We do this to ourselves every year, don’t we? I mean, you may be one of the people intelligent enough to not even bother with new years resolutions, and kudos to you, but I am severely lacking that level of intellect. I am at least self-aware enough though to know before beginning that I am going to fail these goals. Which is why I’ve set myself the last goal on this list. I know I’ll fail it too, but it’s high time I at least begin practicing it.
What are my 2024 New Years Resolutions?
Share more of my photography (and pick up my camera more frequently)
Somewhere along the way, I learned to hate photography. It was likely pressure that saw that resentment flare to life. Regardless, there are times I miss it.
Throughout 2024 it’s my hope to share a mix of old and new photography with you all. The latter will require I reacquaint myself with my camera and step away from my computer more frequently, but I think I’ll benefit creatively from the challenge—even if it’s not my photography itself that benefits.
Sketch daily
Okay. I’m nervous about this one.
It’s been a really long time since I’ve really done any drawing or sketching, or whatever. However, across the course of 2023 I’ve been giving a lot of thought to art and how we squash it out of children and ourselves, and then wonder why the world is such a bleak place. I studied art for a while there, but I’ve been neglecting this passion of mine. Honestly? I probably can’t even draw stick figures anymore.
The goal might be for me to start sketching daily, but the challenge I have for myself is that I also start sharing my sketches. Each week, I’ll take a photo of the best sketch or spread from that week, and I’ll share it here on my blog with a thought on what my processes and ideas were (or weren’t).
I’m sure you’ll get sick of seeing them soon enough, and I’m not necessarily doing them to mark improvement either. Sketching helps to open up the creative floodgates though, and I’m hoping and anticipating that perhaps it will help me with both my creative writing projects, and my online content creation ideas.
Only time will tell.
Write and share one short story every month
Have I ever told you before how terrible I am at short stories? Well, brace yourselves, because you’re about to find out first-hand just how woeful I am at writing them. Provided I succeed at this goal at any rate.
I need to break myself out of my writing rut.
I’m currently focusing my energy on re-writing the first two books in my Anastasia Avignon series—I’m not listing this as an official goal, but I’d love to be re-publishing them before the end of 2024—but to keep my brain going and hopefully prevent writers block, I want to have other smaller projects each month to get some creative juices pumping.
These short stories will likely still be set in the same universe as my Anastasia Avignon series, however they will likely be different characters, or different timelines, and not necessarily linked to Anastasia and the gang.
Make more time to read
I’ve been really bad at reading since … well … there are two potential culprits here as they happened at roughly the same time. I’ve been really bad at reading since I either started studying at university, or stopped sharing book reviews here on my blog.
I still maintain my stand on why I stopped reviewing books here. I felt due to honesty, I needed to share both the good and the bad, and it made me uneasy given I was gearing up to publish The Last King at the time. Instead, going forward this year, I may start sharing book reviews here again. They will not include star ratings, I will only focus on what I loved about the book, and I’ll probably only talk about a book that I read here if I feel I really need or want to talk about it.
I can’t decide yet on a goal I want to set myself on Goodreads though. Do I set something achievable? Or do I set something so ridiculous it’s unlikely I’ll achieve it, but it’ll be fun to try?
I know there are plenty of writers out there who will tell you that it isn’t essential to read if you want to be a writer, and to point I guess they’re correct. However, it’s important to me that I read as I genuinely do believe it helps an individual improve their own writing craft.
Admittedly, I need to be taking in more stories in general, and stories can be told in many forms. I’m terrible at sitting down and watching movies and TV shows, but I need to make more effort to this year to increase my story intake, I guess. I’m currently binge watching The X-files, which I’d previously never watched, with Kody Ghost. It’s good to step outside of your own genre sometimes, but I think I also need to add some fantasy to my to-watch pile.
If you have any recommendations, please leave a comment below.
Learn to show myself grace and kindness
Finally, my last goal.
I know setting out that I’m unlikely to hit any of these goals. In fact, I will probably fail every single one of them. I have a tendency to beat myself up over my perceived constant failures, and it may well be the biggest hinderance to my personal growth. There are others in my life who are quick to put the spotlight on my failures—I don’t need to be adding fuel to that flame.
For this year, I want to practice not focusing so much on the failures, but instead comforting myself with my progress—and celebrating it. Afterall, progress is its own form of success. I didn’t sit still. I kept moving forward, even when things were stacked against me.
Even when my own biggest hurdle is myself.
Recognising that I’m going to fail my new years resolutions isn’t defeatist. It’s re-orienting myself to instead measure success by my progress. If I move toward my goal—even if those steps are only taken in small increments—that is still success. I hope you’ll join me in learning to reframe failure and success in life.
I decided to put it out there to the infinite source of wisdom that is Twitter, though. Honestly? This response is perfect, and it’s true!
Don’t wait, guys! Get started today—whenever that is! And if you fall off the horse? Get back up, admire the progress you’ve made, and keep going.
No matter your goals, I hope you all have a wonderful 2024, and that you make forward steps to the life you’re dreaming of for yourself.
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