Laura Roberts's Blog, page 24

Lisa Jacobs’ “New Year for a New You” Review: Day 3

As 2017 winds down, I’m in full “Year in Review” mode. So it’s perfect timing for me to participate in Day 3 of Lisa Jacobs’ New Year for a New You annual review!

Here are my answers to today’s questions (and, if you’re curious, you can also read my answers to my Day 1 and Day 2 questions):

What do you want from 2018?

Lisa suggests we follow the five pillars of a harmonic life, as taught in Harmonic Wealth: The Secret of Attracting the Life You Want by James Arthur Ray:

Financial: Obviously, I want to make more money overall, have more savings (or should I say ANY savings?!), and pay down our debts. I’d also like to be able to start saving for a house, because renting is THE WORST.
Spiritual: My ideal spiritual take on 2018 involves reading a book each day (or, rather, at least 1 chapter from a book I’m actively reading), and staying the hell away from internet drama. It may not be much compared to the Dalai Lama or Mother Teresa, but those are the goals *I’m* looking to set for this sphere.
Mental: Continue learning about new careers to keep building info for my book series, keep working to improve my writing, and (as always) keep reading a good mix of fiction and nonfiction.
Relational: Keep on encouraging my husband to start his own business, and start going on more date nights. We need to get out of the house more, and not just to go see a movie. Something cultural would be awesome.
Physical: Hit my 10,000 steps each day, and start aiming for 5 miles each day. Go to the gym twice a week instead of just once, or if that’s not feasible, set up a home workout routine that can be done in my living room or in the exercise room at the clubhouse.

Next, Lisa suggests applying each change/desire above to the following list from MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom by Tony Robbins:

What do I really want? (vision) I really, REALLY want to write an amazing pitch for a book that will land me an agent and a great book deal. That’s my number one goal for 2018, and I’m fired up to go after it.
What is important about it? (values) It will engage both my mental and financial pillars, and hopefully also help encourage my husband to take the plunge on his own business, so that hits three out of five of my pillars in one blow.
How will I get it? (methods) Through hard work and persistence. Write it down, send it out, rinse and repeat.
What is preventing me from having it? (obstacles) Right now, it still needs to be written! So the obstacle is the empty page. Time to get it out of my head and onto paper. (Or, rather, a computer screen.)
How will I know I am successful? (measurements) I’ll land an agent and a book deal by this time next year!

What about you?

What kinds of things do you want from your pillars in 2018, and how will you get them?

Be sure to check out Lisa’s post for more info on the New Year for a New You annual review, and share some of your highlights in the comments below!

The post Lisa Jacobs’ “New Year for a New You” Review: Day 3 appeared first on Buttontapper Press.

Lisa Jacobs’ “New Year for a New You” Review: Day 2

As 2017 winds down, I’m in full “Year in Review” mode. So it’s perfect timing for me to participate in Day 2 of Lisa Jacobs’ New Year for a New You annual review!

Here are my answers to today’s questions (and, if you’re curious, you can also read my answers to yesterday’s questions here):

What was time wasted this year?

I have to admit that I wasted a lot of time on social media this year. Some of it was due to boredom and frustration, some of it was foolishly spent on political arguments, and some of it was just out of mindless clicking (procrastination). One of my personal goals for 2018 is to steer clear of social media as much as possible, except for very specific purposes (i.e. posting for business, engaging with friends, or checking in on groups that are actually valuable to me).

What was money wasted this year?

Honestly, although many of my author peers find great success with them, I would say that purchasing tables at events like zine fests or book fairs have been a waste of money. I have never made back the money I spent on these events in book sales, so unless the goal is simply to connect with people (which occasionally it is!), I don’t find these events to be a good return on my investment. To be fair, sometimes I do go to these types of events with the goal of getting people to sign up for my mailing list or to hand out freebies that will make them check out my website later on, and that can be a good use of my time and money. Even so, I feel there must be better events I can spend money on, so I’m going to try to find more unexpected events where I can sell my books, rather than sticking to book-focused events in 2018.

What was the biggest challenge you faced this year?

Despite the fact that I chose “FOCUS” as my word for the year, staying focused with my biggest challenge! There was a lot of insanity in the U.S. this year that heightened my self-doubt, and made it very difficult for me to stay on track and on task. I aim to cut out the distractions much more ruthlessly in 2018.

If anything, what would you change about how you handled that challenge?

