New Year Resolutions is a hot topic this time of year. Everyone is vigorously searching for last year ones and curiously checking what (if anything) got done. So the key in my post is “kind of” 😉
Disclaimer: this is not a Christmas picture – I couldn’t find a Christmas picture of myself so “kind of” goes for my Christmas picture as well 😉 At least it is inline with one of my New Year resolutions. Read on.
First thing’s first – the vacation notice
As usual, many fellow bloggers are taking a break from their blogs for the holidays – and so am I 😀 Off I go – I am already on the road when you read this, so… this would be the last post for the year.
I will still check comments, reply to readers’ questions, network on social media and all – just not publishing new content. If you want to read something so badly – go browse my old posts, they are still here 😉
Surprisingly, I did what I resolved to do last year.
I did launch my personal site and blog in English (yes, this one!). I snapped out of the lethargy which had overcome me in 2012 and started working more, helping others more, exercising more, saving more… I have a lot to be thankful for this year 😀
So now, this New Year Resolutions
Apart from being healthy and staying positive, I’d like to promise myself a few things for the next year.
- Be better with time management
I pledge to be more accountable of what I do with my time and spend it wisely.
During last months I noticed I am spreading myself thin. I work with my freelance clients, I run 2 blogs, I travel a lot, I network with bloggers and read a lot of other blogs… but it isn’t working well. I find myself more often tired than inspired. And I need to find my balance again.
So I need a new system. In 2014 I will be introducing totally new operations mode so that I can meet my goals (work goals, blogging goals, writing goals, product release goals, any and all type of goals).
First step to better time management is cleaning my email. For a few months I have been gradually unsubscribing from various email subscriptions. It’s helping. So I will continue doing so until I feel comfortable again with the number of emails I receive.
This includes unsubscribing from a lot of blogs I follow via email. If you are one of those bloggers whose blogs I unsubscribe from – don’t worry. I will still stop by and read and comment when time and knowledge permits – I will just be following you on Feedly and not via email 😉
- Move away from charging for my time
This is huge for me. I have been freelancing my skills for a few years now and while I make a decent living and live a happy life, I still somewhat exchange my time for money. It was ok for a while, still is.
But this year I started feeling I want to do a lot of things which require money – but when I am away doing them, I don’t actively work – so there is no money coming in. Then when I get back, I need to work harder to make more money so I can go and have some more fun. See where I am going with this?
So, this year I pledge to move away from the charging for my time toward charging for my knowledge. I pledge to develop some of the passive income streams which I have played in my mind with. I pledge to launch my first product.
As I said, this is huge – as it will allow me to earn more money regardless the time I spend working; and it will enable me to do more fun things that I love doing 😀
- Finish my first book
And no, I don’t mean that little ebook which I will give for free to my email subscribers. A real book (e- or not) – about freelance. I won’t give you the details now as it won’t do it any justice. But I promise you – it will be great and more importantly – it will be inspiring 😀
- Become fluent in Spanish
Right, if you follow my blog, you know I moved to Spain not long ago. For 2 months, I have not learnt a single new word in Spanish. I don’t practice and if you ask me – I can live here happily for years without learning the language better than I already know it.
I have basic conversational level but I want more. So I pledge to become fluent in Spanish in 2014. I will really practice it with locals, I will start watching tv and read books in Spanish. I will do whatever it takes. Any and all ideas are more than welcome – share them in the comments 😉
- Travel to at least 10 new destinations
I love traveling, I do it every spare day I have with every spare dime I have 😀
I pledge to continue traveling in 2014 and exploring new destinations, new cultures, meeting new people, making new friends, learning new things, doing new things. (Remember the “kind of” suitable picture? That is me doing a new thing 2 years ago!)
I’ve heard it’s best to keep things simple so 5 is enough 😀
Oh, and one more thing – a little present for you, fellow bloggers, freelancers, and small business owners.
We wear many hats in our daily routine but I am sure all of us secretly hope they become better friends with Google. So here is a somewhat useful, somewhat funny Christmas SEO song. I found it on YouTube and decided to share it with you all – just for fun!
Happy holidays my friend. I hear you about managing your time, emails and work flow. I think many of us are doing the same right now. It can be done. I use a different email just for all blog stuff. That helps.
I wish you all the best in your goals for 2014. I know that if anyone can do it, it’s you my friend. 🙂 Happy Holidays. 🙂
Thanks for the encouragement, Susan! I might try the tip you just gave me – using a separate email account for all blogging related tasks. Hm – thanks for the idea! 😀
I feel the same way you do, Diana! Best of luck with everything! 😀
I know, i giggled when i got your email “the other day” about unsubscribing – as i was just finishing up this very post. Best of luck to you, too! 😀
Time management is a big issue I hope to tackle in 2014 as well, plus I’ll be aiming to finish my novel and let test readers give me feedback before I submit it to agents. Good luck with your book as well!
