Finding my BLISS in 2018 as a writer...and a TASK MINDER GIVEAWAY for you!

If you've followed me for a while, you know that I'm a goal-setting, list-keeping kind-of-gal, so it will come as no surprise to hear I'm setting new goals for 2018. (If you want to check out my past goals, there is a great post HERE. and two FREE hour-long workshops I did on SMART Goals for Sunshine State Romance Authors can be found HERE.)

Except this year, I am including NON-WRITING GOALS! (Yes, gasping would be appropriate here!)

In preparing for a workshop earlier this year, I came across the super-addicting world of Vision

Boards and decided to incorporate all aspects of my life into my Vision/Goals for 2018--as you can see from the picture, I divided it up into Writing, Home/Family, Personal and Spiritual/Philanthropy. Honestly, I debated on 'sharing' it with all of you--sharing goals for me is a bit like running in tight, all-body spandex. Something I never do because it's very uncomfortable, with every ripple and blemish out there for all to see. And judge. Yikes!!

But, in the end, I decided that perhaps something in my writing journey would help others...so here it is! Keep scrolling for the TASK MINDER that I'd created for the workshop--I have several left over and will send to YOU for FREE if you'd like!

You'll notice my 2018 Word/Theme is : SEEK BLISS and I worked with each section of my goals until I was satisfied that those bullet points were those things that bring me/my family BLISS this year. Lately, I've had difficulty finding daily BLISS--a couple of years ago, it led to a heart scare and a day of wearing a heart monitor (you can read all about that here). There is so much negativity and divisiveness, it's been a challenge to focus on inner peace. Bliss. So. Back to my new goals...

In writing, bliss means TONS of giveaways to readers/fans/newsletter subscribers! I dearly love giving fun swag and other fun things away, so be sure to subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Writing new fiction brings be BLISS, so that means submitting a new manuscript to my agent in March (because while writing brings me joy...the royalty checks help pay the bills!). In Personal, I am in the throes of training for a Half Marathon with my daughter, among other things. In Philanthropy, I'm busy booking time with writers (kids and adults) to share my passion for my craft, and focusing on the quality of time spent leading Girl Scouts (going on 13 years as leader now, so the burn-out struggle is REAL!).

The Historic Pink House that I've drooled
over my whole life, lol! 
(Photo from Discover AlleganyCounty website HERE.)

Finally, in the Home/Family section, finding BLISS meant going after something I've wanted since I was 4 years old and peering through the wrought-iron gates at Wellsville's historic Victorian (the Pink House at the left)...I want to own a Victorian home as a vacation property. (Ok, truly, I'd really just like to own the Pink House. But since that's probably an unrealistic goal, I'll settle for another historic cutie!!

I hope some of my 2018 Goal posting has you thinking about your own goals this year--it's not too late to make them...or even change them! And to help you out, I've got a FUN FREEBIE for you! Simply message me before the end of February 2018 on my Contact Page here with your physical address, and I'll send you one of these adorable TASK MINDERS I've created for your goals for FREE--I'll even cover postage!

Get one of these Task Minders for YOUR 2018 Goals for FREE!
Just email/message me your address, and I'll pop one in the mail to you!

Using the little booklet is easy: simply put your goals on the left hand side, and write the tasks it'll
take to achieve those on the right hand side...and then check them off as you accomplish! Thanks for staying with me on my writing journey--your continued readership of my blog means a great deal, especially considering I'm not the most avid blogger in the world, lol! Here's to our continued BLISS in 2018!

Happily My Ever After,
Dylan


P.S. Do you want MORE FREEBIES? Have you subscribed to my Newsletter? It's easy to do--just enter your email address on the bottom of the page HERE and voila! You're in the Newton Newsletter Nation where I do quarterly giveaways of fun stuff!

FREE webinar: "Writer's Road Map to Success in 2014"

Fill your Writer's Toolbox for FREE!

It's not often that you get something for nothing...but thanks to the lovely gals at Sunshine State Romance Authors, Inc., FREE means FREE in this hour-long webinar on creating your writer's road-map to success in 2014.

