Dear Indie Annie,
I love setting New Year’s resolutions, sitting down with my planner, and mapping out my most productive and creative year yet. I do it every December … and I end up falling off the wagon halfway through February. I know we all do it, but how do I actually stick to the goals I set?
Determined to Make This Year My Year
Darling Determined,
Well, bless your ambitious little heart! You and I must be kindred spirits because I, too, am a sucker for a good New Year’s resolution. There’s just something so crisp and clean about that fresh start, isn’t there? Like cracking open a brand new notebook, all pristine and void of ink blots and eraser shavings.
But alas, my dear, we both know how that story usually ends—with our shiny resolutions gathering dust next to the elliptical machine we promised ourselves we’d use daily. I will share with you, my sweet child: I use my exercise equipment to hang clothes that fail to make it to the closet.
After so many weeks tirelessly working toward your goals, actually reaching them can start to feel like you’re Cinderella trying to fit her foot into that glass slipper after the clock strikes twelve. The magic has worn off, and your feet have swollen from all that dancing! What can be done?
As it’s the holiday season, let’s gather around the fire for an uplifting tale.
Once upon a time, a young writer lived in a land not so far away, with dreams as big as the full moon. Each December, as the year drew to a close, this plucky heroine would sit down with her trusty pen and parchment, determined to map out the most enchanting tale of productivity and creativity the world had ever seen.
“This will be my year!” she’d declare, her eyes sparkling with ambition. “No more being a Cinderella, relegated to the shadows while the bestseller ball goes on without me. This time, I shall go to the ball and dance the night away!”
And so our hero would set forth, crafting resolution after resolution—writing more pages, drafting more plots, conquering the dreaded social media kingdom. She’d imagine herself as the belle of the literary ball, her book clutched tightly in her hands as the crowd showered her with accolades.
But alas, like the chime of midnight, reality had a way of shattering those glass slipper dreams. Come February, our heroine would find herself back in the ashes, her grand plans in tatters around her.
“How could this happen?” she would wail, tears staining her cheeks. “I was so close to my happily ever after!”
Well, my dear, let me be your fairy godmother, because the truth is that your story doesn’t have to end in disappointment—not if you learn to rewrite the script.
First, stop waiting for that magic wand to appear and transform you into a productivity princess. Instead, channel your inner Merida and take matters into your own capable hands. Craft a plan of attack, complete with measurable milestones and accountability partners to keep you on track.
And when the going gets tough, as it inevitably will, resist the urge to shrink back into the shadows. Remember, Cinderella didn’t let a little thing like a missed curfew stop her. She dusted off her dreams, kept that glass slipper firmly in her grasp, and marched right back to the ball.
You, my darling, must do the same. Summon your courage, draw upon that wellspring of determination, and keep moving forward, one step at a time. The only thing standing between you and your happily ever after is your own willingness to fight for it.
Take a deep breath, straighten that tiara, and get ready to slay those writing goals like the fierce heroine you are. The world may try to keep you in the ashes, but you, my dear, were born to shine. Now go forth and make magic happen!
Happy writing,
Indie Annie
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