Well, we made it.
Happy 2021, bookwyrms! Boy, was that a…strange year. I can’t help but feel like maybe I jinxed it when I looked forward to the bright and shiny future back in 2019. Don’t worry; I won’t make the same mistake this time around.
That’s not to say that I’m not committed to being positive. I think what I’ve learned more from this year is that things change and it’s important to celebrate the little things. The little things keep us sane.
We’ve had a rough time in 2020, from COVID-19 to riots to general unrest. I know I’ve personally struggled with keeping a writing schedule when there are so many negative distractions lurking about. And besides that, I also had a disappointing job loss and a few very…mmm, different holidays. It’s tough to keep smiling when things are bad. And things did get bad. We can never know what the future holds.
But who’s to say the future won’t also hold something great?
In the spirit of celebrating the little things, I’ve made a list of all the good stuff that’s happened to me in 2020 and what I’m aiming for in 2021. I encourage you to do the same; for one thing, it’s helpful to see, all laid out, what you’ve accomplished in 2020, despite what life threw at you.
In 2020, I…
- took up drawing (no, I’m not very good — that’s what Udemy classes are for!),
- had a blast at RWW residency, taking classes for my master’s online with very few technical difficulties,
- started a couple of new jobs, including editing positions with two new companies,
- began an internship with The Daily Fandom, where I will finish my internship this month and start at TDF as a managing editor, and
- published by third short story, “A Weighed Whisper” with SORTES Magazine and even did a reading with the other authors of Issue #3: The Mysterious Hammer!
When I look at the things I accomplished in 2020, I’d say that’s a pretty good list. All things considering, I did find a great deal of positivity in the year, and that’s what I hope to find in 2021. It’s impossible to say that this year will be better than the last. There’s always hope, of course. But we can never really know. That being said, I’m going to keep chugging on, with my eye on the goals that I know I can accomplish.
In 2021, I will…
- find more time to write and allow myself to write slowly and badly (otherwise, what would I do in revision?),
- sleep more (this one’s important),
- find the spark that I’d lost in my current WIP,
- live in the moment instead of worrying about the future, and
- be sure to connect with loved ones as much as possible while still finding time for me.
When you’re deciding on your New Year’s resolutions (or even just struggling to follow them this January), make sure to see your goals as something you are in control of and are able to accomplish.
Maybe I won’t always get a full night’s rest, but an extra hour for a few days would help immensely. Maybe I won’t finish writing and revising my WIP and get it published right away. But I know I can find more time to write and reconnect with the story. Find a healthy balance between going easy on yourself and challenging yourself.
We have no guarantee that 2021 will be the year we want it to be. But we can make it the year we need it to be. Happy New Year, bookwyrms, and be sure keep writing!
Photo by Dong Cheng on Unsplash
Rachel Sandell 