2019: The Year of Revitalization

New Year's Hopes, Dreams, Goals and Theme

The page has finally turned on 2018, closing out a difficult chapter in this author's life. Like many, I found myself digging out from under a pile of stinky stuff in the past year. I struggled with depression and a deep sense of discontent early in 2018, and it was a long, hard climb out of that. I was horribly unhappy in my professional life and that poured out into every aspect of the rest of my life, as well. We struggled financially, as most families in the US do as they try to keep up with the Joneses, and despite many challenges we stayed strong and did the best we could. 

2018 was the year of, "Doing the Best I Could". That's not bad, it's just not fulfilling or a particularly happy place to be. As with all things, the storms of 2018 passed, leaving me both hopeful and fearful of what 2019 might bring. There were many blessings and happy moments in 2018, and I can't deny that. As the year wore on I learned to search out and appreciate those moments to be able to get through the rest. 

ENOUGH about 2018! Let's talk about the future. The present. The moments that can/will/should matter going forward. The past is about lessons learned, and I learned a few. 2019 is "The Year of Revitalization". 2018 buried me deep under a pile of stinky stuff, but that was just fertilizer. I'm going to use it, and grow into a might, well-rooted tree! 

I love winter. The crisp, cold air. The quiet stillness of a snowy day. The frost on windows and whipping wind outside while you cuddle safely inside. Winter is the time when the things of spring are preparing to grow. 2018 was my winter. 2019 will be my spring. I am looking forward to excelling at everything I do. 

I have some obstacles to overcome. I really suffer from a lack of motivation sometimes, and I have little to hold me accountable in terms of the writing world. I write when I want, publish if/as I please, and that makes for a very lazy Amy. But, in 2019 I'm hoping to overcome that serious, terrible malaise, and get my behind in gear! I want to have both the energy for my day job and the energy for writing. I'd like to push my writing to the next level and get my books in front of new readers, all of which takes effort and time. 

If you're not aware, I've decided to start a new venture that will both help myself and help other writers. Story GodMother is a business that offers assistance with plot/character/world-building development, and offers new-author mentoring. With other authors holding me accountable, I will have more buy-in to my own career as well!

So. 2019 is a year for revitalization. Growth. Energy. Positivity that manifests into results. Hope. 2019 is a year to nourish hope. 

GOALS for 2019:

*Write The Pharoah's Heart (another magical steampunk adventure)

*Grow the Story GodMother business into a successful venture

*Work more with my local writer's group

*Publish Decaying Orbit (Aeon Project Book IV)

*Write Escape Velocity (Aeon Project Book V)

*Write another Franny Calico cozy: Parchment and Poison

*Write Whisper of Syn (Shadowlyte Shifters)

*Market current works more successfully

*Learn one new thing every day

*Do something kind daily, with no reward and no expectation of return of kindness. 

SO! That's a mighty list! Now you know what I've got planned for the year and how I hope to maintain a writer's attitude to accomplish it all. I look forward to attempting everything I've set forth above. Wish me luck! Please, stop down in the comments and tell me about YOUR 2019 theme and goals. 

~HAPPY READING, ADVENTURERS!

AR DECLERCK