Here is the link for the FREE Writer's Webinar:

http://sunshinestateromanceauthors.com/multimedia-archive/2014-01-roadmap/

And the fantabulous presenter (okay, that's moi!!) has also created a goal worksheet and a Writer's Passport to Success to go along with the webinar. Isn't she nice?!? ;)

Enjoy, and here's to YOU hitting your writing goals...
Happily My Ever After,
Dylan

P.S. Want to see my writer-ly (and other) goals for 2014? Click here.

New Year's Resolutions. Bah. Who has the time on Jan. 1? With the kids out of school, and still decompressing from the holiday whirlwind, I barely have the mental fortitude to make a grocery list, let alone list out my life goals for the coming year.

You didn't make any either? Don't worry....

According to a New York Times article, a third of the people that made New Year's Resolutions will break them by February, and by July more than half will have abandoned that hangover-induced list.

I prefer Anytime Resolutions. Better known as Goals.

Want to join me in putting more Happily in your Ever After? It's simple--follow these 3 steps:

1. Pick five areas of your life to improve.  More than that, you lose focus. Check out this bit on Oprah's website. I structured my goals around the "Absolute YES list" which has made it easier for me to say NO to all the things that don't relate to my goals.
2. Use S.M.A.R.T. goals--
• Specific: Don't just put "Lose Weight", but put "Lose Twenty Pounds", or better yet, "Lose 3 Pounds a Month." Studies show the more specific your goals, the more likely you are to achieve them.
• Measurable: Break your goal down into measurable steps. For example, one of my goals is to achieve PAN status with RWA. As my publisher puts out the royalty reports each quarter, I can track how my promotional events are working for me in my efforts to sell my book. Then, I can adjust (or sob over a glass of wine) accordingly. 
• Attainable: Pretty obvious, but worth repeating. Make goals that stretch your limits, but are achievable with solid effort.
• Relevant/Resonate: This is where most goals fall flat. Visualizing that goal should give you a tingle of excitement. Six years ago, my goal was to get a publishing contract. I visualized my book-signing party, where I was swanning around in a designer gown, champagne glass in hand, as I greeted my guests on the front lawn of the Pink House (a historic, reportedly haunted Victorian in my hometown, which you can see here) . Well, I did get that contract and champagne (yay!) but no designer gown and Victorian landmark signing party. Maybe when I hit my five-year goal: appearing on the NYTimes Bestseller's List. Someday I'll have that drink on the Pink House lawn!
• Time-Bound: Have an end-time for your goal. This helps you avoid goals like "Exercise More Often," as this is a life-style change, not a goal. A fitness goal would be "Get Fit Enough to Run the Disney Marathon by January."
3.  Post Your Goals for Accountability! Publish them on Facebook, on your fridge, bulletin board, bathroom mirror. Everywhere. Even your blog. ;)

Without further ado, here are my 2104 goals...

1. Fitness/Health--

• Attend kickboxing/bootcamp classes 3 or more times each week to be ready for obstacle race in February, then schedule race for summer/fall.
• Strive for five fruits and veggie servings every day. Track how many on my fit app daily.

2. Writing--

• Write for 45 minutes every weekday until Novel #4 is completed, and send to my editor at TWRP (then cross my fingers for contract #4!).
• Attend one writer's conferences this year.
• Read (or listen to) 52 or more books this year (1/week). Then review them on Goodreads!
• Hold two contests for my readers (one in Feb, one in Oct), revise blog/website to include reader enhancement experiences, increase newsletter subscribers to 200.
• Create four webinars (one/quarter) to give back to other writers, and four vlogs (one/quarter) just for my readers to enhance their reading experience with me.

3. Family--

• Write/work on writing related things during the week, and on the weekend before the family is awake. Then, it's technology blackout until Monday morning.
• Focus on the QUALITY of the time spent, vs. the QUANTITY.

