New Year, New Resolve

Out with the old, right? I'm not sure what there is to "out," but I have some new resolutions for this year. My "word" for this year is HABIT. I want to make a habit of

1. creating art every day (I'm following the sketchbook challenge);
2. keeping a design book (I have one all ready to go!);
3. setting long-term goals and short-term tasks that will move me toward those goals;
4. keeping up with my blog, both so that I can stay in touch with my virtual communities and record my progress;
5. cleaning up after myself (I'm starting with a clean and organized studio: Yippee!).

I think that's enough to focus on at any one time, don't you? Last year I didn't make any New Year's resolutions, falling in with the "I don't believe in resolutions" crowd. And guess what? I spent an entire year unfocused, unproductive, and artistically flailing around. I substituted buying supplies for doing work. I became isolated. So I knew I had to do something differently this year.

You'll notice my list is not detailed. Typically, I write myself a letter every year on my birthday (Feb.) about what I want to accomplish, where I want to go, how I might get there (did I even write one to myself last year? I won't know until my birthday, when I open that special journal and remind myself about what I hoped--or neglected to hope--would happen in the coming year). I'll save the details for that letter, though I'll probably be pondering them in the back of my mind between now and then.

I see the list I've included here as a kind of touchstone that I can return to when I'm not sure what to do next.

Today's work is a sketch I did this morning; it's not good, but that's ok. I've resolved to do quick, daily (sometimes watercolored) sketches to start my day off right, and to focus on getting the work done, not getting it done perfectly or beating myself up because these are not great:

So what about you? Are you making resolutions this year? Setting goals? Making lists of things you want to do? Or are you ok winging it?