My word for 2021…

If 2020 taught me anything, it’s that time is precious and fleeting. I’ve stared down at my own mortality and realized I waste more time than I should for the goals I want to accomplish.

So, the word I’m keeping at the forefront of my brain this year is DEDICATION.

The dictionary definition of dedication is: the quality of being dedicated or committed to a task or purpose. Easy, peasy. Commit yourself, your time, your efforts to something you want to accomplish. Since my life is divided into compartments, I need to dedicate myself all around.

First, to my family. The plague has prevented me from seeing those family members and friends I love best, so until we are all able to get together and hug one another without worry again, I am dedicating myself to reaching out more and being more involved in their lives. I’ve let that slip this year and have let too much time go on between encounters, be they over the phone, in letters, or Zoom. 2021 will see me initiate more facetime with the people who mean the most to me.

Second, to my health. I’ve been able to keep Covid free this year because I listened to the scientists and the doctors. My hands are chapped from so much washing and sometimes I think hand sanitizer has become my new perfume since I permeate it when I get a whiff of  myself. While the isolation/quarantining has kept me plague-free, it has done a number on my weight and overall health. I sleep even worse than I did before ( which wasn’t much, as many of you know) and comfort foods became a big distraction in 2020, leading to a weight gain that is not conducive with the health of my joints or my psyche. in 2021 I am dedicating myself to exercising daily and cutting out the crap foods. I can be just as comforted eating a carton of yogurt than I can a package of Chips Ahoy cookies. Well, maybe not so much, but I am determined to make the better choices in the eating department.

Third, my writing career. I feel like this area needs the most dedication. Before the crisis, I was pounding out 2-3000 words per day. I didn’t need to be quarantined to sit at my desk and write because I was already a hermit. One would think that during an enforced home isolation I’d bang out even more words because I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere. Didn’t happen. Somewhere along the way I got lazy and started doing other things like baking, binge-watching Netflix, Hulu, and Disney, and trolling social media for hours. As a result I didn’t make much money this year from sales because I didn’t put out much product. in 2021 that is going to change. I already have 6 books that need writing ( 2 are novellas so that helps), I wnt to start a new romance series, and I am rededicating myself to putting the book writing first. Blogging can come second and social media third. I’ve built a good following on all my social platforms so I think I can let them grow a bit organically this year.

SO, that’s my life pan for 2021 and the word I hope helps me achieve everything I want to achieve.

Enjoy this first day of the new year and lets all pray the craziness of 2020  is behind us for good and forever.

Until next time, peeps ~ Peg

Dedication word cloud