2019 Resolutions

Here’s the thing- I love resolutions. I know they’re not for everyone- I know many find them anxiety-inducing or counterproductive. But it’s me, your eternal optimist, and I am here to say I love starting the year with an agenda. Hell, I love starting the day with the agenda. LISTS. PLEASE. MORE. ALWAYS.

I am sharing this because my main resolution is to write more in this blog. I enjoy writing online- I find it clarifying. I have had a blog in one form or another since high school, moving from LiveJournal (back when you needed an invite) to a variety of internet outposts. I also feel an increased responsibility to share some of what I have learned and to speak candidly about my experiences in libraries from the point of privilege in which I find myself. I want to present myself as a resource, and this is the venue that makes the most sense.

I want 2019 to be the year I actively pursue a more balanced approach to my professional and personal passions. Basically, I want to embrace my mid-career and give myself the opportunities to grow as a person rather than just as a librarian. My resolutions are my attempt to codify that effort, and to hold myself accountable to the way I allocate my time and energy.

In 2019, I want to:

1. Write More, Here and Elsewhere. – I am shooting for one post a week on this old blog. If you have questions or topics you would like to see me address, hit me up. My main formal writing initiative for the year will be planning and executing a big project with Rachel Fleming and an intrepid band of collaborators.
2. Talk to People on Purpose. –  I recently deleted my Facebook, and I cannot rely on that passive communications model any longer. I want to do better! This year I am planning to get back into letters and snail mail, try texting more, maybe even call people who aren’t my parents on the phone. I  am a millennial; this is hard.
3. Putter and Tinker! – I have been doing a full-time+ hustle in libraries for the past seven years, and I want to take back time for my other pursuits. If you have met me, you know I have an obsessive streak. I have been obsessed with libraries, and while that’s served me so far I think it’s time for a change. I am going to make 2019 my arts and crafts year. I hope to share some projects here!
4. Focus Professionally. – This is the obvious corollary to #3. Professionally, I want to spend this year squarely focused on my day job and a small number of focused projects. I’m going to try to step back a little on my professional development for three big reasons. First,  I completely over-committed last year and it turned into a real nightmare. Second, I don’t want to hog the mic- I have presented a lot in recent years, and I’d love to hear what other people have to say. Third, I love my job, and it satisfies my ambitions in ways no other job has- I want to spend this year getting really good at it.
5. Go Outside Every Day. – I am a much happier person when I get a 30 minute walk, even when it’s cold. I need that fresh air.

So that’s it- sounds pretty manageable, I think. Here’s to 2019. Let’s crush it.