Join the Hottest Resolution Club in Town: The Life List Club

I'll be sporting this look when I go out! (Meg Ryan from When Harry Met Sally)

Bon jour mon amies!  It’s almost New Year’s Eve and that means we’re all accessorizing our sequin gowns and full tuxedos with laser beams and microscopic eye wear.  Not catching my drift?  New Year’s means New You.  It’s the time to look back on the past year (hopefully without much regret) and make the resolutions you want to work on in the new year.

If you’re like the millions of us that struggle to keep your resolutions, or make the same ones every year without much difference in your lifestyle, then allow me to introduce you to The Life List Club.

The Life List Club is a group of writers and readers bonding together over life’s hardships, writing meltdowns, publishing successes, treadmills, dating advice, risky baby business, inner demons, and cyber drinks.  Sounds fun doesn’t it?  Here’s a little more about what we do.

The Life List Club posts every other Friday at our contributing members’ blogs.  You too can be a contributor, just send me an email to jessi (dot) witkins (AT) gmail (dot) com.  We blog about achieving goals and the life lessons that happen while we’re working towards them.  Anyone can be a member.  Just make your own Life List page on your blog.  Studies show that writing down your goals does help make them more real!  Every three months, we have a Milestone Party.  We share our progress on our goals and if there were any setbacks.  We have a party and you pick the theme!  I’ve decided on glow sticks at my celebration cause I’m obnoxious like that!

Pick a color and vogue, my friends!

I’ve been thinking for awhile about what my resolutions or new life list are going to be.  I’ve been able to complete several of my goals so far this year.  But where some faltered, I realized I hadn’t made a specific enough action plan.  You can see my full Life List from 2011 here, with my progress toward it, but I’m sharing with you all my new plan for 2012.  Why is it ok to change my list some of you may be asking?  Because it’s important to adapt!  My life changed this year, I’m working a different role at my job, I’m involved in several writing groups, I have different things I’m saving up for.  And let’s face it, I have a glow stick and I’m not afraid to use it!

So here it is!  Jess Witkins’ New Rules for Me, Myself, and I in 2012:

Write Everyday. 

This was a previous goal that didn’t always happen, so the specifics include the minimum of writing 5 things in my gratitude journal each day.  Also allowing myself to work on multiple projects, because sometimes (let’s face it) we do get stuck, and moving to a different project could free you up enough to get back to the main one (the BOOK).  I also plan to attend another writer’s conference.  In fact, this year I may be going to the DFW conference in Texas where I’ll actually get to *gulp* meet some of my fellow Life Listers, who are AMAZING by the way if you haven’t yet checked out their blogs, do so!  As much as I may hate it about myself, I’m a “scheduler.”  That means, I need to schedule myself time to write each week and stick with it, and as part of my checkpoint, I’ll be relying on my Warrior Writer Boot Camp friends to keep me in check and to inspire when I’m thinking of killing off my main character.  😀

Read 2 Books a Month

I’m keeping this goal as I loved it!  It helps my own writing and it is relaxing.  I’ll continue to keep a blog page of my 2012 bookshelf and write reviews.  I’m also participating in the 2012 To Be Read Pile Challenge, and if you hurry quick you too can join!  Now that Santa gave me gift cards, I’ll also be investing in an e-reader (I’ve finally succumbed!) so I’ll be able to travel easier with my books.  I also will continue with my book club and attend some at the library because any book becomes richer when you get to discuss it!

Save money. 

Between my car going kaputz this year, paying for a gym membership I never used, and eating out too much, the checkbook and savings accounts have looked better.  I’m now going to use a website that let’s you track your spending and see where I can cut back and put in savings towards my conference fee and summer trips.  I will finish reading Suze Orman’s book Women and Money and open the right savings account for me to get some frickin interest already (pardon my french) so that I can feel like my hard earned money is growing in savings.  I also plan to manage my finances at least once a month in accordance with the website so I don’t forget any purchases made.  And I plan to meet with a personal banker about what the right account type is for me to boost savings. 

 

Work out at least once a week.

 

I’m not sure if I’ll be keeping my gym membership, but I’m going to start using it now.  In the meantime, I’m going to get a welcome pass at the local Y and see if I’d consider switching there, since it is closer to my house.  I also want to set aside some funds to attend my best friend’s zumba classes more often.  In addition to work outs, eating healthy needs to be a commitment.  I’ve begun loading up on produce lately and am shocked at how few chips I’ve eaten in the last couple of weeks.  For those of you know I survived NaNoWriMo two years ago just eating cheetos and chocolate, this is a big step up for me!

There you have it folks!  My action plan for 2012.  I hope you’ll share your own with me!  What are your new year’s plans?  What goals are you hoping to accomplish?  What do you want the Life List Club to write about this year?  And ideas on improvements for us? 

Now, don’t forget to blog hop this party with us!  Prize giveaways at every stop!  I’m offering an I-Tunes gift card and a chance to either guest post or be interviewed here at the Happiness Project!

Prizes also include:  Amazon gift cards and a chance to guest blog from both Marcia Richards and Sonia Medeiros, a copy of Totally Cliche’ from newly published author Jennie Bennett, and more blog swapping or guest posts for you from Pam Hawley, Jenny Hansen, David Walker, and Gary Gauthier.  Visit their blogs by clicking their name in the sidebar!