So here we are. At the start of a brand new year and the start of a brand new blog.

I’ve started this blog to track this year in which I hope to change my life. Well, actually, I want to set fire to my life and see what I can make out of the ashes. Perhaps that is a little harsh but I’m planning on having a big year and I hope to accomplish many things with the end result being me creating the foundations of the life that I want to have.

You see, I’m a writer. I’ve always been a writer. A writer is who I am. Unfortunately, I don’t get to write all the time. In fact, I don’t get to write as much as I want to, or even need to, in order to become a writer all the time, every day, every last minute. Which is what I want. If I can see the end goal, it’s to be a full-time writer. I’m sure that there is something more catchier way to phrase this goal but that will do for the time being.

All things being equal however, being a full-time writer is not going to happen in a year. But maybe, just maybe, if I work my little butt off, I can be a part-time writer in a year. That’s the goal. To stop the day job being a full-time soul sucking exercise and turn it into a part-time necessity.

To do this, I’ve written a list. I’ve named it the 210 List. It’s what this blog is all about. Completing the 210 List. I’m thinking, wishing upon a star, praying to a number of gods, that if I put in the work, that karma will shine its light upon me.

A lot of the list is writing related because I want to put it first. Number one priority, every day. I probably don’t have to tell anyone but life is brutal in its demands. Life will fill itself up with the small stuff faster than you can say “Wait a minute! I was going to be something special!” However, changing your life can’t be just about work, work, work. All work and no play and all that jazz. I also want to be a better person. I want to be healthier, I want to participate more in life, I want to live every minute and minimise the regrets. So, there’s stuff on the 210 List to help me do that.

The list, which will be posted after this initial post, is about as ambitious as it gets. And, at the moment it is only at 110. What the hell?, I hear you all say. Okay, maybe your not but I like to imagine my audience and that’s what you are all doing. Now, you are looking all pissed and peeved and feeling like you got all ripped off. You’re about to go back to Facebook and update your status again. You: Pissed. But bear with me. There will be 210 things. It wasn’t as if someone already stole that blog name and I had to suddenly get all creative and come up with something different. This year is all about progression, about moving forward and creating change. When the change comes, and believe me I am laying out the red carpet and ordering in change’s favourite foods so it better show up, but if I wrote all the things that I wanted to achieve this year without leaving a bit of room (or a lot of room)it will be impossible to embrace whatever is about to come my way.
Simply, I want to look back on 31 December next year and see the progression from the person I am now to becoming the person I want to be. Progression. That is what we are looking for.

I’ve started this blog for accountability. It’s all well and good to say that this is the year that things are going to change, it’s much more difficult to actually change. Change is god-awful, gut-wrenchingly hard. Best to be honest about these things, isn’t it? But when the life that you want to have only exists in your daydreams, you’ve got to do something. Drastic.

I read over the list and take in the enormity of the tasks I have set myself and I feel both excited and exhausted. Which actually, when combined, produces nausea. But, as I once heard one successful person say “No one ever died from being tired”. So I’m going to be the exhaustion to one side and focus on the excited. This is going to be a great adventure and I hope you all come along for the journey. Feel free to post comments and let me know how you are changing your life, or just to give me a cyber pat on the back.