Tag Archives: New Year’s Resolutions

My New Year’s Word is …

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Jennifer Jensen

I’ve already regaled you with why I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions anymore – are you ready for why I didn’t pick “balance” as my word for 2015? Reason #1: I’m too serious. Seriously! Reason #2: I spend too much time thinking. I’m always thinking of what’s coming up: What I’m cooking for dinner, what errands I need to run, what chores are waiting, what I’m going to blog about or what’s the next scene I’m writing in Shimmer 2. I think of how my children are doing (being a parent to adults is a whole nuther ballgame) and wonder what I can do to help. And wonder if I’m doing too much, poking my nose in where it doesn’t belong anymore. I study scriptures and try to figure out how to apply them in my life, which leads me to thinking about changes and sorting out what to do: … Continue reading →

Posted in Deep Thoughts, TAKE JOY! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

No 2015 New Year’s Resolutions for Me!

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Jennifer Jensen

I love lists, and always have.  I love goals, and always have.  Which means that I grew up thinking New Year’s Resolutions must have been created with me in mind.  (The phrase “it’s all about me” was also probably created with me in mind!) I don’t think I ever included reading books in my childhood resolutions because I read constantly anyway, but my lists did have things like Earn Girl Scout Badges and Win 1st or 2nd at Horse Shows. As a young adult, I included things like Lose 10 Pounds and Keep a Journal. (Hmm, I’m still trying to do those!) Parenting school-age children, my goals were Keep School Papers Organized and Have Family Home Evening Weekly. Last year made a change. I realized that because I’m easily motivated, I’m setting goals like these all through the year – New Year’s Resolutions were just another occasion to set new … Continue reading →

Posted in Goals | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

2015 TBR Pile Challenge

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Jennifer Jensen

I’ve never included reading goals in my new year’s resolutions because I read voraciously anyway. (Which is how I know words like voraciously.)  And I’ve never followed a reading list challenge because I like to read what I’m in the mood for at the time. I also like re-reading books. I’ve seen some interesting reading challenges, though. One started as a “Read England” challenge and spawned a “Read America” challenge, the idea being to read a book set in each English county or American state. I might do that someday, but the one that caught my eye for right now is one that focuses on my TBR Pile. For the uninitiated, TBR means “To Be Read,” and most readaholics have full e-readers and piles of unread print books.  “So many books, so little time” seems to be our slogan. My bookcases are often double-stacked – no surprise there – but … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews & Suggestions, Goals | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

New Year’s Resolutions – Who, Me?

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Jennifer Jensen

As I write this on New Year’s Eve, I think of all my friends and writing buddies setting resolutions.  Some are big, some are small, and many of them are just way too … many.  Just consider: Measureable Goals (my thoughts in italics) Lose 5/10/50 pounds. Exercise 2/5/15 times a week. Read ten books this year.  (10 a month – at least!) Cook more meals at home.  (Eat out at least once a week.) Go on a cruise.  (Bask on the pond in a rowboat.) Learn to speak French/Russian/Chinese.  (Remember a smidge of the French I used to know.) Organize the house.  (Organize a closet.) Put all the kids’ pictures in scrapbooks.  (Find the boxes that the pictures are in.) Learn to use Excel/Scrivener/Photoshop well. (I’d settle for just one.) Writing Goals Write X number of words/hours each day. Revise X number of chapters each week. Send X number of … Continue reading →

Posted in Goals, Writer's Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments