5 Goals for the New Year

So I’m a summer girl through and through. Sunshine, warmth, flip flops…those are my happy things.

Even so, I love January. Love it.

There is just something about a fresh new year that brings me joy, gives me hope. So much so that I can happily endure the cold temps and gray skies.

Plus I adore an empty calendar just waiting to be filled.

Each year I come up with a few goals for the New Year, and I thought I’d share a few here:

Read more. Y’all, I miss having time to read. I used to read a book a week. I find it harder and harder to read these days—not because the desire isn’t there, but because I have almost no free time! So you heard it here first—I’m going to read more in 2015!

Here’s a small portion of my “to be read” pile…I need a few days off and a quiet house!

Exercise. Oh boy. I used to be so good about this. I used to run 5Ks almost once a month. Don’t get me wrong—our farm definitely gives me exercise as I do the necessary chores. But I miss running. One of my sweet dogs (Buster) has packed on the pounds over the past couple of years, so I am going to make him my exercise buddy.

Keep a prayer journal. This is something I used to do a long time ago. I’m back at it this year. What an amazing record to be able to look back at all of the things you prayed about, and the way each one was answered.

Get on a writing schedule. I do so much better when I have a writing plan. Between a full-time day job and an ever-growing farm (I have chicks hatching in my bathroom as I type this!) I know that if I don’t have writing scheduled into my day…it won’t happen. And considering I have a deadline in March, it has to happen!

Day old chicks in a box in my bathroom under a heat lamp. I love watching them sleep.

Plan meals ahead. I’m kind of a last-minute chef. This means lots of frantic “I don’t have such and such ingredient and I need to run to the store” kind of moments. I’d love to be one of those people who cooks for the week and then freezes, but I’m not quite there yet. Instead, I’d like to plan for a week or two—breakfast, lunch and dinner…and not have to worry about groceries or running to the store in between. My husband is often the recipient of those “oops I don’t have one ingredient so can you stop at the grocery store on your way home” calls, so I’m sure he’ll be appreciative if I plan ahead.

And there you have it! Five of my 2015 goals. How about you? Do you make resolutions or goals for new years? What’s your top item this year?

Annalisa Daughety (52 Posts)

Annalisa Daughety writes contemporary fiction set in historic locations, including the Walk in the Park series, Love Finds You in Charm, Ohio, and A Wedding to Remember in Charleston, South Carolina. She lives in Arkansas and is hard at work on her next book.