I’m not big on resolutions. We all mean well when we resolve to go to the gym five times a week or cut out all forms of junk food. While making personal promises to improve our health, for example, are admirable—and we all should strive, no matter what time of the year, to improve ourselves in every way we can—New Year’s resolutions typically only set us up for failure. I’m not saying don’t make any resolutions if you feel motivated or confident about it. If setting up a resolution is what will help you quit smoking or sneaking in those midnight Ben and Jerry’s splurges, do it. I am, however, saying is that you shouldn’t feel bad about not making a resolution either.
I’m not making any resolutions this year. I’ve already adopted a healthy lifestyle. I don’t smoke or drink. I’m not lazy, and I keep a clean home. I might not do enough recreational reading, and maybe I watch a little too much television and spend too much time on the computer (which is hell on my neck and back). Maybe I worry a little too much and don’t get out quite enough, but those are things I can address here and there as I see fit. Resolutions aren’t going to change any of them.
Nonetheless, New Year’s and change do go hand in hand. The new year represents a clean slate, second chances, excuses to try new things. So this year, instead of making any resolutions, I’m going to set a challenge.
I received a new review for World-Mart recently that touched me deeply—not because the person enjoyed my book, but because she’d been forced to read it for an English class, thought she was going to hate it because it was way outside her typical choice in genre. This is what she had to say:
I’m not making any resolutions this year. I’ve already adopted a healthy lifestyle. I don’t smoke or drink. I’m not lazy, and I keep a clean home. I might not do enough recreational reading, and maybe I watch a little too much television and spend too much time on the computer (which is hell on my neck and back). Maybe I worry a little too much and don’t get out quite enough, but those are things I can address here and there as I see fit. Resolutions aren’t going to change any of them.
Nonetheless, New Year’s and change do go hand in hand. The new year represents a clean slate, second chances, excuses to try new things. So this year, instead of making any resolutions, I’m going to set a challenge.
I received a new review for World-Mart recently that touched me deeply—not because the person enjoyed my book, but because she’d been forced to read it for an English class, thought she was going to hate it because it was way outside her typical choice in genre. This is what she had to say:
It’s funny how we can cling to certain expectations only to find our assessments completely wrong. It can be so easy to resist books, movies, music we think will fall outside our comfort zones—but when you broaden your horizon, the results can be surprisingly fun. That was one thing that always stuck with me from college, just how many genres I actually enjoy (and how many of them I’d never have chosen to read had I not been required to).
My challenge to you: Pick a literary genre you’ve never had any desire to read and add it to the top of your TBR list. Maybe it really won’t turn out to be your thing … but if it does, how cool will that be? Bookmark this blog post and come back to it once you’ve finished. I’d love to know how your new-genre experiment turns out.
My challenge to you: Pick a literary genre you’ve never had any desire to read and add it to the top of your TBR list. Maybe it really won’t turn out to be your thing … but if it does, how cool will that be? Bookmark this blog post and come back to it once you’ve finished. I’d love to know how your new-genre experiment turns out.
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