In 2018, I will stop letting social media dictate my mood. As an author, I *am* the media, so I should be broadcasting MY message and dictating the mood to *others* rather than the opposite way around.

Are you ending the year with any unfinished business?

Yes. Unfortunately, I still need to finish a book I started in April, so that I can start pitching it to agents and publishers. But that’s number one on my January To Do List, so I’m not frustrated by this unfinished business.

Are there any outstanding goals you’d like to let go of?

No, I think I will roll over most of my outstanding goals to 2018, as some aren’t as urgent as others but I’m still eager to complete them.

What was your worst setback in 2017?

One of my worst setbacks involved my finances, and that also made my 2017 quite rocky. Trying to create more stable employment for myself is an ongoing struggle as a freelancer, so I’m sort of used to this problem, but ultimately I’d like to get to a point where I don’t have to live so hand-to-mouth. This may involve moving (again), so I am working on a few different plans for 2018.

Which bad habits or unhealthy patterns did you engage in that you’d like to give up once and for all?

I keep trying to stop myself from going straight to my computer first thing in the morning, either to check my email or social media accounts, but sometimes it just feels necessary. I am working on creating a more healthy morning routine for next year, something that I can stick to while also not feeling like I am firefighting every time I check my email.

I’d also like to give up alcohol in the new year, to see what kind of effects this might have on my exercise routine and mood. I’m not a heavy drinker, but I do usually have at least one glass of wine every night, so I’m curious to see what cutting this out will do for me.

What or whom held you back this year? Did anything make you shrink into yourself or feel defensive about your dreams?

OMFG, I could make a list a mile long for this question! But at the top of the list, ultimately it would be ME. I know that blaming others for holding you back is silly when I’m the only one that truly determines my actions. But there are also external circumstances, and being too poor to afford a lot of the things I wanted (or needed) to do this year was another big thing that held me back.

How did you hold yourself back this year? Which beliefs/ideas/excuses stopped you from pushing forward?

Although I had three books traditionally published this year, I still felt like a bit of an imposter. I didn’t think I could ask for certain things, as a “new” author, even though I have now been writing professionally for over a decade. And I didn’t have an agent to back me up, so I felt like I couldn’t push issues like royalty payments with my publisher. So, in 2018 I am going to find a good agent to represent me and my work, and let them handle these kinds of issues. After all, that’s what they’re good at!

Additionally, I am going to recommit to my 2017 word, “focus,” by adopting a synonym for 2018: HEART. Oddly enough, I just listened to Whitney English (the founder of Day Designer) give a talk on her concept of “HEART Goals vs. SMART Goals,” and I like this acronym a lot more, so hopefully this will help me with intention setting.

In case you’re curious, HEART stands for:

Help Yourself
Everyone Else
Attitude and Academics
Resources
Trade

What about you?

What kinds of challenges did you face in 2017?

Be sure to check out Lisa’s post for more info on the New Year for a New You annual review, and share some of your highlights in the comments below!

The post Lisa Jacobs’ “New Year for a New You” Review: Day 2 appeared first on Buttontapper Press.

Lisa Jacobs’ “New Year for a New You” Review: Day 1

As 2017 winds down, I’m in full “Year in Review” mode. So it’s perfect timing for me to participate in Lisa Jacobs’ New Year for a New You annual review!

Here are my answers to today’s questions:

What was time very well spent this year?

Some of the time I consider very well spent this year was with my BFF, Jenna. We were able to visit twice this year while she was in town for some work-related conferences, and it was great to reconnect with her. We’ve been friends since grade school, so she’s somebody that knows me very well, and we were able to catch up, talk about some of the challenges we’re each working on, and give each other some friendly advice (okay, I’m pretty sure she gave me more advice since she’s the psychologist, but still!). It was also interesting to see that in some ways, we are still very much the same, while in other ways we have definitely become very different people from our grade school – or even high school – years.

What was money very well spent this year?

I hate to spend money, because I am a notoriously frugal person, BUT some of the money I consider well spent in 2017 includes:

My SCBWI PAL membership
Enrollment in the SCBWI SD writing class and monthly pass for chapter meetings
Enrolling in Anna Runyan’s Corporate Rescue Plan
A copy of Your Best Year 2018

There are some other personal items, too, like notebooks and pens, but you probably already guessed that, right?

What are your favorite memories of 2017?

