6 Year-Long Projects to Start in 2011
Embracing Year-Long Projects for 2011
As 2011 approaches, now is an opportune moment to contemplate sustained commitments extending throughout the year. While New Year's resolutions are common, consider undertaking a project designed to span 365 days.
The scope of daily endeavors is virtually limitless, potentially continuing even beyond the initial year. To inspire you, the following outlines six year-long project concepts, encompassing both creative pursuits and acts of kindness.
Project Ideas & Sustaining Momentum
These guidelines, ideas, and resources will help you maintain your project's progress for a full 365 days.
- Creative Writing Challenge: Dedicate time each day to write, whether it's fiction, poetry, or journaling.
- Daily Photography: Capture a photograph each day, focusing on a specific theme or simply documenting your life.
- Learn a New Language: Commit to studying a new language for a set amount of time daily.
- 365 Days of Gratitude: Record one thing you are grateful for each day.
- Random Acts of Kindness: Perform a small act of kindness for someone else every day.
- Skill Development: Practice a new skill, like coding or playing an instrument, on a daily basis.
Consistent effort is key to the success of any year-long project. Regularly reviewing your progress and making adjustments as needed will help you stay motivated.
Consider utilizing online tools or communities to track your achievements and connect with others pursuing similar goals. This can provide support and encouragement throughout the year.
Completing Your Novel: A Guide to Finishing What You Start
For those with an unfinished novel, establishing a defined timeline can be the key to completion. Dedicate a consistent amount of time each day and commit to writing a specific page count. Effective organization can serve as a powerful motivator, as successfully reaching established goals often builds significant momentum.
Journalist and author Louise Doughty previously compiled a resource on The Daily Telegraph, offering advice and exercises designed to aid in novel completion. Though no longer directly available on the site, this guidance remains accessible through the archives and is summarized on the Learn to Write Fiction blog [Broken URL Removed].
Should you be experiencing a creative block, our resource on idea generation and organizational strategies can prove beneficial.
While many authors favor a minimalist word processing environment, exploring platforms like Fast Pencil might be worthwhile. This website is specifically designed to assist in finishing novels and also provides avenues for self-publication should you choose that path.
Consider the benefits of a structured approach to unlock your writing potential.
A Daily Photographic Endeavor
Widely recognized as a prominent year-long undertaking, and frequently associated with the phrase 'Project 365', dedicating oneself to capturing one photograph each day is a popular choice. Numerous platforms exist for showcasing your photographic work, ranging from websites tailored for this specific purpose to Flickr groups and personal blogs.
Maintaining consistency with this project hinges on avoiding the expectation of creating a flawless image daily. Unexpected life events will inevitably occur, necessitating resourcefulness to stay on track.
Ensure your camera accompanies you whenever possible, and utilize your mobile phone on days when carrying a dedicated camera isn't feasible.
Finding Inspiration for Your Project
Should you require a spark of creativity, consider exploring the following resources:
- 365 Days, 365 Ideas For Photos: A comprehensive source of daily photographic prompts.
- 365 Ideas: Another collection offering a year's worth of photographic concepts.
- DP Challenge: A platform for participating in daily photography challenges.
- JPG Mag Themes: Themed suggestions to guide your daily shooting.
- Flickr Groups: Connect with other photographers and share your work within dedicated communities.
These resources can provide a valuable boost when seeking new perspectives and maintaining momentum throughout the year.
Documenting Your Year: The Daily Self-Portrait
An engaging variation on the popular Project 365 concept involves capturing a single photograph of yourself each day. Consider photographing yourself in a consistent location and pose to visually document your personal evolution over the course of a year.
Alternatively, embrace artistic freedom and explore diverse and imaginative self-portraits. Inspiration and ideas for this undertaking can be found within the discussions on the Flickr forums [Broken URL Removed].
The resulting images can be readily shared across various platforms. These include Flickr, Facebook, personal blogs, and Dailybooth.
Sharing Your Photographic Journey
- Flickr provides a dedicated community for photo enthusiasts.
- Facebook allows for easy sharing with friends and family.
- A personal blog offers complete control over presentation.
- Dailybooth is a platform specifically designed for daily updates.
This daily practice offers a unique method of self-expression and a compelling record of time's passage. The consistent nature of the project encourages creativity and provides a tangible visual diary.
Daily Poetic Expression: A Year-Long Challenge
Consider undertaking a daily creative endeavor by composing a single poem or haiku each day for an entire year.
Sharing your work on a blog is highly encouraged. Tumblr is a particularly suitable platform for this type of project, as its simplicity can aid in maintaining consistency throughout the year.
Alternatively, Twitter provides another avenue for daily publication.
Exploring Alternative Approaches
For those who don't identify as naturally creative, an alternative approach involves reading one poem or short story daily.
This commitment can also be transformed into a family activity, engaging children in the appreciation of literature.
The core principle is consistent engagement with poetic or narrative forms.
Maintaining a year-long commitment is often easier when the chosen method is straightforward and accessible.
The Benefits of Journaling
Maintaining a journal, whether to record daily events or simply to capture spontaneous thoughts, is widely believed to contribute to improved well-being.
Numerous motivations exist for engaging in journaling practices. Consider, for example, consistently noting things for which you feel gratitude, or utilizing tools like Bit.ly Bundles to chronicle your daily experiences.
A vast array of online platforms facilitate journaling, offering both public and private options. For those seeking private journaling spaces, five straightforward websites are available for exploration.
If creating additional online accounts is undesirable, readily accessible alternatives such as Google Documents or even Google Calendar can be employed.
Exploring Alternative Forms of Reflection
Beyond traditional written journals, other methods of self-documentation can be considered.
One such option is creating a daily podcast. Detailed instructions on assembling your own, cost-free podcast are available in Angela's article, and mobile phone recording offers convenience for on-the-go content creation.
Performing a Daily Act of Kindness
Many 365-day projects focus on personal growth or creative endeavors. As an alternative, consider dedicating yourself to performing a single, spontaneous act of kindness each day.
This is a commitment that ideally extends far beyond a one-year timeframe, becoming a lasting habit.
Finding Inspiration for Daily Good Deeds
Should you find yourself lacking inspiration, a helpful list of ideas is readily available to spark your creativity.
Exploring these suggestions can provide a starting point for your daily commitment to goodwill.
Share Your 365-Day Project
What undertaking will you choose for the year 2011? We encourage you to share your plans with our community in the comments section below.
Let others know about your goals and inspire them with your dedication.
Image source: Shutterstock