Resolutions --- The Boring Health Ones

It’s that time of year again when I start reflecting on all the things I didn’t accomplish the year before, and for me, it usually has something to do with my health.

I’ve never been a health nut. I wish I was, but I was raised in a house where there was always junk food and pop (or soda, for other parts of the country) around. I got hooked on pop at a young age. I think I try to quit drinking it at least twice a year. Inevitably I go back and it seems harder now that I’m constantly under deadline. It never seems like the right time to quit!

But that’s a lame excuse, isn’t it? J

I’ve heard over and over again that a writer needs to take care of themselves for their writing’s sake. And you know, I’m starting to believe that.

How can our brains function properly---churning out beautiful prose, relatable characters---when our bodies are running on Cheez-its and a three-day marathon of chair sitting?

So my New Year’s resolution is, YES, predictably, boringly, health-related.

But I think my writing (and in the long run, my readers) will benefit from it. So here, in bold type, for all the world to see, are my resolutions (I can’t believe I’m posting these here, which means I will really really really have to do them unless I want to be a liar and a failure):

1. Quit drinking so much crap (to clarify, I mean my crack, AKA Mountain Dew)

2. Run a 5K (OMGGGG this one is scary, as I’ve never been a runner, but I want to be)

That’s it. Those are the biggest, but the basic-est. Kinda cut and dry. I will have to report in 2013 (provided that whole Mayan thing is a hoax) as to whether or not a) I stuck with my resolutions and b) they helped my writing.

Happy New Year, ya’ll.

Jennifer Rush is the author of ALTERED coming Fall 2012 from Little, Brown. Check out her blog for news and updates.