2012 Personal Challenge

Well we are in a new year.  This year will be the year of growth and personal tests for me.  A lot of people are looking forward to change or personal challenges this year, while others will still stick to the old adage, ‘new year same crap’ (not the word normally used).  While this may be true, we have the power to change how we plan to live in this New Year.  I for one, plan to make major changes in my personal life as well as my literary life.  I plan not to emphasize so much on book sales, but take delight in what I have accomplished in the few years I have been writing.  The stress on my job will stay there once I clock out for the day. Whatever is stressing me there will sit until I return to face it the next day. 

In 2010, I finished a major feat by publishing my first book.  Once I finished it, I realized after a year of working on this book it could have use more work.  I used that as a learning tool and didn’t let it dissuade me from writing another one.  The next book, I expanded my research and spoke with professionals in the fields my characters were portraying.  The research was hard, but I enjoyed every moment of it.  I continued this strategy into 2011 and attended book conferences, started blogging and hit the social networks.   Before I knew it, my free time was being consumed with writing, traveling and worrying about book reviews being negative rather than positive. 

While I wanted to put out the very best I had to offer at work and through my books, all the worrying and traveling was causing my health to slowly fail.  I neglected to take care of myself by putting my dreams and my paying job ahead of me.  This year I won’t be doing that; I will come first.  No more letting my job, my writing or anything come before me.  There is nothing like a hospital stay to get things into perspective. 

I admit I was one of many that stuck to the old motto ‘same (expletive) new year,’ that won’t be me this year.  My new motto is now ‘new year new attitude’ and hope others that have the habit of putting the horse before the cart will do the same.  Happy New Year everyone!