reading goals

2018 Reading Resolutions and Goals

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Okay so I’ve given my ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ a lot of thought. Every year before this one I would set a few completely unrealistic life goals that required me to change my entire lifestyle. As I’ve grown wiser (which just means knowing myself better), I know that doing a complete 180 on who I am, and the things I do…is just not feasible. One activity has remained constant in my life and that is: reading. However, the deeper I get into reading, the more I branch out for the purpose of reading contemporary things, keeping updated, and staying ‘relevant.’ See my rant below “End of the Year Wrap-Up | Reflection.” I think the best ways to make reading goals and resolutions this time is to figure out WHAT makes me happy in the first place; then just stay true to the list. It was such a revelation when I figured it out, but now it seems so obvious. So here are my reading goals in 2018, things that make me happy, and a few personal goals:

(Reading) things that make me genuinely happy

  1. Gothic themes and Gothic literature (all genres and formats)
  2. Victorian Literature and Russian Literature
  3. Sci-Fi and Fantasy
  4. Medieval Studies as topic (lifestyle and hagiographies)
  5. Everything around Shakespeare
  6. Nature books, nature memoirs, herbalism books
  7. Poetry of: Plath, Frost, Dickinson, and Rilke
  8. Children’s Classics (including fairy tale collections)
  9. Cozy Mysteries
  10. Nonfiction (usually about topics 1-9)

Reading Goals 2018

  1. Review only 1-2 ARCs per month and choose them carefully.
  2. Use the library more: both through audio-books (from Overdrive) and physical books
  3. Read Responsibly – by this I mean, ensure that the reading material I’ve chosen is not because of peer pressure, nor because I must ‘get through’ something, but because I genuinely enjoy it. I want my critique and analysis to reflect careful consideration. New rule: if I don’t like a book, I will not finish it.
  4. Participate in the SFF Babbles, Victober, and Nonfic November (makes me feel like I’m part of a community).
  5. Learn more about Sci-fi and Fantasy, and explore the genre of “Western.” I recently watched a few episodes of Godless, and realized that ‘the western’ had been such a huge influence before with its problematic themes and heists—I’d like to at least learn about it as a genre, and explore some of its main ‘classics’ I know nothing about it. Also learn more about “cyberpunk” and “steampunk.” Let’s say #5 is an exploratory “learn more about” kind of section into a genre that I have never been near.
  6. Read as many books as possible that fit into the list of “Things that make me genuinely happy” rather than things I think I should read because everyone else is reading it. I’ve wasted TOO MANY days that way this year.
  7. Read 1-3 books on skill building that are career-focused– which could also be library history, reference related, or librarianship (one every four months)

Personal Goals

  1. Move towards a zero-waste lifestyle (I know zero won’t be doable for me, but maybe 30%)
  2. Build a better wardrobe. Stay away from fast fashion, invest in good quality clothing that is professional and comfortable
  3. Try to watch classic Hollywood films and recommended good films from this movie list
  4. Live authentically – I know this is a vague statement, similar to the ‘read responsibly’ but I want to do things because they genuinely interest me, rather than being dragged into things because other people want me to do them
  5. Try to eat better—healthier—learn to cook a variety of things, take many walks, and try to move toward more physical movement in the way that’s not radical, excessive, or to which I would build-up a mental resistance
  6. Paint and draw more
  7. Take one trip somewhere meaningful (to me) — avoid hyper-touristic areas, a trip that speaks to me and doesn’t reflect Instagram accounts or what other friends have been doing.

These are my goals for the new year. They are guidelines with a lot of wiggle room, but having written out the things that make me happy before-hand is now just making me feel very excited about the reading I will complete in the year to come. I think that not naming book titles (concrete TBR), or country names to visit, or specific things that are 100% black or white will allow me to respect my mood changes throughout the year while still accomplishing my goals. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and that your reading goals will make you very excited about 2018 as well. Happy Reading!
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