“I, Leah D——, hereby declare that 2015 will be my most productive year yet. Through sickness, health, stress, happiness, tragedy, triumph, failure, and all else that can happen, I will not–will never–stumble, falter, hesitate, or pause. I will not get lazy or relax or take a break. I will remain determined through it all, determined to dream and achieve like never before. This new year will not be another one that passes idly by, leaving me in the dust to wonder where my time was spent and why I’ve still gotten nothing done. No, this year will not be another dull chapter that merely sets the scene, that is only wasted space I barely remember, pointless filler not worthy of retelling. It will be exciting, brilliant, vibrant, and vividly remembered. It will be retold over and over again with just as much gusto as when it first occurred. Yes, 2015 will be ferocious–in all ways. I promise. I declare.
“And while I do have personal goals I’d like to achieve, such as maintaining my GPA, eating better, walking my dog more, being more tolerant (specifically of stupid/ignorant behavior), socializing more, praying more, and getting published, none of those matter to me as much as just staying motivated and keeping moving. For if I don’t give up, how could the rest not come true?
“So I, Leah D——, hereby declare to not quit. This year will be rough, but it will be worth it.
“And so it must be, for so it is written.
“Bound by contract to her promises. Will be penalized if she breaks.”
That, my friends, was my New Year’s contract from last year: to stay motivated and keep trying no matter what, and by golly, I did it. I really freaking did it.
Reading this now, it’s actually quite scary how accurate I was. 2015 was an incredibly tough, challenging year, and I could have gotten lazy or given up at any moment. But by the grace of God, I did not. I stayed strong and moved along, and I am so proud of myself. I’ve gotten so much accomplished because of it, just like I said I would, and last year at this time, I really didn’t think I could do it.
Sure, I’m still not successful on any large scale, but on a personal level, all of my goals are accomplished. I’m now officially published and kind of a real writer (kind of); I make time every day in order to play with and exercise my dog; I try hard, no matter how much it may seem like I will fail; my GPA is still excellent; my diet is wonderful; my tolerance levels are off the charts; I am kinder, more social, and definitely way more accepting of others; my faith and trust in God is wholeheartedly strong — the list could go on and on.
Really, everything I wanted one year ago at this time, I have, and it’s absolutely amazing. Again, I honestly don’t know how I did it. It kind of all just happened, which absolutely blows my mind.
I guess I’m really just grateful, especially for you. I have three blogs now, and even though none of them are even marginally successful, they’ve also never been anything but supported, which is something really special. So thank you for all the love you’ve shown me, because without it, I honestly wouldn’t be blogging anymore. You make me feel like this has a purpose, even if just a small one, and it’s what makes me not stop.
Enough of the rambling sap, though. Time for this year’s contract (a.k.a. resolutions):
“I, Leah D — –, hereby declare to keep up the good work. No matter the road blocks, I will always try, never getting down or dejected. Not everyone is perfect, and no one can do everything perfectly. This year, I will finally accept that, and when I do, worlds unimaginable will open for me.
“As for more specific goals:
- I’m going to finally try to get a book out to a publisher. Yes, an actual, physical book. That will be interesting.
- I will focus more on my dreams and what makes me happy in life rather than only pursuing that which is necessary; while easily making a living is nice, real happiness is a whole lot nicer. So that’s what I’ll go after from now on, even if it will be hard.
- This year, I will actually keep my blogging promises. (If you’ve read my blog for awhile now, you know exactly what I’m talking about… And you have my sincerest apologies…)
- Finally — and this is the big one for me, guys — from here on out, I will promote my work instead of just letting it sit there collecting dust until some poor, unfortunate soul trips over it in the dark. Let’s shed some light on this puppy and see where it takes us.
“And that is all. Stay motivated, keep doing well, and try to get done all I’ve never accomplished before. Those are my plans for 2016, and it will be amazing.
“Signing her life away yet again,
Wish me luck.”
Thanks again for everything, and good luck achieving your 2016 dreams, too. Until next time ❤
ledandev 