New Year's Resolutions for 2016

I was at home recently, and going through a bunch of old journals and miscellaneous items that I haven't looked at in some time. I found a list of things that I made as resolutions in 2011, which made me laugh because there were probably ten or so items on the list, and I think I only kept one or two of them, at the most. They were pretty mundane things -- take better control of my finances, get a better job, etc. One of the resolutions I'm still trying to mull over, but that's a story for another time.

But this is the end of 2015, and I feel like I've changed quite a bit since I made that list four years ago. And since the new year calls for a fresh start or outlook on things, I've decided that there are a few things I really want to change, and things I want to commit to. With no further ado, here are my resolutions for 2016:

I will write more. I will be less critical of my work, but still recognize when bad writing is bad writing.

I will not query a project until it is ready, even if I'm itching to do so. My next project should not suffer from me pulling the trigger too early as I've done with my previous work.

I will read more, and more often. I have my niche -- YA -- but I will read more broadly within and outside of YA.

I will be more patient with others. This is something that I really need to work on, and it will probably take all year, if not longer to accomplish this!

I will gain better control of my finances, and start saving for the future. I've got one year left of my twenties and I don't want to begin my thirties pretending that drowning under an ocean of debt is okay. (Not that I have an ocean of debt; it's closer to a large estuary.)

I will go to the gym more consistently, eat better, and have better control of my diabetes. I'd like to live a long and happy life, and exercising more and eating better will help with this.

I will be more organized. My small apartment already is jam-packed full of things, and I need to adopt a more minimalist lifestyle. I will, however, make exceptions for things like wampa rugs and more books.

Overall, I will try to be more positive. If I have a year of quiet happiness, that will be enough for me. Though if I happen to win the lottery or get a fabulous book deal (or really *any* book deal), I won't turn either down.

I'm writing this in the airport in Las Vegas, about to board a plane back to Boston, where the weather is currently thirty degrees colder than I'd like, but since I had to scrape frost off of the windshield of a car this morning in Southern California, things could be worse...or more strange, I guess.

2015 wasn't too bad a year, and here's to a happy 2016 for everyone!