It seems organization has been playing a major part in my life these last few weeks.  My calendar is quickly filling up with wedding-related duties (I’m the M.O.H., not the bride) and organization-related stuff.  You see, I took on a board position this year in one of RWA chapters I’m a member of… and that’s while still being an active member of two other local chapters and two more online chapters.  (Why, yes.  Yes, I am a busy girl, thank you.)

Added to that: I’m involved in two separate critique groups and am a member of a smaller group of writers hoping to push one another toward publication (we are yet “unnamed” but I still secretly hope we’ll go with my idea: League of Extraordinary Wordsmiths or some such) and have been somewhat floundering in my responsibilities as a writer!  How am I supposed to find time to actually write when I’m so uber-busy filling my time with, well, everything else?

I know I’m not the first person to discover that my writing duties have suffered due to the other responsibilities I’ve chosen to take on.  So, you know, I don’t have anyone to blame but myself for this madness.  And then, just when I was about to be overwhelmed, a few things happened:

(1) I decided I needed to get organized.

So I whipped out my $50 (no joke) planner and attempted to actually schedule my writing and editing time.  For real.  No more “ehh, when I feel like it”.  I worked well on a schedule in November/December while I was working on Tossing the Gloves, and I should get back to that schedule.  It was an insane pace, and I burned out right after, but if I take it at a lower level of intensity, I think I can still be successful.

The whole reason I modified my day job hours was so I could have more “evening” time to write.  (I could have opted to shift my schedule to give me some more sleep, but no.  2010 is supposed to be the year I continue what I started last year.  2010 is the year I write my second novel.  2010 is the year I begin actively seeking representation.)  While flipping through my enormous planner, I found all kinds of handy tools for breaking down my goals and finding ways to keep track of my progress.  This is good.  I like to reward myself for hitting certain milestones because it gives me something to work toward.

Then, I got caught up on my RWA loop emails (and let me tell you: there are lots).

That’s where this next part comes in.

(2) I may not have any resolutions, but that doesn’t preclude me from having goals.

Another member suggested a goal setting technique centered on coming up with one word I want to exemplify me and my life this year.  It took me a few days before I could come up with anything, but while at the day job (because, apparently, that’s where my mind wanders most) I found it.

Intention.

I want this year to be the year I live my life with intention.  I want to own my space, my words, my successes, my attempts, my actions.  I want to be purposeful and not wishy-washy in my life.  I am going to strive to be fully aware of every decision I make, every commitment I make and should I choose to do something,  I want to do it to the best of my ability.  I know people are generally advised to do that kind of thing everyday anyway, but let’s be honest here.  Sometimes, we’re lazy or complacent.  It’s easier to do an “okay” job than it is to do a “fantastic” job because the difference between the two is how hard (or diligently) one works.

If I am able to inject my every action and decision with intention, I feel as if it will become a powerful motivator for me to push forward both professionally and personally.  Also, by living with intention, I will not have the opportunity to make excuses — at least, that’s how it works in my head.  We’ll revisit this idea in a year’s time, I’m sure.

(3) I saw the sign.  (Sort of.)

I know there are plenty of people who are touched by music.  For me, I love that moment when the perfect song comes up and you are suddenly hit with that A-ha!  That’s just what I was feeling right now.  Thanks for putting it into words.

That’s how I felt when, as I began writing this point, “Swim” by Jack’s Mannequin came on.

You haven’t come this far to fall off the earth
The currents will pull you away from your love
Just keep your head above

With everything else going on in my life right now, this song was a good reminder that I didn’t come this far to quit.  I came this this far in my writing so I can keep on pushing forward.

And that’s what I intend to do: keep on pushing forward.

What’s you 2010 word?