For me, it is not what’s new for the new year, but what I will recycle and make new in 2022.
I’ll admit, 2021 was not the most productive year I’ve
had. Between trying to figure out how to live a normal life, in a crazy
situation, and then experiencing many life-changing situations, both sad and
happy, I had difficulty making my goals that I set out for myself last year.
For 2022, I’ve brought forward all that I planned and was excited about in 2021, in hopes of accomplishing them in 2022. That list includes both professional and personal goals. For several years I have had on my list to join a local, non-profit organization that provides a meeting place and a list of activities for both teens and retirees. Last spring, I finally joined. The activities that interested me most were exercise classes, various art classes, and a writing group. Did I do any of them?
A BIG FAT NO!
So, what’s new for ’22, is to get myself
out of the house, with mask in place, and get to exercise class two days a
week, join the writing group, and explore some art classes that will definitely
take me out of my comfort zone. My sister was an artist. My grandmother was a
juried craftswoman, mostly in painting on tins and velvets. My grandfather
dabbled in painting, as did my mom. My daughter is an interior designer and a
floral designer. Me? I loved art when I was in school, and I took craft classes
as an adult and loved rug braiding, pottery, knitting, etc. But I never pursued
any of them beyond the adult education classes I took.
2022—here I come.
Time to get out of my comfort zone and learn a new craft. If only,
because it will challenge my creativity in a different way than writing. And by
doing so, my hope is to jumpstart my writing,
I’m convinced that if I can activate my creative brain
in other areas beside writing, that I might jumpstart my writing creativity, as
well. In other words, allow the light of creativity to shine through once more.
“It
is the light in the lantern which shows you the path,
not the lantern.”
from a Yogi Tea Bag
And that leads me to what I love…writing. Alas, 2021
was a bad year for me. I totally shut down. I missed most of my goals I set for
myself at the end of 2020, and I beat myself up over it. But hey…as I write
this, we are in the last few weeks in December and all of a sudden, my creative
juices are flowing through my brain and into my fingers. Time to take
advantage, pull all my 2021 goals forward, and kick up a dance of creativity
(both physical and mental) for 2022! And STOP with the I’m a failure self-talk.
The words of encouragement I have chosen to guide me for
2022 are:
Self-Forgiveness
and Looking Forward
What
are you going to do to move forward and find something new in ’22?
~ cottages to
cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~
Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet and
spicy romances and contemporary westerns from the mountains of Colorado to the
shores of Maine.
Author of the Starlight Grille
series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short
romances for Woman’s World magazine.
Her new novella, The Love Left Behind, will release in late fall, 2020.
Social Media
Links:
Author website: www.delsoralowe.com
Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/community/
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Books2Read Author page: https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe
Instagram: #delsoralowe / https://www.instagram.com/delsoralowe/
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15 comments:
Great idea, Deb. Though I rather suspect your "other" creativity outlet is cooking. You're very creative there and I know you enjoy it.
How does it look for the exercise class vis-a-vis Covid19?
So glad you are embracing the New Year.
Susan
Not yet on exercise, but I'm trying to do some at home - chair stretches at my computer. And walking when it's not too icy and ZERO.
Great plan, Delsora. I hope that 2022 will be a positive and creative year for you.
Those are great goals, full of actionable steps and big rewards. I've also brought forward several goals from last year that fell by the wayside while I kept my head above water.
Deb,
Your goals sound attainable. :)) I brought some of my goals forward too. 2021 was a hectic year for us and then of course the pandemic blues.
Lynn - it is definitely starting off with a positive edge in the writing department. Although all of a sudden too many friends and family getting hit with covid, but so far, all did not have a horrible time of it and feel better. But it sucks at the soul. So, having head immersed in writing has helped keep sane (once I got started in mid-December.)
Lu and Diana - let's hope we can all accomplish a bit more this year. Here's to getting 2021 goals accomplished and moving forward with 2022 goals.
Deb, I applaud you for not only sharing those unfulfilled goals, but also for challenging yourself again with them--and more. And don't say you didn't write. You've created entertaining and inspiring blog posts here all during 2021. Posting like this is something that shuts me down totally. So cheers to 2022 and you!
Oh, thanks, Susan - I do enjoy challenging myself with these posts, especially when the theme takes some contemplating on how to be creative. Having said that, it does feel GREAT to be back and drafting out new content for books and short stories. Thanks so much for popping in. Here's to a great 2022 for everyone!!!
Seriously sticking to my business plan for once. : D
Deb, You are not alone in 2021 goals not met. I'm in the same boat and have put many of mine into 2022, and removed a few of them. I love your comments about the intersection of other types of creativity with writing. I believe that is really true. The great part about crafting, painting, sewing is that you can see the fruits of your creativity usually much quicker than you can with a novel or novella. That can be an important boost to to the soul.
Finally your comment on self-forgiveness is on target for me too. I remember so many years when I was younger and I never missed a goal. If anything I obliterated it and did one better. But it seems that as a mature woman well over 60 that it isn't as easy anymore and there have been many a year when I've looked back and beat myself up.
The lesson for me has been cutting back on constant production and allowing some breathing time in between accomplishments. To do that I have to begin with forgiving myself for not being able to do the same things I did in my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s when my body was more limber and my brain more elastic.
Hang in there. I know you will find what's right for you in 2022. I'm rooting for you.
Chiming in a bit late because I wanted to say I agree with you. I also have writing goals from 2021 (and 2020) on my 2022 list. I've kept my word count really low because I'm not sure exactly what I'll be doing word wise as I've added self-narrated audio of two books to what I want to accomplish this year. However, I did plan to review everything in April as I do have other ideas including "hosting" a holiday anthology for Windtree Press if I have the energy to do so. By then I should be fully recovered from my fall so I'll have a better idea of what I can and cannot do. Self-care is high on my Intentions and that definitely includes forgiveness of myself and others. Rooting for you moving forward and reaching your goals!
Anna - I'm trying to take that attitude too. But at least this year, I am starting the year with ATTITUDE - a good one, that is. So hopefully, I can keep myself geared up and on track. For me, it is all about the joy of what I do. And the last year, plus, there has been little joy. Not because I didn't like the creativity, but because my creative brain just shut down. SO yes, self-forgiveness and moving forward.
Maggie - the wonderful thing about sharing community with others - in this case, other authors, is we realize we are not alone in our ups and down. Everyone is so supportive and there to cheer you on, when it is hard to put one foot in front of the other. And there to celebrate when we do move forward. And you are so right - on needing to build in breathing time or we get burned out. Plus, yes, that darn age thing. I keep thinking I have to keep up with the 20-year-olds.
Judith - I too lowered my word count goals. There is so much more to do, like getting a handle on promotion, social media, etc. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. Oh, and a need to take a nap on occasion. Or watching my grandson play hockey. Or.... Veg out in front of a Hallmark movie - of course, that is research. :-)
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