Some of my favorite memories of 2017 were:

Seeing three of my books traditionally published
Attending SCBWI monthly chapter meetings
Attending a mystery writers’ conference put on by Partners in Crime in April
Completing the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge for the 6th year in a row
Participating in a 5K Walk/Write event, and
Visiting with friends and family

What did you accomplish or complete this year?

I accomplished some big goals this year, which was awesome! I published three titles that were written for a traditional publisher (Careers in Gaming, Careers in Digital Media, Careers If You Like Music), launched the DISARM anthology as a way to contribute to the gun sense lobby, finished the A to Z Challenge, participated in Preptober (in anticipation of NaNoWriMo) for the first time, and created two new issues of Black Heart Magazine: the Summer’s End issue and the recently-released Holiday Hell issue.

I’m also on a 30+ day streak on my 10,000 steps per day exercise goal, and plan to keep going as far as I can into 2018 and beyond!

Did you make any progress on long-term goals?

Yes! Having a traditionally published book (as opposed to simply having a story in a traditionally published anthology) was a big bucket list item that I got to cross off this year. Next up: pitching an idea for a series to agents.

What felt successful about the year, as a whole?

Getting things done and crossed off of my To Do List made this year feel successful, especially since some of the things I got to cross off that list were entire books I’d written. Learning how to narrow my focus and work on just one project at a time is still a challenge for me, but being able to do this has definitely brought me more success than jumping around from one project to another, never quite finishing anything.

Did you overcome any obstacles or mental blocks this year?

Yes. I had a few mental blocks that were holding me back with my writing and publishing career, as well as a lot of existential angst after the 2016 election, and 2017 was all about working through those blocks and learning how to overcome those feelings of inadequacy and guilt about not being able to do more.

What did you learn about yourself after all that happened in 2017?

I’ve learned that despite my dedication to indie publishing, being traditionally published meant more to me than I previously thought it would. I feel like I have gained a lot of credibility as an author, having broken that barrier, and I hope to leverage that credibility moving forward.

Who nurtured or supported you most this year?

As always, my amazing husband Brit supported and nurtured me the most this year. He gave me pep talks when I needed them, took care of the cats when I was on a deadline, and even helped me with some of my research. He also helped me to decompress after long days, and cheered me up when I was feeling down. He also cooked a lot of delicious meals, for which I am always grateful!

My parents were also an ongoing support team, cheering me on and helping us with bills when times were tough. (Being a freelancer is always about a cycle of feast or famine, unfortunately, and one of my goals for 2018 is to be able to save more money during the “feast” times.)

I would also like to give shout-outs to two friends that were super supportive this year: Jenna was another great cheerleader for me, particularly when we got to talking about exercising on a daily basis. Both she and my friend Linda are enthusiastic Pokemon Go players, so it was fun to stay connected with them through the game. Linda also came up with a great way to encourage me and many of her other friends to keep writing on a regular basis by starting a “Friday Write-In” group on Facebook where we can all post what we’re working on and encourage each other.

And, of course, to everybody who commented on my blogs and social media, who kept things positive and fun, who joined in on my writing challenges, and who bought my books this year: THANK YOU!

Who did you enjoy nurturing and supporting?

This year I tried connecting more with my local writing community, to offer my experience and expertise, and enjoyed contributing to the SDWEG as the Newsletter Editor for about half the year. I ultimately stepped down from that position due to other commitments, but it was great having a chance to meet fellow writers, offer them some advice, and listen to their stories.

I also did my best to support and nurture my husband, who wants to start his own creative business. I know I can’t do it for him, so I tried to keep encouraging him in his artistic and educational pursuits and be a good cheerleader as much as possible. I really hope that 2018 is the year he finally grabs for that goal; I know he can do it, and I am eager to see him succeed!

What about you?

What kinds of things did you accomplish in 2017? Be sure to check out Lisa’s post for more info on the New Year for a New You annual review, and share some of your highlights in the comments below!

The post Lisa Jacobs’ “New Year for a New You” Review: Day 1 appeared first on Buttontapper Press.

Smashwords End of Year Sale

Buttontapper Press is taking part in the Smashwords End of Year Sale! From now (December 25) through the first of next year (January 1), you can grab some of our most popular titles for 25% off list price. Use code SEY25 at checkout to snag these deals.

