New Years

New Years Resolutions: How They Work – or Not

Winter-Blues

January 1 means a new beginning. You might be surprised that 75% of every New Years Resolution will be continued through the entire first week, but not even 50% continue through until summer. And according to statistics only 8% of people achieve them throughout the year.  Now with the year ending, it’s your chance to sit down and prepare a list of important lifestyle changes you want to make.

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Set Clear Goals – and a Reason to Stick to Them
When resolutions are too ambitious, we struggle to change our habits, become discouraged and ultimately give up altogether. Establishing vague goals, like, “I want to be healthier,” or “I want to spend more time with my family,” won’t do you any good. You need to create concrete goals. Describe exactly you want to change. Ask yourself: “What would I need to do to become a happier person? Or loose weight? Or find a better job”

Not feeling motivated most New Year’s resolutions only last a couple of weeks. Expect that there will be days when you don’t feel like sticking to your goal – and have a plan how you will counteract this lack of motivation. Create a list of all the reasons why you should stick to your goal.

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You Can Eat a Whole Elephant
You just need to cut it in small pieces and eat one portion at a time. Don’t create huge goals, or at least cut them into small pieces. Establish small goals and clear action steps, which you can implement every day. Boost your motivation, keep a list of all the reasons why you should stick to your goals – and read them several times a day. Having patience leads to success.

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Hang up a Calendar
Check off every day you stuck to your diet, went for a walk, volunteered, or have been nice and helpful to everyone you met this day. Celebrate when you hit small milestones – but don’t eat a whole chocolate bar once you reached a step of your weightless goal.

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Have a Plan B
A little planning can help you toward keeping you on target. Don’t say you can’t “find the time” to do something. Nobody finds time, we choose time! Treat your New Year Resolution’s appointments just like they were scheduled doctor appointments. Progress doesn’t come in a straight line. You’ll likely make some mistakes along the way. Don’t conclude your mistake is proof you can’t be successful.

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Tony Robbins Sums it Up:
Your resolution needs to have a positive, exciting outcome, something your are looking forward to. For example: Don’t say to yourself: “I want to loose weight.” Instead vow: “Until March 1, I will fit into my lovely summer dress again that I bought last year”. This is a positive outlook. Take pictures of this dress and place them everywhere you can see them.
Watch Tony Robbins’ video on YouTube. He gives lots of helpful hints how to motivate yourself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL5jKptjIQw

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Look for Support
Sometimes friends and family members have trouble supporting your goals. Make sure you have at least a few people helping you to reach your goal. Consider talking to a therapist or a priest or rabbi if you don’t have anyone in your life who is really cheering you on.

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Recommended Resolutions for Writers
Check out this list of recommendations for Writers at an earlier article I wrote: Remember Your New Year’s Resolutions? One Step per Day to future publishing success. And: READ MORE BOOKS
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You can still be successful in the end even when you encounter obstacles and problems throughout your journey. Yes, it takes work to keep your resolutions. But if you stay committed, you’ll be very proud of yourself in the end – and with more self-esteem. Life is busy, don’t forget about the simple but immensely important goals: Be a good spouse, be a good friend. Smile more, treat others with kindness and patience.

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Read also these encouraging articles:
https://daringtolivefully.com/new-year-resolution-ideas
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/new-years-resolutions-what-money-pros-vow-to-do-better-in-2017-2016-12-26
http://www.chopra.com/articles/5-alternatives-to-making-new-year%E2%80%99s-resolutions
http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/28/health/new-years-resolutions-nutrition-fitness/

 

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Use Upcoming Holidays to Promote Your Book

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Pumpkin-Halloween
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Pitching your book to newspaper editors – in the hope to get an invitation for an interview or a book review – benefits greatly when you add a hook in your query letter, such as a holiday that has a reference to your work. The same is true for mentioning your work on Social Media.

Which holidays, other than Christmas – or Christmas in July – can be used to promote your book?

  • New Years
  • Valentines
  • Spring Break
  • Easter
  • Mothers Day
  • Father’s Day
  • Christmas in July
  • Summer Reads
  • Back to School / Labourday
  • Columbus Day
  • Fall Colors
  • Halloween
  • Thanksgiving
  • Christmas

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Romance and Family
All writers of romantic (and even less romantic) love stories could contact newspapers or magazines well in advance due to a presentation of their book around Valentine’s Day. For a magazine exposure plan at least 3-4 months in advance.  Mothers Day or Fathers Day are great hooks for family stories, memoirs or books describing relationships with a parent.
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Christmas in July
And then there is July. A great time for summer specials or book sales, combined with donations for good causes.
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Politics and Social
Is the story in your book one that could only happen in Canada or during Confederation time? Or a story telling the life of immigrants to Canada. To pitch for coverage around Canada Day is your turn then.  Let it be the reason to mention Labor (Labor) Day in your query, should you write about labor relations or social aspects of workers or a story that happens on Labor Day.
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History and Wars
Is your latest book about history, or is it about a famous person in history (and everything related to it), such as President Washington, Martin Luther King, Columbus, or Queen Victoria and her time in history? There are holidays, both in the USA and Canada, and also in Great Britain or Australia were your work fits well for an article or interview. Even war dates could be a great hook for your historical writing.
Does your novel or non-fiction book capture the last wars, including Independence War, or soldiers of this or the last century? Memorial / Remembrance Day / Veterans Day and Independence Day are great reasons to pitch to a journalist or editor and suggest an article about your book or an interview.

Have you something written that covers early settlers or the Irish, the famine there and a difficult new beginning in North America? Or does part or the whole story happens around Thanksgiving or St. Patrick’s Day? Mention it in your query and use it as a hook!

Halloween
Does your novel contain keywords such as spooky, haunted, ghosts, paranormal, super natural, Gothic or even pumpkins – then fall would be perfect to promote your book extensively.
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The Holiday Season
Same opportunity would be Christmas Day or New Year’s Day to cover your books story that is related or happens in the holiday season, including Black Friday or Boxing Day. Writers will easily find a hook to pitch interviews or book reviews during the holiday circle, just from using the connection between their story and the upcoming holiday.
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Prepare well Ahead!
Open with a statement that makes the editor want to keep reading. Is it really timely and in time? Send your query letter at least 6 – 8 weeks before the holiday (magazines 3-4 months!) and follow up. Make the news paper editors work easy: Be sure to close with your contact information highly visible. Do you have any clips, or a website / blog? Put it right out in plain sight.
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Every Novel has dozens, if not hundreds of keywords, just comb through them and for sure you will find something related to a holiday!  Make a list and schedule your pitches / social media or blog posts in your calendar. This way you will not miss any opportunities.

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Tagged: Back to School, Christmas in July, Columbus Day, Easter, Fall Colors, Father's Day, Halloween, Holidays, Irish famine, Labourday, Mothers Day, New Years, Pumpkin, Spring Break, summer reads, Thanksgiving, Valentines