Smart goals and Fibromyalgia

2016 is on the horizon. As we approach the countdown for welcoming in this new year, many start looking back at the year that was, and peering forward into the future. Some can see achievements for 2015. Many can see that their New Year’s resolutions of 2015 were dead and buried by the end of January.

How did I go? Well last year I made a New Year’s resolution… not to have a resolution. Rather I decided to plan and make achievable goals. I focused on what was important to me and made specific, measurable and attainable goals… no matter how seemingly difficult; I did want to challenge myself.

I wanted to get into the best health possible. This is difficult for me as I have a chronic illness, Fibromyalgia. I might not be able to get rid of the fibro, but I certainly could get rid of the things in my diet that might trigger symptoms. I also wanted to increase my physical activity.

1) So coffee and sugar went out of my diet by the end of February. I had to ween myself off them. I occasionally had a cappuccino every so often until I totally cut it out. I cut out nearly all fat, and ate whole foods and foods that I had made from scratch. This was relatively easy as I have a lot of food intolerances and allergies. I just had to tweak what I was already doing.

2) Increase exercise: well that didn’t work as I already had torn tendons in my hip and leg muscle from late 2014. So I did what I could. Then I ended up with another torn leg muscle mid-year. They just tend to tear for no apparent reason, and when I am doing things like walking. My leg is fine now and I can walk around the block, take my dog for a walk again and work in my garden.

3) Take a writing course before the end of the year. 

4) Continue to improve my writing by reading about writing, do creative exercises, write and receive feedback on my writing by at least two editors.

5) Send in at least two manuscripts to at least three publishers. The first by June and the second by November. 
 
I was so pleased as I could slowly tick off each goal as they were achieved. Some goals have needed tweaking as the year progressed: 1) diet and 2) exercise. I also managed to achieve my other goals.

3. I took a Writing Picture Book Course through the Australian Writers Centre in November.

4. I had two editors look at one of my manuscripts and received feedback.

5. I sent in two different stories to different publishers by November.

The extraordinary and amazingly wonderful experience of achieving your goals is that sometimes, in the midst of just doing them, new opportunities open up. So keep your eyes open for new opportunities that may come your way that may fit with your current goals.
Recently the following two questions were asked of me.
 

1. What is YOUR goal for 2016? (This can be big or small – it’s your goal.) 
    
   My writing goal for 2016 is to write down as many of the children's stories that are floating around in my head as I can. That is if I can catch them and pin them down with my pen onto the paper. 
   
2. What is the best quote or piece of advice for writers that you’ve heard? (Whatever gets you out of bed, to your desk, motivates you to write or reminds you of your love of words.)   
   

So what are your goals for 2016, writing or otherwise? Feel free to share in the comments.
 
Happy New Year everyone!

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