Project 2010

Ok, I guess I have less than a day now to get used to the sound of 2010.

2010.

Yep, it still doesn't look right.

I don't know about you, but it sounds like something straight out of a bad sci-fi movie. I mean, really, weren't we supposed to be flying by now? Or at least driving cars that did a la "The Jetsons?"

Whether I like it or not, however, the new decade will be right on schedule at midnight, and to be honest, I've been anticipating its arrival with a mix of fear and excitement.

I mean there's something quite fantastic about a new year...it's a fresh start. A few days before every new one begins, I make a list of things (writing, spiritual and otherwise) I hope and resolve will be different this time around.

And even the act of doing that makes me feel like I can do anything—even lose those stubborn pounds that have been hangin' out with me way too long. Or finally finishing my third novel which feels like it's been forever in the making. And with God's help, (Philippians 4:13) anything really is possible, a valuable reminder when you've got a list that feels a mile long.

But as much as I love making the lists, making the changes isn't nearly as easy, which is inevitably where the fear comes in. And I guess that's why I've focused less on specifics for the upcoming year and more on long-term lifestyle changes.

Instead of going on some crazy diet that promises I'll lose 20 pounds in a month (surprising since all I'd be eating is grapefruit and protein shakes, right?), I'm determined to simply eat healthier and exercise. When you're sitting on your duff a good chunk of the day in front of your computer, getting up and moving is essential, and that's something I've often let fall by the wayside. Ditto for eating when I'm not really hungry, a casualty of working by yourself all day (although that's really no excuse).

Ditto for how I use my time...while I wholeheartedly believe that procrastination in various forms and the life of a writer go hand in hand, I know there are ways I can be using my time better. Maybe that means checking Facebook just a couple of times a day instead of several. Or watching one less TV show. But whatever that looks like, I hope to make strides in that particular area as well. Time simply passes too quickly not to make the most of it.

So with that said, I wish each and every one of you reading a very happy start to 2010. I'll be sure to keep you posted on how the life changes are going here...instant accountability, no? :)