Do Away with New Year Resolutions: Write a Ten List

For the most part, my Ten List for the year got a few check marks. I started with a list of ten and like the past few years I did not make any resolutions. Resolutions seldom work for me. Instead, I write myself goals to achieve. Some are simple things like cleaning out a closet or rearranging things to get better organized. Whatever the item I chose I try for something realistic. I seldom write anything on my list that would be beyond my reach. Of course some things only demand a little will power and energy which often escapes me at times. Now and then I include a wish for something I know may never happen. These can’t all be easy task or you won’t fight to achieve any of them.

X (1) Start to write a book. You don’t have to finish it, but get one started. (I started a book a few months ago and I’m far from done, but I did get started.)

(2) Get rid of junk. Clutter will overwhelm you. You only need half this stuff so give it away or burn it. (I managed to get rid of some. I need to work more on this one.)

X (3) Meet in person some of your online friends. (I got to meet quite a few of my online friends this year.)

X (4) Travel and see new sights. Maybe you can go to the Memphis Film Festival and stop to Graceland on your way there. (I got to take this trip. My son and his wife escorted me there. I took part in helping to celebrate with James Drury, his co-stars and his fans the 50^th Anniversary of The Virginian. I grew up watching this classic western with my dad. I got to meet many of my online friends there I have not seen before. I got to meet the cast and get autographed photos from them. And I was overwhelmed with Graceland and everything there. I grew up loving Elvis so this was a real treat to me. We even toured some of the sights of Nashville and we are thinking about going back next year.)

X (5) Work harder at your writing skills. Write every day. Write about everything. (I write often. I did have a month or so I slacked off.)

X (6) Reach a payout for Hub Pages. (I just reached a payout from Hub Pages. I really did not think I was going to be able to check this one.)

(7) You need to learn more about how Google AdSense works because pennies for months of writing articles makes little sense to me. It’s a good thing you are writing for practice and not for profit. (I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to check this one, but here is one to work on for this coming year.)

(8) Keep your journal up to date. Too many blank pages will make you think you did nothing. (I write journals and use them to recall memories. I get sidetracked and leave many blank spaces. I’ll need to carry this one over to next year also.)

(9) Work harder at losing weight. (This is an ongoing goal for me. It took me nearly two years to take off forty pounds. I have put some back on.)

X (10) Stop smoking. Why grow old with this nasty habit? (Finally after over thirty years I quit smoking September 18, 2012. I lost my mom to cancer September 18, 2006. So this date was like a memorial for her. I used the Chantix program for 5 weeks. It works. It messed up my sleeping pattern and my moods, but it worked even though I did not go the whole recommended 12 weeks. It is true about the habit being all in your head. How else would a mind blocking drug do the trick?)

I now have four items from my Ten List of 2012 to apply to next year’s Ten List. I will put them at the beginning of my list. Had I made any of these goals a New Year’s Resolution I most likely would have failed, but by applying myself to accomplish at least half of my set goals I managed to succeed in checking more than half of them from my Ten List. Now to get started on 2013’s Ten List. I only need to write six more.

Take the challenge and see if you can cross out at least half of ten things you wish to do for 2013. You’ll be surprised of how much better this idea is. You may never make another New Year’s Resolution again.

Ten list for 2013 starts out with four that I was not able to cross off from 2012's list.

1) Get rid of junk. Clutter will overwhelm you. You only need half this stuff so give it away or burn it. (I managed to get rid of some. I need to work more on this one.)

2) You need to learn more about how Google AdSense works because pennies for months of writing articles makes little sense to me. It’s a good thing you are writing for practice and not for profit. (I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to check this one, but here is one to work on for this coming year.)

3) Keep your journal up to date. Too many blank pages will make you think you did nothing. (I write journals and use them to recall memories. I get sidetracked and leave many blank spaces. I’ll need to carry this one over to next year also.)

4) Work harder at losing weight. (This is an ongoing goal for me. It took me nearly two years to take off forty pounds. I have put some back on.)

x 5) Save as much money as possible for early retirement in the future. (I'm getting much better at saving money than I thought I could be.)

x 6) Collect more autograph pictures for your collection of classic stars.(I have gotten some great pictures online of some of my favorites.)

7) Convince my husband Bill to quit smoking.

x 8) Collect the rest of the series The Virginian’s dvds. (I now have all 9 seasons and view them often.)

x 9) Write a book or at least more on the one I started. (I managed to write a few chapters, but I am far from completing this book.)

10) Find ways to make money at home. (I'm going to have to explore more ideas and hope by the time I retire I have found something that truly works.)

Ten list 2014

1. Work on losing weight
2. Exercise more
3. Write more
4. Help Bill to stop smoking
5. Be thrifty
6. Be better housekeeper
7. Get rid of junk/clutter
8. Save money
9. Travel more
10. Find time for a fun hobby

Ten list 2015

1. Learn to be independent
2. Be thrifty
3. Lose weight
4. Exercise
5. Eat healthier
6. Write more
7. Save money
8. Get rid of clutter
9. Be better housekeeper
10. travel

Ten list 2016

1. Learn to be independent
2. Be thrifty
3. Lose weight
4. Exercise
5. Eat healthier
6. Write more
7. Save money
8. Get rid of clutter
9. Be better housekeeper
10. travel

As you can see the last three years of my ten lists are nearly identical as I have not done well on any of my goals. They are all works in progress. I have managed to get rid of much of the clutter I was looking at, but my housekeeping skills have not changed much. I lost Bill at the end of 2014. I failed at helping him to stop smoking. Living alone has raised chaos on any attempts to lose weight as I weigh more now than I ever have. My writers block has become overwhelming even though I have all the time in the world to do it. Be careful what you wish for, because you just may get it. I longed for uninterrupted time to pursue a writing career. It has done me little help to have that uninterrupted time on my hands. I can’t get inspired to write much of anything. I force myself to write what little I have done. My Ten List for 2017 will surely include a wish to get rid of my writers block. Energy and inspiration to do anything will be welcome.

Ten List for 2017

1. Find cure for writer’s block
2. Try harder to lose weight
3. Stop wasting time
4. Pursue a fun project
5. Visit friends more often
6. Find energy to clean house
7. Get rid of more clutter
8. Meet new people
9. Travel more