2021: The Year in Review

I wrote some reflections--lists, actually--based on journal prompts, and decided they would make a good end-of-year blog post. Here they are.

What were my biggest achievements for 2021?

• Finishing my novel manuscript and submitting it to my agent.*
• Getting vaccinated and boosted.
• Going to Long Island and putting my toes in the sand.
• Keeping up with my newsletter and welcoming new subscribers.
• Completing NaNoWriMo just for me.
• Starting a new side gig.
• The new Duran Duran album.**

What were my biggest challenges for 2021?

• Pandemic fatigue.
• Homesickness.
• Losing Jon.
• Struggling with creativity.
• Struggling with procrastination.
• Struggling with weight.
• Reconnecting to focus, direction, purpose, and connection.

How have I developed as a person?

• I am reconnecting to my authenticity, my creativity, and my ability to manifest from intention.
• I've come to rely on my intuition again.
• I learned new things.
• I pushed myself as a writer, especially when I lost confidence.

What did I learn in 2021?

• I continued to learn about tarot and oracle card reading, Reiki, and starting a micro-business.
• My services as a writer, teacher, and lightworker still have a place in this world.
• I learned yet another way of outlining a novel.***

How would I describe 2021 in three words?

• Transition
• Disappointment
• Recovering

What aspects of 2021 can I leave behind?

• Cynicism and resentment.
• Putting my life on hold.
• Indecision and inertia (see above).
• Fears about the future.
• All the disappointment and heartbreak.

What aspects of 2021 can I bring with me into 2022?

• I can bring the momentum that began in the Fall.
• I can bring the ocean.
• I can bring my creative ideas to fruition.

What seeds of opportunity are being planted?

• The aforementioned new side gig.
• Publishing the new novel, and writing another memoir.
• Setting up some online courses.

So here's to gratitude and optimism. May they be the bridge from this year to the next.


Notes
*Update on said manuscript: I asked my agent if I could have it back for some additional revision and tweaking. She said yes. Now's a good time to do so because shopping for a publisher at this time of year pretty much grinds to a halt. The good news is that I'm still in love with the story and the characters, and it's already in really good shape. The other good news is that there is room for improvement, and it doesn't need much. (Biggest change thus far: the title!) I'm looking forward to spending my January 2022 on it.

**OK, so obviously this isn't my achievement, but shout-out to it being a highlight of 2021. It really is a great album, and was worth the wait.

***That might sound silly, but I like story structure. However, I like it in the revision stage as opposed to the pre-drafting stage.

One of my favorite photos from 2021. Spatz-approved.