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Sunday, January 29, 2012

Promises, Promises



As January comes to end, I started thinking I should really finish planning my goals or resolutions for the year. Somehow the idea of a resolution seems so daunting and I think almost a joke-everyone seems to be more interested in how long it will take a resolution to fail.



Then I came across this saying inside a Dove dark chocolate wrapper. Yes, I do take advice from chocolate especially when it is this good. (Both the chocolate and the advice! And if you read enough of them, you realize Dove really knows their market, but that is a post for another day).

So, I started thinking, how often do I keep my promises to myself? I am very good at keeping promises to others. I show up where I am supposed to be, at the time I am supposed to be (well more or less), and complete what needs to be done. But if like me you are busy with children and husband and work and volunteering, the first thing that seems to go is it the promises you make to yourself.

Last year the promise I was most successful with was establishing a regular work out regime. Now, that is a promise to myself but it was also a promise to my family, to my children, to get myself healthier so I could enjoy more with them. For me it was much more motivating as a mother to want to be healthy and be around for my children than it was when I just wanted to look better.

But our promises to ourselves are important. When we lose what is important to ourselves, we lose ourselves. This is when we can become bitter, depressed or unmotivated. Keeping promises to ourselves is what keeps us alive, vital and interesting.

So, this year no resolutions for me, but here are my promises.

I promise to keep up an exercise program and continue to get healthy and strong.
I promise to remember to laugh and take enjoyment in the little things in life.
I promise to appreciate the moments I have with my children even when they are driving me crazy. They are ours for too little time and tomorrow will come before I am ready.
I promise to make time to write and complete my manuscript this year.
I promise to treasure my relationships. Family, friends, partners, loves it what life is really about.
I promise to do one thing a week that makes me happy.
I promise to remember that success is hard but if you don't try you will always fail. I'll "keep moving forward" (Couldn't resist adding in a little Walt Disney quote.)

That's it for me for now. Do you keep promises to yourself? What are you promising this year?

6 comments:

  1. I love the look and style of your blog, Cindy! Also, the idea of a promise to ourselves rather than a resolution is a wonderful idea.

    I promise to work at being healthier and losing weight. :)

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  2. Thanks Cynthia. I'm glad you like it. I'm hoping promises work better for me too!

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  3. Cindy, loved your blog post. Your resolutions and goals sound heartfelt and noble, and make mine sound trite in comparison. I really admire the choices you are making and have no doubt you will have a very successful year working toward all those resolutions. You mention completing a manuscript. Care to share more on that? What are you writing? First book, gazillionith book? What genre?

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  4. Thanks Lena. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I couldn't have done it without the help from Dove. : )I have been writing for quite some time, but trying to get more focused this year. I am currently working on short contemporary targeted for Blaze.

    Your upcoming romantic suspense with Avon sounds terrific. I am definitely going to check it out. I notice you were a TARA winner. That's my home chapter!

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    1. Good luck with Blaze! That's a fantastic line to target. Small world - about the TARA, right? Anne-Marie Carroll I think was the coordinator back when I won. I just loved her. Met her at New York at RWA last year in person.

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  5. I am always amazed by the real life connections I find with people I meet online. Anne-Marie is great and one of the best contest coordinators ever. She is our President now.

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