Books on sale now:


Confessions of a 3-Day Novelist: How to Write an Entire Book in Just 72 Hours
Everything I Need to Know About Love I Learned From Pop Songs
Haiku For Lovers
Montreal from A to Z
Naked Montreal, parts 1 (Sex and the Underground City)* and 2 (Porn Stars and Peccadillos)*
NaNoWriMo: A Cheater’s Guide (or get it FREE by joining our mailing list !)
Ninjas of the 512
Sexy Haiku: 69 Erotic Poems for Lovers*


The Vixen Files: Naughty Notes from a Montreal Sex Columnist *

*Items marked with an asterisk are appropriate for adults only (18+)

You’ll also find thousands more books on sale on the site, from authors and publishers around the world. Hooray for books and awesome deals!

So, what are you waiting for? Stock up on books, brew up your favorite hot beverage, and cuddle up with your family for a little holiday reading.

Merry Christmas from Buttontapper Press!

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Buttontapper Challenge, January 2018: New Year, New You!

After following Boho Berry’s awesome monthly challenges for almost a year, I’ve decided to launch my own writing challenge. It’s called, quite simply, the Buttontapper Challenge, and it’s something you can participate in daily or whenever the mood strikes you.

So, what’s this all about?

About the Challenge

The Buttontapper Challenge is a writing challenge with a new theme each month. We’ll follow a set of prompts and write about them each day, sharing snippets on social media using the hashtag #ButtontapperChallenge.

January’s Theme: New Year, New You!

As January looms on the horizon, I’ve been getting ready to start my new year off right. I’ve been planning and goal-setting for 2018, using my 18 Before 2018 list, Lisa Jacobs’ Your Best Year workbook, and the December Boho Berry Challenge prompts. Now I’m ready to share my New Year’s planning process with you.

I’ve divided the list up into prompts that will help you think about both the past year AND the year to come, with forays into various planning and goal-setting tools, tricks and ideas I’ve picked up along the way. I can’t wait to see your responses to these prompts!

The challenge prompts are completely open to interpretation, but I’ve written up a “behind-the-scenes” explanation for why I chose each one, and what I’ll be writing about that day, to give you some ideas about what to write in case you find yourself stuck.

1. Introductions – Introduce yourself! Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you decide to join the challenge.

2. New Year’s Resolutions? – Do you or don’t you? Why or why not?

3. This Year’s Plans – What have you got planned for 2018? Show us some pictures of your planner!

4. Big Dreams – What are you dreaming about doing this year? Tell us about something you’ve been obsessed with, or that you’re just beginning to visualize.

5. Audacious Goals – Let’s make some goals! Let’s make them SMART and BIG!

6. Start Doing – What are some things you want to start doing this year?

7. STOP Doing – What are some of the things you want to STOP doing this year, and just let go?

8. Monthly Challenges – Do you participate in any other monthly challenges? Which ones, and why (or why not)?

9. Motivation – Where do you find your motivation on days when it’s hard to keep pressing on?

10. Tools – What kinds of tools do you use to help with your self-improvement goals?

11. Digital or Analog? – Are you more into digital or analog systems for keeping up with everything in your life? Why?

12. Coaches – Who are some of the people who have coached you to success along the way?

13. Mentors – Do you have any past (or present) mentors? Tell us a little bit about them!

14. Accountability – Let’s get accountable: share your goals for this week!

15. Halfway! – We’re halfway through the month already?! What have you accomplished so far, and what do you need help to complete?

16. Partners – The buddy system worked in grade school, so why not now? Who’s your buddy for accountability, inspiration, or motivation?

17. Pep Talk – Give yourself a quick pep talk. You got this!

18. Inspiration – Where do you turn for inspiration? Share some images or ideas that get your motor running.

19. Perspiration – If genius is 10% inspiration, we’re gonna need to know more about that 90% perspiration. What are you working on right now, and how much are you sweating over it?

20. Notable Quotable – Share a quote that inspires you!

22. Trackers & Loggers – Do you use any trackers or loggers to chart your progress? Show us a picture or link to your favorites.

22. Time Wasters – What kinds of things do you end up doing when you’re procrastinating? What types of activities tend to waste your time the most?

23. Time Well Spent – What have you been working on this month that you’d consider time well spent?

24. Money Well Spent – Sometimes we just have to pony up the cash to get something we want. What has been money well spent this month, with regard to your dreams and goals?

25. Money Wasted – Sadly, some things are just not worth the money. What have you discovered to be a waste of money, regarding your dreams and goals?

