It's the New Year - Now What?

As I sit here contemplating my New Year’s resolutions, I chuckle about something my daughter told me a couple of years ago when she was 21. She had dated several young men around her age, but had broken up with them shortly thereafter. When I asked her why the relationships hadn’t lasted she said, “Mom, I asked them what their five-year plan was, and they didn’t have one.” I laughed and told her, “Sweetheart, what did you expect? You’re dealing with 21 year-old boys, and they only have two things on their mind – getting drunk and getting laid, and not necessarily in that order.”

I must admit that I was quite impressed with her level of maturity. I wasn’t going to tell her that I didn’t have a five-year plan at that point, either! After all, it’s hard enough to know what you’re going to do in the next 365 days, let alone five years down the road. But she’s right -- having a five-year plan is a good idea, because if you set an attainable goal within five years, every decision you make along the way will take that future achievement into account. You’re more than likely to get it because you focused on it.

Two years ago, I decided I wanted to lose weight. The pounds had crept up on me in my sleep, and one day my clothes no longer fit me (I have the broken zippers and holes in my shirts to prove it). Knowing that it was wise not to try to go “cold turkey” all at once (because “diet” is a dirty word to me), I set reasonable goals for each year. I am proud to say that I have now lost twenty pounds in the last two years. I am aiming for another ten this year. Making slow and steady progress works for me. I am now receiving compliments from people who haven’t seen me in a while and their comments reinforce my belief that it is possible to do anything if you put your mind to it.

Five years ago, my first story was accepted for publication. I can’t tell you how long I dreamed about that becoming a reality. Now, five years later, I have five books published and am working on more. Last year, I had hoped to produce second book, but my daughter’s wedding took precedence. The wedding was beautiful and well worth the investment of time and effort. But now that we have that special occasion behind us, I can focus once more on my goals. In 2012, I’m aiming for at least two books.

Also, on my New Year’s resolution list this year, I will put: “make a new five-year plan”. I did pretty well on my last one. Hopefully, I’ll have even better success with this one.

I wish you a lot of luck in 2012 and that you will be successful with your resolutions.

Happy New Year!