My Resolutions for 2024

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Before we begin, let’s establish: I mean resolutions regarding stuff like what I’m reading, writing goals, and what I spend my precious free time watching or listening to. If you’re in the mood for a post espousing deep and profound life advice, this isn’t the place today (just to let you know).

I’ve never really been one for New Year’s resolutions, mostly because it is WAY too easy to let them slide and never actually create a new habit or routine from those well-meaning (but truly rather flighty) words; and then there’s the sense of guilt or self-disappointment (even being totally aware of the possibilities). I’m all in favor of avoiding the second by diving into the reality of the first.

However, we all know that there are moments when we need to give up something that just isn’t benefitting us, or increase something that does bring us more joy, and little things like adjusting time management or deciding to cancel a subscription, or get one, can definitely make that happen.

So, just what are my resolutions?

DON’T WATCH/READ HYPED NEW RELEASES (Unless I’m the one hyping them)

I have officially lost count of how many times a new movie/show/book — that was called “so good!” by “everyone” (whoever they are, anyway) — let me down. And more than let me down, just twisted my brain in knots of rage — that the plot was so stupid, the characters so boring, the tropes SO tropey — and most of all, that I wasted hours of my life (which I can’t just return for a refund) with this silliness. I’ve posted previously about coming to terms with what a persnickety bookdragon/entertainment-taker-inner I am, and maybe my mid-life crisis has been the final metaphorical nail in the coffin of hype, but I really feel I am over pandering to fomo. Yes, sometimes I’ll hear about something, and honestly react, “That sounds really great.” And I will try it for the best reason, and if I don’t like it, then I don’t get irate over it. Because when I take a chance on something, based on nothing more than my own tastes, often I’ll discover a new favorite. So, *raises the champagne glass*, here’s to finally trusting my gut!

DO STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE A LITTLE BIT WITH STREAMING SERVICES

Just enough to discover that I can listen to audiobooks on Spotify, that there are lots of podcasts on YouTube, that there are plenty of movies available on things like PlutoTv or Tubi, and that all of this is easier to navigate than the fears of a Gen-X-er so used to cable warranted. As we speak, I’m barely dipping my toes into these “new” options, but now that I’m no longer employed by the library system, and now that Netflix has done away with their disc rentals, I do have less access to certain formats than I did. And, yes, the suddeness of some of these changes did rankle my autistic sensibilities, but doing a little research and finding alternative ways to get my eyes/ears/hands on the stuff that I really, really want to smooths the ruffled feathers out pretty well.

DO MAKE TIME FOR WRITING, BUT DON’T SET ANY EXPECTATIONS

Convincing yourself you’ve failed as a writer because you “had” to get down 1846 words today (and make them all astoundingly impactful and coherent ones), and you only managed 297 (and 33 of these will soon be deleted) is a surefire way to agonizing writer’s block and crippling self-doubt. The much better path (and the one that’s much more likely to result in work you actually like and enjoy) is the route of, “That’s 200 or so more words than yesterday!” After having an intense time finishing Volume 4 this year, I learned to be easier on myself, more loving and patient for my process, and embracing the idea that the journey isn’t just about the destination.

DON’T TREAT MEDIA CONSUMPTION AS A RACE (Hint: It’s not)

One of the reasons I gave up Goodreads a few years ago was the fact the very idea of the Goodreads challenge gave me intense anxiety. The notion of being in such fierce competition with myself — and over something that I used to do for fun — really ruined the excitement I once felt before starting a new series or author. Unfortunately, I started to treat movies and shows in much the same vein (ooh, look, crossed another off the list, I am so accomplished!), and it means that, despite having watched/read a loooot of stuff between 2016 and now, I rushed through a big chunk, and didn’t really enjoy a bunch of it. When I was younger, I never thought about tallying; I concentrated on finding a series I honestly liked and working my way through it, getting into every aspect of the characters and arcs and symbolism and themes. Critical thinking that helps a writer deepen their own craft. When I realized that the chance of sacrificing this skill, over higher numbers, was not something I wanted to risk, I began treating my entertainment less like a race. The slower pace and the greater sense of satisfaction I’ve gotten from being able to dissect, in depth, something I paid minute levels of attention to, feels like an actual achievement.

And that’s all for now! I considered adding something about wanting to blog more, but that would contradict everything I said about patience and understanding my limits and not stressing myself out, so I’ll still do my best to post pretty regularly but not wring out half-dry flubberisms from an already-much-tapped well. Since I still need to get Volume 4’s launch officially off the ground, there are author things I definitely have to devote time and energy to, and goals do exist, despite their shape having altered.