Fall Resolve

Forget New Year’s Resolutions. It’s when the weather takes a chilly turn towards fall that I feel the real motivation to make vows of improved performance and more thoughtful living.

In January, it’s the middle of winter. Other than the passing of the holiday season, the world’s lacking any natural change when January 1^st rolls around. But autumn? That’s when we batten down the hatches and prepare for the winter season to come.

The last few days have blown in windy and drizzly. Suddenly the mornings seem so much darker. It’s so easy to talk to yourself into early bedtimes and it so very hard to drag yourself out of bed in the morning. In short, it’s been hot cocoa and good book weather.

But as much as the weather prompts a reemergence of wool socks and down vests, I’ve always found the arrival of a nip in the air synonymous with a kick in the butt. Fall has always symbolizes a change for me: either a return to school or a change in jobs. When autumn rolls around, I always find myself with some reason, either internal or external, to really knuckle down, to grab one more cup of hot coffee and really mull over my editorial to figure out how to make this little thing called potential work for me.

The 2010 writing goals I drew up in January are starting to fade from where they sit by the window on my desk. Maybe the goals were a little optimistic. Maybe I didn’t try hard enough. Maybe I could predict what this year would end up bringing me. Regardless of what happened, the goals which were meant to be a push have ended up as a fail although I’m hasty to point out that in spite of the lack of check marks on my writing goal lists, things have still gone inexplicably well in life and writing this year. Plenty of time remains in 2010 to complete several of the lingering goals. Still the whole sending out a query every week goal? Not happening . . .

It’s easy to fall into a bit of stupor when fall rolls in, bring in a lull after a busy summer season. But I’m pulling out the Post-its and my day planner, scrawling out goals and deadlines, using this quiet, cool season to prepare for the long winter ahead.