Well, I set myself a few goals for this year and missed most of them. Like lots of people, I would have liked to have finished the year fitter, thinner, more organised and so on.
However, I did achieve one of the goals on my list and it was the one that mattered most – I finished Death Will Find Me and found a literary agent. And it looks as though he’s sold my book which is even better. I don’t want to sound smug, but I’m finishing 2017 in a pretty good place and really looking forward to seeing what 2018 brings.
I didn’t manage to tick of most of my other goals for all sorts of reasons – there were some family things that have taken up a lot of time, I was too distracted by writing to find time for my garden and renovating the house, I absolutely hate going to the gym… I have loads of excuses and justifications.
But the boost that comes with some small writing success is making me feel quite optimistic about doing those things next year and so I’m making a new list for 2018.
I’ve also read Gretchen Rubin’s Better Than Before, about habits and how to form positive ones and that’s been really helpful. The realisation that according to her I’m an Obliger has joined up a few dots I’d never really thought about before. It seems that while I’m great at meeting other people’s deadlines but I am not so good at living up to my own expectations. I need to be accountable. So that’s informing me and I have a strategy to help…
Have a great Hogmanay and I’ll see you back here in a day or two. xxx
