Blogs

Happy New Year, and Welcome!! If you missed my post in September on Bullet Journaling, I’m revisiting it in this post for January, a clean slate, and diving into what went well for you in 2024.

Bullet Journaling is a way to structure your goals for each month. Because it’s a new year, I like to write down three goals for the year in the first week in January, and the three steps on how I’m going to get there.

To start, let’s stick with writing down three goals for the month, three steps on how I will get there, and the due date. Be gentle with yourself here. We all know life gets in the way and some goals may carry into the next month, and that’s okay! I also like to add surprises, achievements, or blessings that happened when I reflect back at the end of the month. The layout will look something like this:

JANUARY 2025

Goals:                                              Steps to get there:                            Due Date:

_____________                               ___________                                   _________
_____________                               ___________                                   _________
_____________                               ___________                                   _________

Then, I like to add:

Surprises/Achievements and Blessings from the month

________________                        ________________                        ______________

And…any Brilliant/Shiny Ideas for Next Month:

________________                        ________________                        _______________

At the end of the month, I check off the goals I met, what goals I’ll carry over to the next month, or any bright ideas I can add. My favorite part about Bullet Journaling is looking back on the unexpected surprises, blessings, and good things that happened. And sometimes, they have nothing to do with this writing journey! As I reflect back on 2024, it was a very productive year of revising and querying my picture books. I don’t have an agent yet, but I’m okay with that! I know God has me on the right path. I just have to be patient.

A few of the good things that happened:

 Launched my website and started a Newsletter
Queried agents with one ‘promising’ rejection to see more work
My son got engaged!
Got an epiphany to revise my middle grade with an ocean conservation theme
My husband and I got a Jeep!
Had a successful photo show
Continued to polish my picture books
My husband and I traveled to California, Portugal, and Spain
Got an epiphany to re-write my young adult novel about finding your voice
And finally, Creative Hibernation in early December giving me permission to put the work aside, slow down, and enjoy the Holiday Season with Family, the most precious Blessing of all.

I encourage you to look back on 2024, and to not focus on what goals you didn’t meet or the things that didn’t go right, but what DID go right. Let’s start off this year on a Positive note.

Please feel free to leave me your comments. I’d love to hear from you!!