JUST SAY NO TO NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS WITH THIRTY-ONE JUST FOR FUN
I offered my first THIRTY-ONE JUST FOR FUN CHALLENGE in 2012. Each year since, I have modified my original post and reposted it. Before I share the modified version, I’d like to thank everyone who has supported my blog throughout the year. I wish you all a very Happy New Year. May the new year bring each of you all that your heart desires.
Now for THIRTY-ONE JUST FOR FUN. . . .
A common question in life coaching is, “What’s the difference between a life coach and a therapist?” The answer goes something like this: Imagine you are driving a car through life with a psychotherapist as your driving instructor. The psychotherapist will spend a lot of time instructing you to look through your rearview mirror at where you have been. A “life coach” driving instructor will encourage you to look out your windshield at where you are going.
A NEGATIVE DRAIN
Today, I am going to swim against the life coaching current and ask you to look back at where you have been. New Year’s resolutions often have roots in the past. We look back, with a certain amount of regret, at what we failed to accomplish in the outgoing year. Focusing on our shortcomings, we resolve to make up for them in the New Year; usually with bigger and better plans than before. Although setting these goals can leave you feeling hopeful, looking back with self-judgment can sap your confidence and drain your spirit.
ENERGIZE YOUR SPIRIT
Instead of looking back at your shortcomings with regret, look back at your successes with confidence and gratitude. Looking back and acknowledging your accomplishments will give you the opportunity to celebrate your successes and energize your spirit as you look forward to your new year.
THIRTY-ONE JUST FOR FUN
Over the next couple of weeks, take some time to reflect on 2015 and list 31 things that you accomplished throughout the year. I hope you will celebrate your successes by coming back and sharing some of your discoveries in the comments section of this post or share them on your own blog. The most important part of this challenge is recognizing the positive, energizing events of 2015. Even if you are unable to list 31 achievements, come back and celebrate with us by bragging a little about your year.
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU GET STARTED ON YOUR LIST
- How did you grow personally, professionally or as a writer?
- Did you have a positive impact on others?
- What writing skills did you learn or strengthen?
- Did you improve organizational skills?
- Did you find the secret to time management?
- Did you complete any writing challenges?
- Did you join any groups?
- What personal strengths did you gain?
- What goals did you achieve?
- What unplanned accomplishments did you achieve?
- What character qualities did you strengthen?
- Have you improved your communication skills?
- Have you gotten better at saying no to others, to yourself, or to activities that drain you?
- What acts of kindness did you share?
- What special, memory building moment did you have with family, friends, writing groups, by yourself and so on?
- Did you submit any of your writing? If you want to challenge yourself to submit more in 2016 join my Sub Six private manuscript submission support group on Facebook.
- Did any submissions get accepted for publication?
- Did you get any rejections with encouraging notes?
- Did you find a positive way to accept rejections?
For tips on celebrating your achievements see CELEBRATE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS BIG AND SMALL. Be sure to scroll down to the section about the achievement jar, so you can celebrate all through 2016.
Below I share ten of my thirty-one achievements.
- I started 2015 with my first SCBWI annual winter conference in New York where I met many of my friends in person for the first time, including four out of six of my Penguin Posse critique partners.
- I developed a highly detailed picture book writing course. This was a long and challenging process that I must celebrate by sharing. I consider it a huge achievement. Yay!
- I completed Renee LaTulippe’s fantastic course The Lyrical Language Lab: Punching Up Prose with Poetry
- I attended the excellent SCBWI workshop, Tammi’s Top Picture Book Writing Secrets with Tammi Sauer and Janee Trasler
- I started art classes.
- I completed Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen’s and Kami Kinard’s Kid Lit Summer School: The Plot Thickens
- I helped as many fellow writers as possible with their manuscripts.
- I learned to practice one of my favorite survival skills, which is write from the heart – submit with detachment.
- I completed my 4th 12 X 12 writing challenge and my 5th PiBoIdMo challenge.
- I ended 2015 with a very successful launch of my picture book writing course ART OF ARC: How to Analyze Your Picture Book Manuscript (deepen your understanding of picture books written with a classic arc).
I’m already planning for next year. I recently signed up for the 2016 Big Sur at Cape Cod, Andrea Brown Literary workshop. This is doubly exciting for me because I will be meeting up with some of my Penguin Posse sisters once again.
Best wishes in 2016!
This is all so Fabulous, Alayne! Very happy to know you as a writing friend.
Thank you Jan. Happy to know you too, my friend.
I love the idea of looking back at accomplishments and moving forward by building on those. Thank you for this, Alayne. You provide so much in the way of support, encouragement and resources on your blog…it is one of the best around…and I’m only sorry I don’t visit often enough.
It’s easy to see why you are achieving success…you are taking the necessary steps! I’m also doing Julie Hedlund’s 12 Days of Christmas…but I don’t see why I can’t participate in 31 Just For Fun! I’ll give it my best shot. 😉
Thanks, Vivan. Julie and I had the same brainstorm the same year (back in 2012), and we each carry on our traditions. I think perhaps there was also a time that Tara also had an anti-resolution post. Who knows she may still do it. Anyway, you have lots of 2015 successes to celebrate. Congratulations on them all!
Well, you know what they say, Alayne…great minds think alike. 😉 I’m so happy to know you…and I saw on the WOW page that you might go to the Wild Wild West SCBWI in IL…I plan to go also…I’ll save a special big hug for you…I’ll never forget how much time and love you put into my Waiting for Spring story…that is on the shelf right now…but perhaps I will pull it down and work on it this year. 😉
I’m happy to know you, Vivian. I’d love to see Waiting for Spring on the shelves one day. It’s such a touching story. And I would love to meet you and get that hug. Fingers crossed that I will find a way to make the IL conference work.
I definitely don’t have 31 accomplishments to list for 2015 but I look forward to doing better in 2016. And I look forward to seeing you in May!
Teresa, I believe you do have 31 accomplishments in your life for the year. They don’t have to all be about writing. They could be about art, baking, soap making, loving and teaching your children, being a fantastic friend and critique partner, and on and on. They don’t have to be monumental either. Sometimes the seemingly small things can be the best achievements. Wow! Where in the world did that come from? Just stepped down from my end-of-the year eyes soapbox 😉 Looking forward to seeing you in May, too.
Hooray, Alayne! Love that I was a part of your creative journey last year. And can’t wait to see you again!
Back at ya, Sylvia!
Lovely list Alayne! I’d love to meet the Penguin Posse members when you come to the Cape.
Thanks Cathy. Do you live near Cape Cod or are you going to the workshop?
Thanks for your post. I don’t love resolutions–not for the new year, anyway. I do love achievements, though, and I’ve kept a daily list for years now, which really serves as a motivator.
So sorry, I overlooked your comment. Thank you for sharing how your daily lists motivate you.