In the middle of December I was searching for some year in review material when I accidentally stumbled on something else I wrote. Or rather something else all of the journalists at the North West Star wrote.
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It was our new year resolutions for 2018 written at the start of the year and shamefully I now admit I promptly forgot all about.
It was a reminder that while resolutions are an important part of the January framework, they tend not to get a look in in April, let alone December.
But curious, I went back to my five resolutions to see how I did and the answer: not particularly great.
1. Drink more water – I’ll give myself half a point for that and I definitely increased consumption as the summer approached. But far too much coffee in winter. Score 0.5
2. Double my writing – Failed. Either though busyness at work or a myriad other excuses my book has stalled. Score 0
3. Play football – Failed. I realise that a job where working most weekends of the winter does not fit in well with the demands of a regular team sport. Score 0
4. Keep running – Succeeded. This was a great year for running taking part in the parkruns that started up in Mount Isa, plus my second Porcupine Gorge Challenge and my first Outback to the Stack half marathon. Score 1.
5. Increase our page impressions and unique visitors to the North West Star every month – Mostly succeeded. We were doing well to September. What I failed to foresee at the start of the year is that we would move to a subscription model in October. I accept it is necessary to protect our future but overall page impressions and visitors unsurprisingly took a hit. Score 0.75
Overall 2.25 out 5. A pass mark? Hmm. Alright now to 2019.
1. Drink more water. Yes I know it was in 2018, but I didn’t make it, remember? Alright I now have a 1 litre waterholder on my desk so the goal to fill three times a day. At least the increased toilet traffic will keep me on my feet.
2. Resume my writing. I know I have a decent book inside me about the need for a Treaty. I have 60,000 good words I’ve already written. Just get back into it and damn the excuses.
3. Get back into cycling. Up to about 10 years ago I used to cycle everywhere. Then when I became a bush journalist it got too hard and I gave it away. But I need to resume love affair with the bike. Well I need to buy one first (anyone got a cheap second hand one they want to find a home for?)
4. Get back to my fighting weight of the low 80kgs. I weighed myself over Christmas and was the wrong side of 90kg. I figure that with the help of slightly smaller food portions plus the increased fitness regime in the cooler months, I’ll shed that excess. But will it return by the time I remember this in December???
5. Grow the number of our subscriptions to the North West Star. I like to put in at least one professional goal and as mentioned in the 2018 goals, subscriptions to our website started in October. If the North West Star is to thrive in the 2020s it needs a large supporter base, and that means people willing to spend $150 year to ensure the continuation of reliable and timely local news. We’ll be working on this issue a lot in the new year. Our survival depends on it.
I asked Samantha Walton – back from maternity leave - to reflect on her 2018 resolutions and make her 2019 ones. This is her response:
“I did 3.5/5 in 2018. I’m back to my pre pregnancy weight, spent time with people that matter and did my first campdraft, I learned to cook a bit but not as much as I wanted and I definitely didn’t save money haha. Here is my list of New Year Resolutions for 2019.
1- Spend time with family
As I return to work full time after 12 months maternity leave, I want to spend most of my free time with family. After spending 99 per cent of the last year with my son and soaking up the whole parenting experience, I know this year I will not have as much time with him or my fiancé as I would like. Therefore every afternoon and free weekend will be spent on our property with my little family.
2- Spend less time on social media
Sitting around home keeping your child entertained with modern day cartoons can get a little tiring, so it’s no doubt I found myself constantly on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Therefore I would like to refrain from being on social media and take in more of the world around me.
3- Drink more water
This is something so little but it’s something I always forget to do! Therefore I plan to have a nice cold bottle of water on my desk or in my bag to keep me from dehydrating and headaches.
4- Eat healthier
In conjunction with drinking more water, I would also like to eat healthier and snack less. Snacking is one of my most favourite pastimes but it’s definitely not good for your waistline when you’re trying to fit into a wedding dress. Therefore I plan to make my lunches for work, so I don’t eat bad food or snack out.
5- Have a glorious wedding
The save the dates are out and planning is in progress. In October I will marry the love of my life and the father of my child. I hope to have a glorious wedding surrounded by family and friends. I cannot wait to tick this resolution off my list!
Thank you Samantha – even if you did steal my water resolution!
Lastly I asked Melissa Coleman who wasn’t here last year but who was willing to participate in 2019. Below is her response.
Making resolutions is not really my thing, I don't think I've done that for many years.
I do have some goals and thoughts on things I'd like to achieve in 2019 though, the difference is I don't put pressure on myself to do them and if they don't come to fruition this year, I realise it's just not the right time or I'll try again next year or they'll be axed totally.
I tick off things from an invisible bucket list where things are added and deleted all the time.
Some of the goals on my list this year are to:
1. Do more meditation and yoga.
I already meditate daily but I want to keep progressing and tuning my awareness and I love yoga so getting to some classes this year would be a good start.
2. Finish and launch my novel.
I've been working on my novel 'The Secret Diary of Leonardo' for a year and a half. It's 3/4 finished so my goal is to finish and launch it by end of April.
3. Ride in the Border ride from Isa to Camooweal. The farthest I have ridden is 100kms so it will definitely be a challenge and a lot of fun.
4. Enjoy the moments that count and don't worry about the ones that don't.
Learning to let go of thoughts or actions that are negative has been a struggle for me over the years but with GOAL No.1 above this should become achievable.
5. To have lots of fun! You only live once so why put restrictions and limitations on yourself. So everything I have written above comes under one amazing quote from a guy who believed in going beyond your so-called limits. Bruce Lee said if you always put limitations on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus and you must not stay there, you must go beyond."
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