4. Leadership/Volunteer--

• Designate 8 hrs/week to handle leadership responsibilities for the organizations I lead. Stick by the parameters so the organizations don't take over every other goal on this list.
• Cut volunteer hours to 5/week.

5. Say NO--

• Last but not least: Say NO to the people, things and distractions that take away from my goals this year. And after you say NO, don't feel guilty. This is a YES list. Not a NO list.Cherish friends and family in my life that add to my Happily My Ever After. The ones that suck the joy from my life...this is a new year and a new Dylan. I will be purposeful about with whom and how I spend my mental energy.

What are your goals? Feel free to share them on this blog! Because goals are the way to...
Happily my Ever After,
Dylan

Life Goals for 2012...Better Late than Never

New Year's Resolutions. Bah. Who has the time on Jan. 1? With the kids out of school, and still decompressing from the holiday whirlwind, I barely have the mental fortitude to make a grocery list, let alone list out my life goals for the coming year.

You didn't make any either? Don't worry....

According to a New York Times article, a third of the people that made New Year's Resolutions will break them by February, and by July more than half will have abandoned that hangover-induced list.

I prefer Mid-Year Resolutions. Better known as goals.

Want to join me in putting more Happily in your Ever After? It's simple--follow these 3 steps:

1. Pick five areas of your life to improve.  More than that, you lose focus. Check out this bit on Oprah's website. I structured my goals around the "Absolute YES list" which has made it easier for me to say NO to all the things that don't relate to my goals.
2. Use S.M.A.R.T. goals--
• Specific: Don't just put "Lose Weight", but put "Lose Twenty Pounds", or better yet, "Lose 3 Pounds a Month." Studies show the more specific your goals, the more likely you are to achieve them.
• Measurable: Break your goal down into measurable steps. For example, one of my goals is to achieve PAN status with RWA. As my publisher puts out the royalty reports each quarter, I can track how my promotional events are working for me in my efforts to sell my book. Then, I can adjust (or sob over a glass of wine) accordingly. 
• Attainable: Pretty obvious, but worth repeating. Make goals that stretch your limits, but are achievable with solid effort.
• Relevant/Resonate: This is where most goals fall flat. Visualizing that goal should give you a tingle of excitement. Three years ago, my goal was to get a publishing contract. I visualized my book-signing party, where I was swanning around in a designer gown, champagne glass in hand, as I greeted my guests on the front lawn of the Pink House (a historic, reportedly haunted Victorian in my hometown, which you can see here) . Well, I did get that contract and champagne (yay!) but no designer gown and Victorian landmark signing party. Maybe when I hit my five-year goal: appearing on the NYTimes Bestseller's List. Someday I'll have that drink on the Pink House lawn!
• Time-Bound: Have an end-time for your goal. This helps you avoid goals like "Exercise More Often," as this is a life-style change, not a goal. A fitness goal would be "Get Fit Enough to Run the Disney Marathon by January."
3.  Post Your Goals for Accountability! Publish them on Facebook, on your fridge, bulletin board, bathroom mirror. Everywhere. Even your blog. ;)

Without further ado, here are my goals...

By the end of 2012, I do solemnly resolve to:

1. Achieve RWA PAN level through royalty earnings by increasing my online presence (see goal #2), speaking engagements, and marketing efforts.
2. Establish online brand (Website, Facebook, Pinterest, Blog, GoodReads) and have tools in place (Smart phone, iPad) to ensure weekly updates that further my writing and life's goals.
3. Inject more fun into life by doing at least one activity with my daughters and/or husband that is different from the normal routine on a weekly (and when larger--monthly) basis.
4. Scrapbook one page per week that captures our crazy, beautiful, blessed life so my family has a tangible way to reflect on all that makes us perfect and flawed. 
5. Get an agent or publishing contract for paranormal romance "Despite the Fangs", or my young adult paranormal novel, "Cassandra's Awakening" by submitting to two agents/publishers per week, as well as attending seminars/conferences/groups that will further my publishing goals.  

Subscribe to my blog. Keep me honest to my goals. Post yours below!

Together, we can put the Happily in our Ever After!
Dylan