog a minimum of once a week for all of 2011.
They gave me as a sample blog the following sentenced about this challenge. “I know it won’t be easy, but it might be fun, inspiring, awesome and wonderful. ” Geesh. wouldn’t that be nice?! I resolve to do my best in this area but not to always succeed:-)
“Anyway, if you already read my blog, I hope you’ll encourage me with comments and likes, and good will along the way.” True, and if you don’t then it doesn’t matter what I hope you’ll do cause you’re not reading this anyway:-)
So there it is a resolution in full view where you all can see if I succeed or not. Next blog I’m going to solicit some advice on things to discuss, adventures to engage in, or essay topics you’d be interested in.
And then, oddly the sample post about this encouraged me to close this way
“Signed,
<Your Name Here>”
Well, ok then.
Signed
<Your Name Here>
p.s. Are you making any new years resolutions? I’d love to see them here in the comments if you want yours in full view too.
Dave, I’m sending lots of encouragement your way on this. I haven’t set my resolutions yet this year, but I always try to do a few low key things throughout the year. Slow progress is still progress.
Thanks Jim!
Every book on writing that I have ever read says that the more you do it (in any form) the better you get at it. I know if I did some songwriting, it would inspire me to do MORE songwriting. Even poetry would work…As for my resolutions, I don’t honestly have any. Not because I don’t have a ton of things I’d like to accomplish, but probably because right now, I just don’t have any confidence in my ability to actually follow through. Good luck to you!!! I hope yours goes wonderfully, though!
Yeah, I often personally find New Years resolutions kind of counterproductive, but this just seemed a different sort of situation.