Starting as I mean to go on

I’m not one for New Year’s Resolution. Half-a-dozen times – or maybe even less – I’ve committed to something for the New Year, but always because I felt I should, I felt it was the thing you had to do, not because I really wanted do.

And wanting, that makes all the difference.

I didn’t commit to anything this New Year. I committed to many things last year, the biggest being my commitment to daily writing. But I didn’t do it at the start of a new year or on a particularly significant day. One day I just decided from that day forward I was showing up for my creative work every single day.

And that was that.

Starting as I meant to go on.

It sounds simple now, it even feels simple now. But it wasn’t before I made the choice. Yes, wanting makes all the difference, but sometimes it isn’t even enough. It took me a year and a half from the moment I knew I needed to work on my writing daily before I could actually do it, before I got out of my own way, and just sat down and wrote. Every single day.

I’m not sure why it worked this time, why I said it and meant it, but I’m glad it did. And it makes future resolutions that much easier, saying yes to certain projects or commitments to myself to get my work out there, because I can trust myself now, I can trust that I follow through.

So Happy (belated) New Year. Here’s to starting as you mean to go on.