Let's Try This...

Last week I decided I needed a new way to stay accountable for my goals for three areas of my life. I've given it a lot of thought and I have a few ideas. So here is my plan for 2012:

Weight loss, lifestyle healthy choices, etc: These goals will be outlined more specifically, but not here. I want to keep this blog for my creative outlets. So I started another blog, dedicated entirely to my pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. It's at my new Time for a Change blog. I'll publish my plans, as well as my successes and failure there. If you have an inclination to see how my progress is coming, you're welcome to watch by clicking here. My end goal is to be at least a size smaller for my trip to Paris this summer, and healthy enough to walk on all the tours!

Writing: I am going to continue writing a minimum of 750 words per day. This website doesn't sound like much but it has really done wonders for me. I know that I have to type a certain number of words every day, and I usually try to do it first thing in the morning, even when I have to be at work at 5 am! Sometimes I add to a manuscript, other times I write blog posts, or reminder lists, or whatever else I know I need to work on. It's helped me fill out at least three manuscripts and I believe this is what motivated me to finish them. If I haven't written by 9 am I get an email reminder. It's amazing what I'll do to avoid getting that email message! And my end goal is to complete two historical novels and at least two contemporary novellas this year.

Creativity/crafts/sewing: I need to use up the things piling up all over the house. So at the risk of boring you, my plan is complete at least one project each week and post a picture here. If I don't post a picture, you and I and everyone on the planet will know that my junk is still in the same place as last week! My end goal is to have a basement my grandkids can play in. Happily, I completed something already this week. Here is a quilt top I made from some fabric my friend Cheryl gave me. She's apparently a lot better at getting rid of stuff than I am. Anyway, she had a bunch of squares already cut out, so I put them together and added a few borders. The ladies of the quilt guild at church will put it together and give it to someone who needs a little comfort.

So there's my plan. Now I know what I want to accomplish and I've got a plan for keeping myself accountable. The methods will probably change as the year progresses, but the goals will remain the same. Let's hope this works!