Let’s Do Something New for 2022- Why I’m Done With Resolutions…

Thanks for all the kind messages in the last post ❤ Wishing you all a Happy New Year! Let’s hope we all have a good one!

To kick off the new year, I wanted to talk about something I’m going to be doing differently: I won’t be doing any resolutions. Which, considering the fact I didn’t feel like recapping my 2021 resolutions, makes sense.

The thing is, I gave up on my reading resolutions very early in the year. A lot happened and I didn’t bother checking in with them- I just let my mood-reading-freak-flag fly high. So naturally when it came to doing a wrap up… it seemed a bit pointless. Sure, I could randomly tick off and cross off goals, yet if it was all unconscious and arbitrary, why bother? Which got me thinking about my goal setting in future.

The thing is, I’m a naturally goal-oriented person. I love setting myself a target and then running at it full pelt. However, I do think that setting goals when it comes to reading can put a bit of a dampener on things. I end up thinking too much in terms of what I’m achieving and less about what I’m enjoying right now. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m happiest being a mood reader. And reading is ultimately a hobby for me that *I don’t want added pressure from*. If I want to read something right now, I will. I don’t want to ruin that by thinking about what I (supposedly) ought to be reading.

Which also makes me think about how *boring* my resolutions posts were becoming. Because I try to accommodate my mood-reading ways, I tend to play it safe and try to stick to things I’d like to read anyway. That in turn becomes really samey (and doubtless really dull to read). My posts (including the one I scrapped) were pretty much falling into a formula of “I set these really easy goals and then I did them- woohoo!” And that seems daft to write about, considering how all the things I’m excited about were often left of field! I much prefer revealing all the lovely bookish surprises in stats and other wrap ups.

Ultimately, I can’t predict what’s going to happen… and that includes not knowing whether I’ll want to return to resolutions in the future. Right now, I’m going to let the goals go and just read whatever I fancy. Have a cool 2022!

Are any of you trying something new? How do you feel about resolutions? Let me know in the comments and Happy New Year! ❤

Mid Year Resolutions for 2020!

Well hello there! Looks like we’ve made it to midway through the year… which wouldn’t be a shocker if it was any other year than 2020 😉 (why didn’t the Incas warn us about this one?!) Anyhoo, it’s time to talk about my resolutions and how I’ve been neglecting doing with them. Last year, I decided to start the tradition of going through my resolutions at the midway point, so that I could stay a bit more focused… but this year’s going to be a little different (pahahaha you can say that again!) Usually I get very into point scoring and grading my performance- however this year I just know that the goals I set are no longer realistic. I’m doing a lot more mood reading (well, even more than normal) so I haven’t been paying much attention to hitting targets. And, just in general, with everything going on, I’m trying to go a easy on myself. That said, I do still want to look at where my head was at in January, before I knew what this year had in store and see how I’ve been getting on.

READ MORE NON FIC!

 

With 15/10 so far, I’m smashing this one out of the park! And I’ve even managed some of the ones that were on my TBR, like Wild Swans and Art of War. In any other year, I would consider readjusting this goal, but I just don’t want to put that kind of pressure on myself and just gonna mark this as done.

Current score: 15/10

READ MORE CHALLENGING BOOKS!

Annnd this is where the goals get tricky. I have only read 1 of these (Art of War) and have to be honest with myself that I’m unlikely to get anywhere near 10 this year- frankly, feeling like I want to read more relaxing books in (the blazing inferno) that is the year 2020, I’d be happy if I even ticked one more book off this list. Despite that, I’m not changing the goal, because, who knows, my mood could change towards the end of the year? Plus, I can say it’s “aspirational” (like buying a pair of jeans that would never fit… which is a terrible idea btw- don’t do that to yourself!)

Current score: 1/10

READ MORE POETRY!

Well this is another fail- I haven’t even read one. Again, I don’t see this changing drastically by the end of the year and I’m not going to worry too much about it.

Current score: 0/5

READ MORE PLAYS!

Well I want to read 5… and I’ve managed to read 2 so far. Not too bad, but still more to do! Unlike the last two, I’m eager to complete this goal! On the positive side, I’ve enjoyed speaking to my mum about the plays I’ve read so far and which ones to try next- I’d say this is shaping up to be a pretty good resolution all around 🙂

Current score: 2/5

DO SOME REREADING!

Ermm I’ve only reread the Hobbit so far this year… and it wasn’t even one I was hoping to do this year. That said, I have been thinking that the books I fancy rereading this year feel more like autumnal reads (this could just be a massive excuse though 😉). Either way, I’ve still got a lot to do with this goal.

Current score: 1/5

Non Bookish

DO MORE ART!

Well this was a poorly defined goal (as I said back when I made it) sooo I’ve no idea if I can count this one as done? I’ve been doing plenty of fun doodling… but not much else. From now on, I think the best way to keep track of this goal based on how many times a week I pick up a pencil/paintbrush. 1-2 times a week would be good (especially since I want to keep this kind of casual). Still, this doesn’t help me give myself a score- I’m gonna be generous and go with…

Current score: 3/5

Do more yoga!

Finally another one I’ve completed! I made it through three whole yoga challenges!!! (and we’re only midway through the year) This is one of the few goals I want to expand on- I’d like to add that *for extra credit* I’d like to do either another 2 challenges OR simply do yoga every day for 30 days again!

Current score: 5/5

START A NEW WRITING PROJECT!

YES! RESULT! I’m getting off to a great start with my new project and loving every second. I’ve written a plan and started working on the first chapter. This is another one I’m going to expand on for the end of the year. I’d simply like to add more to this project. Plus in terms of writing goals, for some serious extra credit I have another secret goal.

Current score: 5/5

SORT THROUGH BOX OF STUFF

Well, I’ve cleared half the box and can’t decide whether to be proud or dismayed. Of all my goals, this should’ve been the easiest to achieve in lockdown… and yet I can’t think of anything I’d like to do less! Sooo I’m gonna say I have done half (but also I don’t really care tremendously when this gets done right now).

Current score: 2/5

So far… 29/55

So (surprisingly) I’m over halfway done!

That said, I doubt I’ll be making much progress on the ones left… but we’ll see how I do for extra credit!

And that’s all for now? Did you set any goals this year? Have you stuck to them or have they changed since January? Let me know where you’re at in the comments!