My Top 4 Moves for Kicking off 2017

Resolutions? Got 'em, prolly broke a few already. Scratch that, definitely broke two already. Oh well. I'll get back on those horses in time. I've been a busy little bee this past month so I'm cutting myself a little slack to preserve my mental health as much as possible for a writer-type - but this post isn't about any of that. It isn't about my move to a new house (YAY!) or the post-holiday slump I'm fighting. This post is about getting shit together and hopefully spurring a few of you down a new, positive path as well.

So if I've already broken two resolutions what FOUR AMAZING things am I sticking with and how can they help you?

1. Goodreads 2017 Reading Challenge 

Maybe you're already doing this one. If you're not, sign your ass up right this second. The competitor in me relishes the tally of books I've read (when I remember to log them, oops!) and the ability to measure up my reading feats with friends. I set too lofty a goal last year, I see that now, but I had no idea that shit was going to hit the fan like it did. Still, learning from last year's shortcoming, I set a more reasonable goal of 125 books in 2017. This is TOTALLY DOABLE for me....especially with my cool new reading nook under the rad (yes, I use this word regularly) skylight in my new bedroom. 

Anyway, sign up, friend me and let's push each other to read more this year - AND, I cannot emphasize this enough, DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW WHAT YOU READ!!!

2. Speaking of Reviews...

Some of you may remember a little incident I like to call Authorgate where Amazon reviews were taken down because authors reviewing authors got a little out of control. It did, it really, truly did. For that reason, I have not reviewed books on Amazon for a while. This troubles me greatly and I hate urging people to review books on Amazon when I don't do it myself anymore. I simply don't want honest reviews stripped from authors because I happen to be an author as well. Honestly, I could write a whole freaking post about this debacle and the ethical arguments related to it but I just don't want to. So, I review books on Goodreads and I try to post them here or on my other blog as well.  I'm honest and occasionally unmerciful if I really didn't like something or other reviews are so grossly inflated/candy-coated that I can't take it. I urge you to do the same...review what you read to improve the quality of books and let authors know what you like (or don't) about what they are doing!

3. Think Big

A recurrent theme in the non-fiction books I've been reading seems to be "thinking big." I like this idea very much because it comes naturally to me. I've always thought big. I have grand ideas regularly. I'm not always so great at execution though. That's where things get hairy and a major area of focus for me this year. I have a list of BIG things I want to accomplish but instead of diving in or becoming overwhelmed by the enormity of what I'm attempting, I'm focusing on breaking things down into more manageable tasks. 

I bet some of you are like "duh, chick, what the hell took you so long to figure that out?" Yeah, well, I've got nothing to retort. I've always been an idea person, a freaking dreamer if you will. Still, I think maybe there's something to this "thinking big" concept and intend to suss that shit out this year. Need some inspiration to get there? Try this little gem:

4. Can a Pantser be a Planner too?

This is one of life's greatest questions - I think. I'm trying out this whole planning thing, as it applies to life moves and my blogs and all that jazz. NOT to my writing. I may give the plotting thing a shot later this year but one step at a time people, Rome wasn't built in a day and I've been a die hard pantser for more than thirty years. Give a gal a break!

Still, I have this handy dandy little desk blotter calendar for mapping out what's going down with the family so I can be proactive for busy times (like next weekend with three basketball games and two softball practices followed by the kids having a day off). This is a huge step for me and I'm prepared to give it a real shot. So far, it's working pretty well, but then it's only day 3 of the whole schpeel and this is my very first blog post....don't judge. I'm trying here.

Needless to say, as I push forward to my goal of juggling three blogs, my kids' activities, and my other work (*fingers crossed* the other work keeps coming), this handy little $3 calendar from Target  plus my discbound notebook (ARC by Staples RULES!) stocked with my own "Weekly Post Planner," I am ready to roll.

Isn't it pretty? Sure it's basic but who needs frills when you're planning?