New Year's Resolutions that I stand a 90 percent chance of fulfilling

Every year I make resolutions that last about three days. Apparently, I'm not all that resolute. But I am a goal-setter. You have to be, if you're going to be a writer. You set daily word count goals. You set a goal to meet your deadline. You vow that one day, your name will appear on the New York Times bestseller list. (Still working on that one.)

And since my first book came out in 2009, my primary goal has been making the transition to full-time writer. It's not that I don't enjoy my job as an editorial coordinator at a medical society. But between working full-time, parenting two small children, keeping our house running and writing from 9 p.m. to "whenever I feel like I'm done" every night," there are times when I'm spread pretty thin.

When I first started out, a more experienced writer told me that it took an average of six to seven books on the shelf before an author could write full-time. Well, my seventh book came out this week, and as of Jan. 31, I will be a full-time author.

I am very excited about this change and what it will mean for my family. And ever since we realized that this was something that WOULD be happening, I started getting antsy. Why? I didn't have a goal anymore. I'm one of those type A personalities that needs parameters.

So I started setting small goals for what I would do after I left my job. I would call them resolutions, but if I did, there's a very good chance I'd never get them done. So here they are:

-Write when there are no other people in the house, so I don't spend precious time when they are home glued to my computer.

-Read more than one book per month

-Finish sewing Carter’s Christmas stocking. He's three years old. He's going to notice that his is the only storebought one in the family.

-Answer all reader emails the day I receive them.

-Join a regional RWA chapter.

-Blog at least once a week.

-Go to the gym so often that the staff actually recognizes me when I show up. At this point, they demand proof of identity and membership when I try to walk in.

-Volunteer in Darcy's school library.

-Read all of the Serendipity books to Carter.

-Wear nothing but yoga pants for a month.

-Buy more yoga pants.

-Consider taking a yoga class.

-Convince David that yoga pants are not, in fact, sweat pants.

-Get more than four hours of sleep per night.

-Plant a vegetable and herb garden that might survive past the seedling stage

-Bake from scratch again.

-Take up cake decorating again.

-Get a tan.

-Update my web site more often.

-Participate in more online contests and conversations.

-Have lunch with friends more often.

For now, I'm wrapping up the loose ends at my office and trying to leave a good parting impression on my co-workers. On Feb. 1, don't be alarmed if you loud snores. I will be sleeping in.