New Year's Resolution - Dirty words???

by 

Rhonda McKnight

“Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37: 5

Happy New Year to you! I know I’m a little late with that, but it’s still a new year and I still wish you well.

I’ve been thinking about the direction this blog will take this year. In light of my own novel releasing and the busy turn my lift has taken as a result, I’ve decided to cut back to author interviews once a week on Sunday beginning in February. Why so little? Because I may not be able to do more. I’m a person who becomes riddled with guilt when I don’t do the thing I said I would do. Hence, I try very hard not to over commit myself. My family comes first. All the writing things and book marketing things in my world have to filter in around them.

Speaking of commitments, have you made a resolution for the New Year? I’ve noticed of late that resolution has become a dirty word. People talk about not making them because they don’t keep them. They snarl when you ask about them, as if not keeping a resolution makes the idea of a resolution wrong.  I don’t care what you call it; resolution, declaration, life plan, goal, etc, etc. it’s all the same, it’s not our enemy.  A resolution is a “thing” you say you’re going to do.  There’s nothing wrong with self-improvement. How will you ever get there if you don’t at least want it or speak it? Words have power, the bible tells us in Proverbs 18:21 that “life and death is in the power of the tongue.” It also says

I am a living testimony that a resolution can work. I make them every year and keep them. I wouldn’t be published if I hadn’t made a resolution.  We can all achieve them. We just have to put commitment behind it. To resolve is to decide to do a thing. To commit is to devote oneself unreservedly to doing something.  There’s a difference. I say commit to your resolution and in the end what you’ve resolved to do shall be done. How’s that? To not commit to something or not make a plan is a cop-out. I mean if you haven't said you'd do anything then I guess you don't have to right? Fail to plan, plan to fail I always say.

Here's mine:

I’m committed to making sure I take better care of Rhonda. I have to manage my stress better. That means more exercise, dare I say a little more sleep, a massage a few times a year, an occasional bubble bath, and more reading for absolute pleasure of it. 

Do I have a writing resolution? Sure, I resolve not let the summer catch me without having the first draft completed for my fall 2011 book. It's due to my editor on September 1. That's it on the writing front. Improvements in craft commeth as I continue to read well written books.  

So what have you committed to do or change in 2010?