Thanks, Jeri – good luck to you too, both with your novel and better time management in 2014 😉
Great goal to create some passive income streams. I completely agree with that one! Also, I love to travel too! But I tend to only go somewhere like once a year. But if I only live another 50 years, that’s only 50 more places to see, so I’ll barely be able to even get out of the US if I go by the once a year rule. So that’s actually one of my resolutions too. In 2014 I would like to go to two or three new places. Then maybe the next year I will up it a bit more 🙂
Thanks for the encouragement, Lisha – if you know of a secret about passive income streams, now is the time to tell me – LOL
And yes, travelling is a big one – and making “baby steps” is a good approach. I believe if you pledge and do travel to new places 2-3 times next year, your passion for travel will be awakened and in 2015 you will do twice or three times more. Good luck 😀
Have a great 2014. Enjoy your break, you deserve some time off. In fact, we all do! Glad you said you would start charging for your knowledge. I did the same for over 34 years. It paid off handsomely. This year, I will be working on two films,releasing a book I’m co-writing with my published cousin, and my company will be releasing our second CD. I will also be wearing another hat, that of a publicist. I’ll be working with a 5 time Grammy winner, music producer. I’ll be visiting my home town of Brooklyn, NY. Love that place.Those are my New Year resolutions.
Now, for your first Spanish lesson. Te deseo un ano muy feliz. Espero que sea el mejor de tu vida. Respond in Spanish when ever you feel up it. You’ll be speaking like a native in no time at all. Blessings.
Oh, it seems you have a busy 2014 ahead, parrillaturi 😉 Wish you all the best.
Oh, wait, my Spanish lesson – hm… gracias por tu deseo y feliz año nuevo para ti también – how is that for a response, huh? hahaha – thanks for the encouragement!
I like hearing your goals and your accomplishments. You get an idea, and you go with it. But you still take out plenty of time to play. Look forward to seeing your book and any whatever else you present in 2014.
As for me, I want to work on my illustration skills. This is in addition to keeping up with business and family, but I often enjoy parts of the process (of creating an illustration) so much it’s a reward in itself.
Thanks for your support, Leora! As for your goal – if you are having fun with the process, you will improve your illustration skills in no time! I am sure then you will even help some fellow bloggers if you blog about it 😉
Diana — I started paring back on my email subscriptions this past year, too, because I felt I was being overwhelmed by too many newsletters, blogs, retail store sales, requests for donations, etc. I constantly get new people/companies that put me on their mailing list and I need to keep unsubscribing. Time management is a huge issue. I wish you the best of luck!
Thanks, Jeannette – it seems we, bloggers, often walk the same path. 😀
Best of luck to you, too!
hi Dianna; love the post. you have an ambitious set of resolutions there. I had only one on my list but you have inspired me. my one resolution is to have more fun. I work too hard sometimes working in my mind even when i should be enjoying the moment with a friend or member of my family. I’ve even gotten to where i can pet my dog with one hand and delete the junk mail from my inbox with the other. smile but i resolve to travel more record more videos do more interviews and continue the healthy diet and exercise that has gotten me to 260 pounds on my 6 ft 4 frame. thanks again and have a blessed new year wherever you are, max
Thanks for your comment, Max! I am so glad i have inspired you to pledge to do more things in 2014. Those are all good resolutions – wish you to keep them all 😉
You gave me an idea – maybe i should add one more resolution to my list – to inspire people more 😀
Diana,
I am new to your blog. Looks like you need to have a passive income source. Freelancing is definitely selling the time.
I know selling is harder after launching my first premium book. Anyway Good luck wit your book and wishing you a happy new year 🙂
Welcome to my blog and to our community, Shahzad! Happy New Year to you, too – and i hope you’d find more useful advice here on my blog and we’ll get to know each other better!
Yes, most of the time freelancing is exchanging time for money. When working on fixed price projects it is not quite like that but nonetheless.
Freelancing was a great step forward for me when i turned my back to 9-to-5 work. I guess it’s time to make another step forward and move from freelancing to passive income. 😀
I hope your holidays were/are wonderful and Happy New Year to you!
I would love to get better at my time management too. It’s one of those things that if you can get it right, you can get so many other goals accomplished. I wish you all the best and hope you accomplish this year’s goals too. 🙂
Time management seems to be an issue for most if not all of us, Debra!
I had wonderful 2 weeks away and now i am slowly going back into working mode… Happy New Year to you, too! 😀