JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: You know the broke and woke meme? The former is passe, the latter au courant. Well, after reflecting on wants, needs, what works, what doesn't, I think all of us are ready to say:
Broke - New Year's Resolutions
Woke - a word for the coming year!
Jenn's going to start us off because she encapsulated it so perfectly.
JENN McKINLAY: I don’t usually make resolutions because I’m too contrary to keep them, but I do try to pick a word for the year and set an intention to use the word as a guide. Not surprisingly, when the hooligans were little and shenanigans were rampant, my word was “patience”. I did a lot of meditating on that one, let me tell you.
Especially when they thought it was hilarious to throw all of their colored street chalk over the block wall into the neighbor’s newly remodeled swimming pool. Yes, I made them don suits and goggles and dive for every last bit. Or the time they thought it would be a real knee slapper to ambush the mailman. I caught them in their hiding spot with a cooler full of water balloons just as he was coming around the corner. Mercy!
I was having a tough time picking a word this year. So many to choose from and it has to last a whole year! But then, on Christmas, I was baking my usual apple pie. Same recipe I’ve used for years but, weirdly, the amount of sliced apples seemed to have doubled and I ended up making two pies. With the cost of college coming at us hard and fast, I figured this was my sign and that my word for 2020 was “ABUNDANCE”. Let all good things come in abundance this year like a surprise extra pie. Wishing you all abundance in 2020!
HALLIE EPHRON: Abondanza! I can get behind that!
But for me the word for the year would have to be ENERGY. More to kick projects into gear and keep them going. Write a new book. See to some house repairs. Bake. Hang out with my grandbabies. Right now both of them -- Franny is 6, Jody is 3 -- are here and bursting with said energy. Franny is starting to read and it’s so exciting to see her, reading aloud to Jody, the pair of them nestled together on the couch. 
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Word of the year? FOCUS. Focus focus focus. I have so much to do, and it’s great, but there are lots of shiny distractions and I am DETERMINED (may I pick that word too?) to do better and better and not only conquer my challenges but to ENJOY (picking that, too) it all, as much as I possibly can. Focus, determined, enjoy. And loving abundance and energy, too. Wishing you all everything wonderful, dear Reds and readers!
LUCY BURDETTE: I’m in for energy and abundance too. However...to be concrete, I resolve to spend less time on social media so I have more time to READ. I love scrolling through Facebook and seeing what everyone’s up to, but the time goes by so quickly and then I don’t get my work done. And don’t get to the stacks and stacks of books on my nightstand and desk. So I guess my one word (actually two) will be CHOOSE WISELY!
RHYS BOWEN: My resolution? To learn to say NO. I hate to let anyone down so of course I’ll speak to your book club, 
come to your fundraiser etc etc. And when I’m run ragged I ask myself why did I say yes? I have already resolved to do one book every 9 months instead of two a year I want down time just to be, to enjoy family, friends and the beautiful world around me. I don’t want my one word to be no, so I think I’ll choose APPRECIATE. I want to be grateful for every minute I’m given.
come to your fundraiser etc etc. And when I’m run ragged I ask myself why did I say yes? I have already resolved to do one book every 9 months instead of two a year I want down time just to be, to enjoy family, friends and the beautiful world around me. I don’t want my one word to be no, so I think I’ll choose APPRECIATE. I want to be grateful for every minute I’m given.
LUCY: Rhys, that would be perfect for all of us, I think!
DEBORAH CROMBIE: I am all on board with everyone’s words! Energy, focus, abundance, appreciation. To those I think I would add DISCIPLINE. I am so easily distracted by shiny objects, I already have made more commitments than I probably should, and I don’t want to get so frazzled that I forget that I actually ENJOY what I do.
JULIA: I've been thinking a lot about my theme for the year. Last year, I realized I had loads of things I wanted to accomplish in my life, mostly professionally, some personally. I want to write a book in a year - and turn it in on time! I want to expand my social media presence. I want to stay on top of the demands of this old house, and I want to get back to exercising and swimming regularly because I am so done with joint pain.
As you all know, I started working with Celia on organizing my life, and as part of that process, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I did that worked, and why - and the many ways I stumbled, and why that happened. I've had some terrific talks with Jessica Crockett aka Jessica Ellicott of The Wickeds, who is the Time Management Queen of New England. So reflecting on all I managed to get done this past year (and the stuff I half-assed or missed altogether...) I've decided my word for the year will be SCAFFOLDING.
I know, it's weird. But I feel I still have a lot of work to do to get systems in place that support my goals and to make them study enough so I don't slip off and wind up spending a whole day reading the news online or starting and stopping a half dozen housecleaning chores. I need scaffolding before I can restore my beautiful building (in this metaphor, my life is the building) and that's what I'm going to FOCUS on this year.
How about you, dear readers? Do you have words, themes, resolutions? Share them with us in the comments!
