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I Resolve…

January 8, 2009 //  by Janet Grant//  10 Comments

Bogger: Janet Kobobel Grant

Location: Books & Such Main Office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

As I considered my New Year’s resolutions, I realized they looked very different if I thought of them not as “resolutions” but rather in terms of “I resolve.” The word “resolve” has such a solid, resolute sound to it, while a resolution reminds me of having an airy-fairy, flight of fancy regarding what this year should look like. So…

  • I resolve to exercise four times per week for a minimum of 30 minutes. (Hmmm, I wonder if licking my fingers after snacking could be included in those 30 minutes.)
  • I resolve to look at the world more as my dog, Murphy, does. No, not that I plan to sniff my way along the path of life, but rather that he notes even minute changes when he lopes into a room. He lives life large yet observes the small differences and enjoys exploring whatsoever is new. May I do so as well.
  • I resolve to live slower. The momentum of life seems to pick up every year. I want to control my time rather than have “emergencies” rule my world.
  • I resolve not to live in fear. Between the decrying of the economic situation and the fragility of life, it’s easy to run on the adrenaline of fear. I choose not to let that be the sum of my 2009.

Here are the resolute plans of the other Books & Such staff.

Wendy says:

I have three pages (yep, three full pages) of goals for 2009—spiritual, personal and professional milestones and goals. I love a brand new year! It’s a chance to start all over again. I always analyze my goals from the previous year. For 2008 I successfully met or exceeded 62% of my goals, made good progress on 15% of my goals and [gulp] failed to meet 23% of my goals. So 2009 challenges me to better my averages. I’ve resolved to:

  • Eat less
  • Laugh more
  • Work smarter
  • Dream harder

Etta resolves to:

  • Pretend I’m playing checkers as I try to keep up with who’s at what publishing house and what kind of project they currently want. The trick is to make kings (should I say queens?) as quickly as possible and get those royalties moving!
  • Be alert for new opportunities for authors to be published in the midst of change. I may present manuscripts for kids books on sand buckets or snow shovels, and suggest to editors adult romances with free sachet packets.
  • PUSH! This acronym for Pray Until Something Happens is one I look at every day on my schedule, and I usually have a lot of “somethings” to pray about and to offer thanks for.

Rachel resolves to:

  • Use my gym membership. The card looks nice in my wallet, but I’m pretty sure it has some purpose.
  • Keep a calendar. I’ve been able to use post-it notes for a long time, but it’s starting to get difficult to keep them organized.
  • Have an empty email in-box at least once a month.

Kathleen says:

  • Yearly goal: To be more conscious and purposeful in allowing God to fill or clear my calendar by seeking Him first daily in a scheduled quiet time.
  • Monthly goal: To read one fiction and one nonfiction title in addition to client books
  • Daily goal: To keep to a daily schedule that includes time for prayer, exercise, and reading
  • Prayer goal: To pray more “in the moment” (meaning do it right then rather than promise someone to pray for them)

Michelle resolves to:

  • Try to be an encouragement in 2009 to my family, friends, colleagues, and the rest of the world.
  • Finish the rewrite of my own novel, and start the next one in an organized fashion, for once.
  • Listen more, advise less.
  • Expect positive results, because my whole life is in God’s hands–and I will trust Him.

And what about you? Go ahead, tell us: What do you resolve?

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Category: Agents, LifeTag: new year's resolutions

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  1. Jeanne Damoff

    January 8, 2009 at 11:40 am

    These are wonderful, thought-provoking resolutions, ladies! Thanks for sharing them. I posted “My Resolve” last week on The Master’s Artist. If you’re interested, you can read it here: http://tinyurl.com/9saabc

    Happy New Year!
    Love, Jeanne

    Reply
  2. Stephanie Reed

    January 8, 2009 at 12:16 pm

    I don’t like to make resolutions or even to resolve, because I know I’m a sitting duck.

    That being said, I resolve to finish book three. Organization (thanks, Michelle)! Why didn’t I realize that after book two in a trilogy comes book three, not book one of another series? My publisher very kindly pointed this out. So I *will* finish book three, and then hey! Book four’s already done.

    Reply
  3. Cheryl Russell

    January 8, 2009 at 12:53 pm

    Impressive goals! Thanks for sharing. :-).

    Reply
  4. Janet Grant

    January 8, 2009 at 11:44 am

    Thanks for those thought-provoking resolutions, Jeanne. I could relate to your childhood goals. Every year as a kid I had two goals: to read all the books in the library (not!), and to write a novel (sometimes managed this one).

    Reply
  5. DiAnn Mills

    January 8, 2009 at 3:31 pm

    I resolve to consult God before jumping into projects and events. There are many good things out there, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are good for me. And to decide on what type of Masters Program. 🙂

    Reply
  6. James Andrew Wilson

    January 8, 2009 at 5:57 pm

    Rachel,

    You know, I’ve heard that gym membership cards are good for springing the lock on front door if you lose your key. Not sure what else you would use it for though.

    Reply
  7. Lenore Buth

    January 8, 2009 at 9:31 pm

    Thanks, everyone. Lots to think about here, but Janet, yours especially resonates with me.

    I’ve added one more for myself: To be an encourager to mothers of younger children. I could have lived for a week on someone’s comment such as, “You’re doing a great job, and God will carry you through.”

    I longed for that, and now I know it’s true, so I want to pass it on. That’s what fuels me to keep working on my book for moms and also the blog I’m doing. (www.awomansview.typepad.com)

    I love your running entries and updates. Thanks. May your New Year be bright and beautiful!

    Reply
  8. Rachel Zurakowski

    January 8, 2009 at 8:00 pm

    James, I’ll have to try that sometime! Thanks!

    Reply
  9. James Andrew Wilson

    January 8, 2009 at 11:51 pm

    Glad to be helpful. I just hate to see a good gym membership go to waste.

    Reply
  10. Bonnie Grove

    January 9, 2009 at 4:39 pm

    MMm, I love the “live slower” resolution. This has been a goal for my family for a couple of years – we’ve found it takes an intentional, day by day approach to fulfill. It’s easy to be swept away in busy-ness. It’s funny that it takes effort to live simply, isn’t it?

    Prayers and best wishes for 2009 to each of you.

    Reply

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