Happy New Year!
With another year in the books, I like to look back on what I’ve accomplished over the previous 12 months—both in my personal life and in my writing. Like most people, I know there are some things I could have done better, like sticking to my writing practice when events disrupted my flow or spending less time on my phone playing games.
Fortunately, taking time to look back also gives me perspective so I can learn from those miscues and form a plan for the coming year. There are always lessons to be learned from each year. Here are five lessons I learned from 2024.
1. Stay flexible with your writing routine. While it’s important to set goals for your writing practice and establish a routine, recognize that those plans aren’t etched in stone. Allow some flexibility to your routine because you can be sure that life will throw you a curve ball or two, such as a work assignment that needs a rewrite, a sick pet that needs to be taken to the vet, or a weather emergency such as a tornado or flooding.
In my case, it was minor surgery to remove a suspicious mass (it was benign) and my cat’s illness which meant putting him down. I didn’t plan for either of these events, so I had to work through them to keep my practice going. I admit it was a struggle. There were days I didn’t write at all because my head and heart weren’t in the right space. I needed time to mourn and to heal. Once those phases ended, I knew I was ready to recommit to my writing practice.
So stay flexible and recognize when you need to change your writing routine. You can always come back to your writing when the crisis ends.
2. Decluttering can cleanse the soul as well as your closet. Decluttering was one of my resolutions for 2024. But with my health and pet emergencies, I didn’t get to it until the fall. I managed to fill two large bins to donate to a non-profit group. But looking ahead, I know there’s more work to do in 2025.
The process of decluttering forced me to confront some things I didn’t realize I was holding onto, old dreams I once had. I had to decide whether to keep them or let them go. It’s an emotionally draining process, but a necessary one. It meant removing old memories and old dreams that no longer served me, but might have been holding me back from achieving new goals. Funny thing is, after this first round of decluttering, I was contacted by a potential new client about a writing assignment. I’ve heard rearranging furniture can have the same effect. So if you’re feeling stuck or want to move forward in a new direction, try decluttering or moving furniture around. It might just help make space for something new to show up in your life.
3. Practice self-care. No matter how many obligations you have, no matter how many assignments you’re working on, it’s important to practice self-care. It doesn’t require a lot of time either. Go for a short walk, soak in the bathtub, take a nap, exercise, read a book, meditate, or chat with a friend. Any short break away from the heaviness of everyday life and responsibilities can give you a fresh perspective and renewed energy. It will help you be more creative and productive too. So make time to practice self-care. Your writer self will thank you.
4. Be open to unexpected opportunities. Every now and then, the universe provides an unexpected surprise in the form of an opportunity. It could be a writing assignment from a potential new client or a chance to travel. When the sky opens up like that, it seems like fate is intervening. When it happens, I trust in the universe and say yes. You never know where that new opportunity may lead. And when it comes to my writing career, any stroke of luck is welcome.
5. Keep on writing, no matter what life throws at you. Life happens. People get sick, beloved pets die and friends move away—or show up suddenly in our lives. Through all the upheaval, it’s easy to dismiss our writing practice as non-essential, or worse, you’re too distraught to think or to write. On the other hand, writing can provide comfort and stability during those times when life seems uncertain. Even if you spend only ten minutes a day on your writing practice, every little bit takes you toward your writing goal while also helping you heal. So keep on writing, no matter what happens in your life.
What lessons have you learned from 2024? How will these lessons guide you into the New Year and motivate you to achieve your next writing goal?
The Regal Writer 