New Years Resolutions 2020: What is happening this year at Kamery Solomon Books?
Happy New Year! I hope your 2019 finished on a high note, and that your 2020 is set up to be the greatest year you can have.
I used to joke that setting goals for the new year was a fancy way of saying "things I plan to let myself down about." I didn't make any plans and just went with the flow.
Turns out, that usually leads to nothing changing, no ambitions being born, and all sense of accomplishment flying through the window.
Now, I'm not part of the "New Year, New Me," club. I always aim to be the same person I've been for the past 28 (almost 29) years. BUT, I've come to realize that it's okay to challenge myself and try to grow. I've been making goals for the past few years now. While I haven't met a good majority of them 😅, they kept me focused and working toward something.
This year, after burning myself out HARD and having to take almost the entirety of December off, I decided I was going to focus more on personal goals than work goals. Taking care of me is going to come before everything else, which will hopefully keep me at 100% and working with a happy heart ♥ Here are a few of the goals I have for 2020 and why I made them! If you stick around to the end of the list, you might get a sneak peek at some of the projects I'm planning on working on this year, too.
1. Watch less television
Why I made this goal:
I watch a ridiculous amount of television, y'all. When I'm bored, when I'm eating, playing on my phone, sitting in front of the fire, sometimes even when I'm writing! It's a serious binge problem for me. I've noticed I like the background noise more than anything because I literally watch the same shows over and over. There's a comfort in having something playing that I'm familiar with and enjoy. I'll watch new shows and movies periodically, but that just adds to the amount of time that I spend in front of a screen not doing anything productive.
How I'm going to achieve this goal:
I'm limiting myself to two episodes a day, whether they are half an hour or an hour-long, or one movie. That gives me about two-ish hours a day to watch something. This will help me get out of the rut of watching the same shows (I'll need to spend the time on new stuff if I want to be in the loop) and it will significantly cut down the amount of time I'm just sitting there, doing nothing. Allowances will be made for date nights (the hubby and I like watching movies together), or pre-determined viewing sessions with friends, so I don't feel like I absolutely can't do things with others. The binging ends now!
2. Read 15 books
Why I made this goal:
You'd think that, myself being an author, I'd get a lot of reading done all the time. Sadly, this is not true for me. I tend to be a binge reader as well; I'll go months without reading anything and then read six books in two weeks. I'm trying to break myself of that habit! I managed to do it last year and pass my Goodreads Goal by three books. This year, I want to read at least that many books again.
How I'm going to achieve this goal:
I started another Goodreads Challenge (you can add me as a friend here if you'd like) for at least 15 books. I'm already about ten chapters into The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness and have added it as what I'm currently reading. (Side note, I've fallen in love with the All Souls Trilogy!) I've also made a chart in my journal, where I'll mark down what I'm reading and when I started/stopped. (I don't spend a lot of time on Goodreads, tbh. I only use it to follow my reading goal 😁) I won't count any DNFs, though I think I've literally only given up on one book in my entire life, haha.
3. Go on 52 hikes
Why I made this goal:
I love hiking! One of my friends told me about the 52 Hike Challenge and I thought it sounded like something I could really get into. I didn't officially sign up through the website, but I'm excited to try it out for myself.
How I'm going to achieve this goal:
I live in Northern Arizona, with a wealth of hiking trails almost literally out my front door. It will probably take more than a year to do every hike in the area. If I do run out of places, the rest of the state is just as hiking friendly! My dog, Moose, loves hiking as well, so I'll be working them in as part of his walks, replacing one outing a week with a nice hike. The only thing I'm really needing to work with is the weather, haha! My first hike of the year will be taking place in a bunch of snow and mud. Good luck to me!
4. Get a passport
Why I made this goal:
I want to travel. A lot! I've never been out of the United States, except to visit Puerto Penasco in Mexico. That was before they started requiring passports at the southern border. I want to feel like I can go anywhere I want, whenever I want, rather than having to wait six weeks or more because I didn't have a passport beforehand.
How I'm going to achieve this goal:
This one's easy--I'm going to get a passport 😂 It's the only thing I resolved to do that I can finish at this exact moment. I'll have to save up the money to get one first, though!
5. Learn 10 ukulele songs
Why I made this goal:
Music used to be such a huge part of my life. I was in several choirs in and out of school, the concert and marching bands, and performed in somewhere around 10 musicals. Lately, I've been realizing that it hasn't been a part of my life anymore. I don't listen to Broadway shows much, I haven't played any of the instruments I know how to play, and I don't sing anymore. Singing was one of the things that made me happiest in life. I already know how to play the piano and the flute, so I settled on learning how to play my ukulele for real, so I can strum and sing to my heart's content.
How I'm going to achieve this goal:
I knew I needed to set an achievable goal to get this one done. It can take years to properly master an instrument, and that's if you dedicate a good part of each day to study. I already know how to read music and can strum my way through a few chords, so I set the minimum number of songs to learn at 10. By the end of the year, I will have the music memorized, be able to play it without pausing to switch notes, and be able to sing along. I haven't picked the ten songs yet 😅 That will be the next step in getting this goal achieved!
So, there you have it! I have other personal goals I'll be working on, but I've probably bored you with my plans for self-improvement long enough. As for work, I set some goals regarding my social media accounts and followers, but those are much less important than everything else. I learned that the hard way last year!
Here's a brief look at some of the projects I'll be working on this year:
Shot Through Time
Y'all know about this one already! Shot Through Time releases on February 4. Check out this page for more information!
The Timekeeper's Door
The cover is all you're going to get for this one, haha! I don't have a blurb, a release time frame, nothing. The only hints I can give you are time travel and Scotland. You'll hear more in the future!
Free novellas exclusive to my mailing list
If you're not a member of my mailing list, you're going to want to be! I have four, completely free novellas planned for this year. They are all stories I haven't previously released, and I will not be selling them anywhere. The only way to get them is to sign up.
I have a few more ideas up my sleeve, but it would be a bit premature to share them here. Be sure to stick around so you can hear about them when they're announced!
Once again, Happy New Year!
♥ always,
Kamery
