My New Year’s resolutions for 2025 evolved over the course of a year and these are the 5 things I ended up working towards….
- Complete my first book. Have 110 poems and 50 illustrations done by December 31, 2025. Achieved! I wrote 115 poems and did 50 illustrations.
- Overcome perfectionism surrounding art making. – Achieved! This took a lot of work and repetition. I utilized affirmations targeting perfectionism during my meditation sessions. Things like “I accept failure and learn to grow from it” and “I accept and embrace imperfection”. Doing this over and over and also forcing myself to do art daily, even when it made me anxious, re-wired my brain so that I no longer get anxiety while art making and I don’t fear failure anymore.
- Do Inktober. – Achieved! I did 37 drawings in total because I started the last week of September.
- Run two half marathons. – Achieved! I ran the Hop Hop Half in April and The Columbia Gorge Half Marathon in October.
- Apply to literary journals and try to get into as many as I can. – Achieved! I got into literary journals this year. Applied for more for next year.
New Year’s Resolutions For The First 6 Months of 2026.
- Edit and self publish my first poetry book.
- Establish a daily routine encompassing my 3 core values (creativity, taking care of my body and mind, and kindness towards myself and others).
- Work on a new art series using oil pastels.
- Continue to apply to literary journals throughout the year.
- Work on reducing my panic attacks until they are in remission.
- Do not snack between meals and eat healthy during the daytime with some treats allowed at dinner time.
- Get back into my smaller clothing and fit my wedding dress for my 20th wedding anniversary and vow renewal in late May.
- Start exercising for 20 minutes every day.
- Continue to write poetry and start a new book.
- Work on building my Instagram following each day so hopefully I can sell books.
The Art & Poetry of Mary Coleman 
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