Happy New Year, my friends! It’s been quite a year, and I like to look back at the previous year and plan for the next one. I’ve always loved New Year’s resolutions. Even if I don’t achieve all of them, it’s fun to see what I wanted to do for the year and look forward to the next one.
I don’t think I made any resolutions for 2023. I had a very rough year in 2022, so I was just thinking about surviving 2023. And it’s okay if all you did was survive this year.
What Did I Do In 2023?
I accomplished some things I’m proud of this year, like…
Went to France! This has been a lifelong dream of mine, and my husband helped me make it a reality. We went to Paris for two weeks for our honeymoon and had an amazing time. I already want to go back to France.
Met my online bestie in person for the first time! I got to hug Shimaira in real life when me and my husband went to visit her in the Netherlands during our honeymoon. This was one of the highlights of my LIFE, not just my year.
Finally succeeded in republishing Unraveled through Pigeon Press! Amazon has been fighting me since January about whether or not I own the publishing rights to my VERY OWN BOOK. I finally managed to prove it to them and released the new edition just last month, and I’m very pleased with myself.
I also published new editions of all my books! They have updated interiors so they all go together much better and I’m really proud of them.
Copyedited some books! I really love proofreading. This year I worked on Born to Reign by Cathrine Swift, A Dream So Wicked and A Fate of Flame by Tessonja Odette, Leviathan by Brian McBride, and Strawberry Milk and Earl Grey by Rowan Paige. It was a joy to help these books on their journey to publication.
Wrote a book and won NaNoWriMo! I wrote the entire first draft of The Girl in the Northwest Tower during November this year and I’m so proud of myself. This book helped pull me out of my depressive episode.
Reconnected with an old friend! She moved back to town and we have been spending time together writing and reading. We have the same taste in books and she got me into Fourth Wing. It’s been a delight reconnecting with her and spending time together in person.
Had a really intense and awful medical test. Yikes. I’m looking forward to never doing that again. But I survived, and it helped get some necessary information that will help with a diagnosis. I also got bronchitis and am currently recovering from that.
What’s Next For 2024?
In 2024 I would like to…
Get my learner’s permit! Driving really scares me, and I’m not sure if I’m ready to get my driver’s license yet, but getting my permit will be a good start.
Focus on my writing career! I have big plans for Pigeon Press. I’m planning to publish 12 short stories (one of which is part of an anthology for charity) and at least one novel. And I’m going to write another novel!
Practice loving myself and my body just the way I am! Lots of people set weight loss goals for the new year, and I have done this before myself. But I am working on self-love no matter what my body looks like. I’m practicing Health At Every Size, which basically means that you can pursue healthy behaviors no matter what size you are.
Continue working on getting an EDS diagnosis! I have doctor appointments scheduled and it’s just a matter of “hurry up and wait.”
Continue recovering from Long Covid. I’m hoping to work some exercise into my everyday life so that I can start regaining some of my stamina that Covid totally wiped out.
Make and sell some cards from Claire’s Card Co! I’ve been doing homemade cards under this name since I was a kid, although they have significantly improved in quality as you might imagine. It’s fun to make these and people seem to enjoy them, so I’d like to list some in my Etsy shop.
Most of all in 2024 I want to focus on self-love and self-care. I have been working very hard in therapy this year and will continue to do so in 2024. It’s always hard work but worthwhile. Writing is a form of self-care for me so that’s why I will be focusing on Pigeon Press this year. It helps me in many different ways.
I’d love to know what you are planning for 2024!