“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.”
– T.S. Eliot
It’s not uncommon for people to desperately try to shake off the remnants of the year as the promise of a new year and a new start gets closer. I was more than ready for 2014 to end. 2014 was the year I both had to move and search for a new job – two activities which turn me into a creature nobody likes and The Hulk would sulk away from.
I had big plans for 2015. Big, big plans. I was going to go to the gym a reasonable three times a week, I was going to finally end my relationship with chocolate, and I was either going to get a promotion at work or I was going to look for a better job.
Thankfully, because job hunting sucks the life-blood out of me faster than most anything, I got my promotion… and I celebrated with chocolate. I did go to the gym three days a week for about four months, and then I got confused and broke up with the gym and my mouth made sweet, sweet love to a brownie. Whoops. But, something amazing happened: 2015 didn’t suck.
I’m not finding myself counting down the days until a new year begins so I can fill the first few weeks with promises to myself I won’t likely keep. In fact, I find myself sitting here thinking about all the amazing things I hope I never forget about this year. 2015 was the year I rediscovered something I loved – writing – and I wrote my first full-length novel. 2015 was the year I fell in love with my 9-5 job; yes, it was a good year.
So what are my goals for 2016? I’m not going down the rabbit hole with the gym again. Instead, I hope to go hiking more. I want to read more. I definitely want to write more but, more importantly, I want to write better… so I want to become even more active in my creative writer’s group, and maybe I’ll even look into some writing classes.
I hope you have good memories of 2015, and I hope you have a spectacular, creative, productive, successful new year. What are some of your goals for the new year? Do you have any writing-specific goals?
Speaking of writing – I mentioned I plan on reading more in 2015, and to elaborate on that a little bit, I intend on making a large percentage of the books I read to be from indie/new authors. So, if you have a book out on the interwebs share it in the comments! I look forward to spending 2016 with you!
Aila Stephens 