26. Tricks & Tips – Got any secret tips or hot tricks to share with the group? Tell us how you’ve been successful this month!

27. A Better Me Means… – What are you trying to improve about yourself or your life? What would it look like to be “better than before”?

28. Rewards – Sometimes there’s nothing more motivating than a great reward. How do you reward yourself for hitting your goals?

29. Rethinking – What kinds of things have you been rethinking this month? Is there anything that’s turned out differently than you expected?

30. Recycling – What kinds of behaviors do you tend to recycle or repeat, again and again? Are they healthy habits or just distractions? Why do you keep on doing these things?

31. Lessons Learned – Tell us what you learned this month, from examining your goals, dreams and behavior. What will you do differently next month?

So, are you ready for a challenge?

Join me on January 1st @LauraRobertsBooks on Instagram or in my Buttontapper Challenge Facebook Group for the very first day of my new challenge – and spread the word!

The post Buttontapper Challenge, January 2018: New Year, New You! appeared first on Buttontapper Press.

Dewey’s 2018 Nonfiction Reading Challenge

Like reading? Want to join a reading challenge and prove it?

As I’m busy setting up my goals for 2018 (I’ll be posting an “18 for 2018” list of my big goals by the end of this year), I saw Dewey’s 2018 Nonfiction Reading Challenge and decided to add it to my list. With flexible goals that you can set for yourself, this one is perfect for my ever-changing interests.

So, what’s my nonfiction reading goal for next year?

I aim to read at least 12 nonfiction books next year (and will undoubtedly read more, depending on my research goals), one for each month of the year, and each on a different subject. I like Dewey’s suggestion of reading one book for each century in the Dewey Decimal system, so I may adopt that challenge to start. I also definitely want to read my own shelves since I have quite a few nonfiction titles in my To Be Read pile that need to get pulled to the front of the list.

What do you plan to read in 2018, and have you got any nonfiction titles on your list? Sign up to join Dewey’s 2018 Nonfiction Reading Challenge by January 15th, and let’s read nonfiction together!

The post Dewey’s 2018 Nonfiction Reading Challenge appeared first on Buttontapper Press.

December goal setting: How the %&$# do you actually accomplish anything?!

This article is part 2 in a 2-part series. Click here to read part one on how to create goals for the new year.

On Monday, I left you with a bit of a cliffhanger. Imagine you’ve made a list of goals for 2018. Now, how in the holy Hellmann’s mayonnaise do you actually accomplish those goals?!

An excellent question. But fret no more: I have answers!

Here’s the deal: Goals need to be SMART, but they also need to be DUMB.

They need to be things you actually want to do within the time frame of a year, and things that you can actually, in some universe, accomplish. So the best way to do that is by “chunking.”

Think of the biggest project on your list. Maybe it’s writing a book. Then start breaking that big goal down into smaller and smaller parts. What makes up a book? Chapters! You could decide that you need 12 chapters, and write one each month. What makes up a chapter? Scenes! So you could write 30 (or 28 or 31, depending on the month) scenes each month, to make up those chapters. And what makes up a scene? Beats! So write a few beats each day and eventually you’ll have that book written.

Similarly, you need to break down each of your big goals into these kinds of smaller sub-goals in order to work your way through.

My plan for getting stuff done this year is to create my list of goals, chunk them out, and work on different projects each month. I’ve got a book called Your Best Year 2018 by Lisa Jacobs, which also doubles as a project planner, and it includes weekly goal-setting, monthly check-ins, and annual review pages to help me keep track of everything. I’m currently in the process of setting up my 2018 Game Plan, so I’ve got my writing and business stuff integrated with my personal stuff, and various timelines and milestones all plotted out.

I’m a reformed Pantser, so as you can see, I’ve been swinging hard in the opposite direction towards Planning.

To that end, I’ve got a question for you…

Want to join my Accountability Group?

Changing things up from last year, I’m currently working on putting together a weekly online accountability group, based on working through Your Best Year 2018. Check out the book and let me know if this is something that would interest you by commenting below (with a functioning email, so I can get in touch)!

If that’s not quite your bag, check out my New Year’s Resolutions for Authors post instead, or join the Buttontapper Challenge FB group so you’ll be the first to know about my new year-long writing challenge!

