I’ll be the first to admit that I have a problem with bloggers. I’m kind of obsessed with some of them. My two favorites, Marketing Creativity and Boho Berry are especially fun because they read each other’s blogs, so are often talking about the same topic.
Last year around this time, Marketing Creativity did a post about a goal setting plan for this time of the year. It was 16 before 2016, which is pretty self-explanatory. Make 16 goals you want to achieve before 2016. It’s a great way to clear out some projects before the end of the year, finish up your yearly goals and do some little things that you’ve wanted to do.
Of course they’re doing it again this year, but it’s 17 things instead. I found this out watching a Boho Berry youtube video, where she was showing off her 17 before 2017 spread in her bullet journal. So, I had to make my list, which I wanted to share with you today.
Marketing Creativity hasn’t posted hers yet, but here’s a link to her blog anyway.
I tried to keep some balance between personal care goals, family goals and writing goals. I highly advise you to make a similar list. Here’s a link to Marketing Creativity and Boho Berry to check out their lists. If you end up making your own 17 before 2017 list, please link it below so we can all cheer you on.
Here’s what I’m doing with the rest of my year.
Finish a 30 day Plank Challenge– If you don’t know, planking is basically holding the up part of a pushup. (Does it have a nasty sexual meaning too? Probably, but I don’t care to find out.) It’s meant to tighten your core, work on your upper arm strength, and do all sorts of other nice things for you. Mostly, it’s just making my shoulders hurt. But I’m going to stick with it.
Publish Seeming- Yeah, that’s sort of a gimme, because most of the work is already done. But I do still have to build the e-book and do a ton of promotion stuff. So it’s going to take up some time.
Finish all of the short stories I need for a new collection- If you enjoy my short stories, then this is good news for you. I’m getting ready to publish a second collection of all horror stories.
See a play at my local theater- This was one of my goals for the year that I just haven’t done yet. There’s still two shows this year, though.
Finish Starting Chains- Have I sold Broken Patterns? No, of course not. But I still want to finish Starting Chains this year. If I end up finishing the whole trilogy before I find an agent, so be it.
Take care of a personal thing in my past- There’s a lose end in my past I need to tie up.
Finish converting my Woven notes to digital- This is a frustrating chore, and it’s been hanging over my head for years now. I don’t want to carry it into 2017.
Start on Missing Stitches, Draft 2- This would be the third book of the trilogy. I’m going to cry so hard when I’m done with it!
Learn two new dishes that are fast, easy and cheap- I swear, we have the same meals every freaking week and we’re all bloody sick of them.
Finish Daily 15 Challenge- Another person I love online is the Fly Lady. Among her many awesome suggestions is to clean for 15 minutes a day. The thought is that no matter how much you detest cleaning, you can do it for 15 minutes. At very least, it will be cleaner than if you hadn’t done that. So, I’m trying to make that a habit in my house. I’m making the monsters help. They hate it, but hopefully they will carry the habit with them to their homes when they leave me.
Finish Evening Prep Challenge- This one’s a no brainer. I do a few things at night to make my morning better. I make my to do list, pick out clothes and get my coffee ready. It makes a world of difference in the morning, though.
Don’t go over my Christmas Budget- This was on my 16 before 2016 list, too.
Perm my hair- I haven’t made the time, or the space in my budget, to do this for years. I don’t know why, it makes me feel so much better about myself.
Have successful holidays- This means different things to different people. Love my Halloween costumes, have a nice turkey on Thanksgiving. Don’t have a breakdown Christmas morning. Low expectation.
Water Challenge- I don’t drink enough water, and that’s a problem. So I’m making an effort to drink more.
Finish the rough draft of the second Station 86 book- If you’re loving Seeming, and I hope you are, you’ll be thrilled to know that I’m already working on the rough draft of the second one!
Make a yoga/meditation spot in my office- You know what’s in my office right now? Boxes from when we moved that I still haven’t unpacked yet! I am so done living with all of this clutter, and I know I can put that room to better use.
It’s your turn! What do you want to do with the rest of 2016? Let us know in the comments below, or give us a link if you blog about it!
Paper Beats World 