An Anti-Resolution Revolution
Emily Apuzzo Hopkins | December 29th, 2020
Children's author, Julie Hedlund, challenged participants of her 12 Days of Christmas for Writers series to post SUCCESSES (rather than resolutions) on our blogs this year. She believes the way New Year's resolutions are traditionally made come from a place of negativity - what DIDN'T get done or achieved in the previous year. Instead, she suggests we set goals for the New Year that BUILD on our achievements from the previous one. I decided to participate in this Anti-Resolution Revolution! Here is my list for 2020.
I wrote and revised three manuscripts.
I sent these finished manuscripts to 11 agents and book publishers.
I started writing another 9 manuscripts. (My goal was to write one children's book this year.... I guess I blew that out of the water a little.)
I found inspiration almost everywhere I looked - constantly wrote down ideas and made time to explore them.
I took on various writing challenges to make it a part of my regular life.
I learned that when I make time for something I am passionate about, I am no longer worried about finding the time to do what I love.
I learned the importance of doing things for myself because it's something I want to do - not something someone else needs me to do.
I began to share my desire to be a published children’s book author with my loved ones instead of keeping it to myself.
I hired my friend and life coach to work on these goals this year and can't believe what I accomplished internally as a result of this rewarding work.
I encouraged others to find their equivalent passion in their own lives and to follow it wherever they were led.
What’s next? I really don’t know! Like Julie said, I believe that resolutions often come from a place of negativity. So instead of resolving to do or not do something, in particular, I have chosen a word as my focus for 2021 and I believe these successes from 2020 will help fuel the kind of year I want to create.
My word? ALIGNMENT. I want everything I do to feel balanced with my values, my hopes, and my dreams - in my professional life, personal life, and passion project life. Everywhere I go and every decision I make will be rooted in ALIGNMENT.