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A writer’s holiday wishlist for 2017

Remember when you used to write up your wishlist for Santa as a kid? I used to go through the Sears Wish Book (which they’ve brought back online for 2017), highlighting the stuff I most wanted and then distilling it into a list that fit onto one piece of paper (recycled from my dad’s office). Usually it’d be a list of toys and clothes, but sometimes there were some oddball requests. Like the rock tumbler I asked for year after year, until I finally got one… and the damn thing just ground all my rocks into dust, instead of polishing them into beautiful agates like I expected it to.

What a disappointment!

Now that I’m all grown up, I don’t typically write up a wishlist for anyone. Indeed, it’s rare that I even receive gifts these days, since most everyone I know is a starving artist. (One notable exception being the annual care package I always look forward to receiving from my aunt and uncle in Chicago, with an assortment of tasty food items from my hometown – thank you, thank you, thank you!) So, in an attempt to recapture that magical time when wishes might actually come true, I thought I’d write up a list of my Top 10 Most Wanted Writerly Items that would make my 2018 just perfect.

We can still dream, can’t we?

In no particular order, these are the items on my wishlist this year:

1. Access to Vellum Press. Vellum is a formatting software for Mac, and Vellum Press enables authors to beautifully format both ebooks and print books. It’s $249.99, which is why it’s at the top of my list as one of the most expensive, but also most useful, items I’d love to have.

2. A book-shaped jewelry box for all my costume jewelry.

3. A copy of Artists and Their Pets.

4. A real, working card catalogue. Because… why not? The bigger, the better!

5. A “When in doubt, go to the library” t-shirt AND a closet full of yoga pants. (It’s the unofficial uniform of writers and other work-from-home folks.)

6. The Folio edition of The Little Prince. So pretty!

7. A Wonderwash machine, so I never have to use the dirty dog-hair encrusted washers in our apartment complex again.

8. A “Create Something New” pin, for inspiration.

9. Candles that smell like the library (or a bookstore, or Sherlock’s Study, or books).

10. An Olivetti Valentine typewriter. This is basically my grown-up version of asking for that rock tumbler every year. Hopefully it will not be a disappointment when I finally acquire one…

So what about you?

What’s on YOUR writer’s wishlist?

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December goal setting: An annual tradition

It’s December at last! Can you believe we’ve finally made it to the end of this year? It doesn’t feel real to me yet. But I’m working on that.

That’s because it’s time for setting my December goals, taking stock of my year, and figuring out four key pieces that will help guide my new year:

Accomplishments
Incompletes
Things to STOP Doing
Goals to Crush in 2018

I’ve come to create these personal year-in-review lists for myself, over the past couple of years, to help figure out exactly where I’ve been, where I am now, where I’m going, and where I need to make some course corrections or cuts. Even with the best of intentions, some goals naturally fall by the wayside, and others pop up as you continue to work on the things you want. So it’s helpful to look back to see where you’ve been, in order to make sure you’re still heading in the right direction on the right path.

I’ve got a few tools that help me create my lists, which I wanted to share with you, in case you’ve been wondering where to begin as you head into 2018.

Here’s my simple four-step method.

Step 1: Go through your planner

Photo by STIL via Unsplash

The number one thing that helps me keep track of the chaos that is my life is my planner. I have a couple different types that I use to keep track of everything, but whether you’re using a Bullet Journal or a pre-printed planner, the first thing you need to do is go back to January and start flipping through the pages.

As noted, I like to separate things out into four lists, so I’ll get a notebook or four blank sheets of paper and just start jotting down the things I see in my planner under each heading. So far I have made my list of Accomplishments and another list of Things to Keep Doing – Or Do MORE Of – in 2018. I’ve made a partial list of Things to STOP Doing, too, but still need to make a full list of my Incomplete Projects so that I can evaluate those and either add them to the Goals to Crush in 2018 list or cut them completely.

This takes a bit of time, so it’s best to do it on a weekend or set aside a day when you don’t have any other tasks planned. Sometimes it can be a little emotional, seeing how much effort you’ve put into things that didn’t succeed, or realizing how little effort you put into something that you said you wanted. Let those emotions flow! It’s okay to feel sad about those disappointments, and it’s also totally okay to jump up and down and celebrate all of your wins. Enjoy this time of review and reflection as much as you can.

