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Reflections and Resolutions

Happy New Year!

I'm not really a fan of New Year's resolutions, but I do it anyway.

Change happens the instant you truly want it. The date on the calendar doesn't matter when you make up your mind. In fact, I think it's easier to keep to your resolution when you make it because you want to and not because of an arbitrary reason like the start of a new week, month, or year.

All that being said, I like the ceremony of making a New Year's resolution. It's a good time to stop and evaluate my life, where I am, what I want, and if I'm on track to get what I want. I don't make resolutions to be healthier or to finally ask out that cute guy I've been ogling for weeks, because those are things that I should already be doing everyday—I know that, and every morning I tell myself I'll do those things today. As far as I'm concerned, every new day is a chance to be better and do better than the day before.

Instead, I make resolutions for the whole year. 2012 was my year to try new things and push my boundaries. 2013 was spent working on e-publishing three novels. Okay, well, I got two of them finished and published (I'm still working on Game On), but still! For me, that was a big step forward for taking my writing to the next level. Maybe I didn't get all three done, but I'm still incredibly proud of myself for the major accomplishment. Publishing is a lot of work, and I learned a lot in the process—including a lot about myself.

My resolutions aren't vague; they're concrete. I don't just say that I'm going to read more. I say that I'm going to read two new books a month. I don't just say that I'm going to write more. I say that I'm going to set aside at least one hour every day and make myself write. It's not about losing a bad habit and picking up a good one. It's not about being a "new" me—it's about being a better me. It's less about who I am and more about what I can do in a year's time.

So, what about 2014? I'm going to finish Game On and then see a completely new idea through to completion. I have a few personal goals set for myself as well, but these two stories are the big accomplishments I hope to make in the coming year.

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