starting with a bang!
I realise that my “Dear Santa” letter was somewhere on the way to some ideas for 2015, but whilst they might work in the vagueness of a resolution, they won’t really cut it as goals for the year. Every year, for the past 8 years, I’ve sat down and reviewed what I achieved in the last year, and have evaluated what I want to do more of, or less of. This then helps me set some concrete goals. This is usually quite a private process – being my own boss, there’s noone to sign off on it, except me! Aside: I know this isn’t for everyone, but it helps me to develop – “if you do what you always do, you get what you always got”.
One of the things that I have struggled with, is that I’m not working hard enough on being a writer. Many books and blogs suggest that it’s a unilateral, obsessive pursuit. Well, it isn’t to me, and it just fuels the inner critic that I’m just not working hard enough at my craft. I have fits of focus, and then I go and do something else for a while… I am enjoying this balanced life, and what I realise, is that this is how I want 2015 to pan out too.
When I was reflecting on my 2014, it occurred to me that life isn’t a race. It isn’t about being first over the line (death), but about the ‘journey’ along the way. This year, I have some amazing opportunities to travel, which will take me away from Cornwall, my desk, and my WIP. That’s good, not bad! It’s exciting! But those purists who write that writers have to be ‘selfish’, would probably judge me harshly. I have to believe it’s up to them, and whilst I will struggle with the ‘not good enough’ wobble, ultimately, I know that making the most of my journey in life will serve a higher purpose… it might even give me more writing ideas.
So, when I looked back on ‘my writing 2014’, I was pleasantly surprised of what I’d achieved, and I’m building on that. I already have the retreat booked. I will progress my WIP, and in January will have the first 10,000 words down. Over the year, I’ll enter three writing competitions, and I shall pitch a couple of articles. I’ll write my journal every day, and endeavour to make a weekly blog. When I go travelling, I will write luxuriously every day in a travel journal. Thailand is first up – where I hope to achieve some other goals, like sea kayaking and learning to dinghy sail.
So, I’m beginning 2015 feeling full of self-confidence. It feels like a strong place to start, but I know that the voices of the inner critics will taunt me before too long…. but this year, I’m going to be more ready for them.
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