Step 2: Celebrate those wins

Photo by Ambreen Hasan via Unsplash

Unlike certain types of year-end review systems, I prefer to focus on the positive, rather than dwelling on the negative. In the past, I have bemoaned all the projects I started but never finished, the long list of Incompletes that I came up with, and beat myself up about them. But guess what? Being hard on yourself doesn’t help matters. In fact, it just makes things harder.

Instead, I try to turn all of my negatives into positives. Some of the things on my list of accomplishments could actually be viewed as bad things that have happened to me. But instead I try to find the silver lining, and see how those things helped me grow, let go of something I didn’t really need in my life, or move me in another direction with my yearly goals.

Celebrating your wins at the end of the year is much more fun than beating yourself up about any losses. So be sure to make a big list of your achievements great and small, print them out, and put them up near your desk so you can look at them whenever you’re feeling discouraged and remind yourself that YES, YOU REALLY ARE THIS AWESOME.

Step 3: Ponder the Incompletes

Photo by Khara Woods via Unsplash

In addition to celebrating your victories, it’s also important to take a clear-eyed look at your list of Incompletes. For one thing, ask yourself why this particular item is still incomplete. Is it because you simply ran out of time? Did you need some kind of help or support that you didn’t get? Are there additional steps that need completion? Did you need additional training, education, or guidance? Or did you decide that this project wasn’t actually benefiting you? Was it taking time away from something else that is much more important in your life? Was it something that initially piqued your interest, but didn’t ultimately sustain it? Maybe it was something that you thought would help you achieve another goal, but came to realize it was actually interfering with the original (more important) goal?

Ask yourself why those projects are still on your To Do List. And then ask yourself whether you want to keep them there.

There is no shame in cutting things out of your life, particularly if they don’t serve you! We all have to make choices in life, and getting rid of the stuff that actively makes you miserable or simply doesn’t contribute to your life in any positive, meaningful way is a good way to clear out the clutter and get to the heart of what you really want.

So ponder those Incompletes, and make some choices. Add them to the Things to STOP Doing list, or the Goals to Crush Next Year list, as appropriate.

Step 4: Build your list of goals

Photo by Cathryn Lavery via Unsplash

Finally, it’s time to start building your list of goals for the new year. Yay! This is the fun part.

Keeping in mind your list of Things to STOP Doing, as well as your list of Goals to Crush Next Year, go ahead and brainstorm a HUGE list of absolutely everything you’d like to accomplish in 2018. Think big! The sky is the limit! Throw in everything you’ve ever wanted, and more!

Once you’ve brainstormed yourself a good sheet of goals, take a step back. Obviously, you can’t reach every single goal on this list. It’s totally impossible. That was actually the point of creating it. You put every hope and dream you’ve ever had on this list, and lots of those things are going to take more than a year to complete. Heck, some of them take a lifetime! (The quest for happiness, for instance.)

So why did you just do that exercise? Because you want to get everything out of your heart and your head and onto that piece of paper, to make sure you’re headed in the right direction. Check in with yourself and make sure these are all things you really, truly want. If some of them seem a little pointless, upon reflection, go ahead and cross them off.

You can also choose to sort this list into another group of four key areas that work best for you. Some people like to divide things up into Health, Wealth, Relationships and Spiritual goals. The four I typically use are:

Business
Health
Reading
Writing

These can overlap, to some degree, and I generally don’t like to set relationship or spiritual goals for myself, but pick four that best suit your personality and lifestyle.

Now you’re looking for the top three most important things in each area. What are the three things that will make you feel most accomplished if you complete them next year? These can be a mix of big goals and easily reachable items, but definitely include at least one item in each of your four areas that feels like a stretch – something you might not be able to complete.

And voila, there’s your list of 2018 goals!

Now for the hard part…

Photo by Samuel Scrimshaw via Unsplash

How do you actually accomplish these goals?
Join me for part two in this goal-setting series on Wednesday to learn more!

 

The post December goal setting: An annual tradition appeared first on Buttontapper Press.

Laura + NaNoWriMo featured in Alpine Neighbors Magazine

Better late than never… I just received a copy of the November issue of Alpine Neighbors, where the interview about my NaNoWriMo write-in sessions appears!

I’m not sure if this article is available elsewhere online (I haven’t been able to find it so far), so here is a scan of the two pages for your reading pleasure.

Thank you to Joe Cabaniss for the interview and the spotlight on my library support group!

The post Laura + NaNoWriMo featured in Alpine Neighbors Magazine appeared first on Buttontapper Press.