...In with the new, 2023-style

[selenay]

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2023!

I have a bit of a tradition of trying to start out the new year well by doing a bit of all the good things that I want to do through the year. Make 1 January a representation of what I'm bringing to the year.

(I'm not superstitious, but last year I spent 1 January being very ill with flu, so make of that what you will.)

Therefore today I have:

- Had a bit of a lie in
- Eaten a good, yummy breakfast
- Gone for a nice walk
- Made the good coffee and taken the time to enjoy it
- Read a couple of chapters of a good book while listening to music
- Read a chapter of a good fic
- Written words
- Played board games
- Posted fic

I'm currently cooking some tasty food for supper. I plan to get a bit of stitching in and watch some good telly this evening. I think that covers everything!

I don't do new year resolutions, because I don't like setting myself up for self-loathing when I inevitably fail to keep them up. However, celli has been doing a daily writing challenge through 2022 and it's inspired me. The biggest frustration I had last year was not having the spoons to write. I always feel like I should write at least X amount when I sit down to write, when really the important part is the habit and the way that writing regularly--even if it's just a very few words--has always been the best way to keep my creative process flowing.

So this year, I intend to attempt to write something every day. Minimum is 5 words. I thought about 50 words, but realised that if I set the bar really incredibly very low then even if all I did was open a WIP and add a a tiny number of words, it would count and I'd feel good about adding a line to my spreadsheet.

(Yes, there's a spreadsheet. I'm a data nerd. You think there wouldn't be a spreadsheet?)

I'm going to try to keep myself accountable on twitter/fediverse. If I forget to post the daily then I'll try to remember to post the monthly tally of days/words.

Any new words count. If I deleted 500 words and wrote 20 new words? That's 20 words in the spreadsheet, not -480. The important part is getting some words out and keeping my brain nibbling at the ideas and producing new ones. Regular writing leads to creative thoughts.

In the spirit of that, today's tally was 304 words. Woo hoo!

Comments

[celli]

This is super smart and I'm so excited for you! And must agree, the spreadsheet is VITAL to me.

[selenay]

How does anyone track something like this without a spreadsheet?

[goodbyebird]

That does indeed sound like a good start to the year!

[selenay]

It was! Very important to start the year well.

[dirty_diana]

Yay, an excellent start. I'm a big believer in writing a little every day and it is SO easy to talk yourself out of it (as I am doing right now, lol).

Happy 2023 🎊

[selenay]

It's not something I've ever tried to do before but I'm finding it's working well.

[umadoshi]

I hope this year is wonderful for you. *^^* Yay for being off to a good start!

[selenay]

Thank you!

[naye]

Setting a low bar is such a good idea! Good luck with the words. ♥

I love how you started off your year - what an excellent list.

[selenay]

Thank you! I think I managed to get everything important onto that list and so far, I've managed to continue doing at least one of those nice things every day :D

[katlinel]

Good way to start the year, and may that continue, especially after what 2022 landed on you.

[selenay]

Thank you!