My words for 2018

Again, HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone!  I hope your year is off to a great start.

Continuing with the 12 Days of Christmas set up by Julie Hedlund, for Day 6 we were to implement a plan for the year, develop a blueprint for 2018. Mine is eight points, as follows:

1. Take a picture book writing course – Susanna Hill’s specifically;
2. Purge, or list on Kijiji, something every day, or every few days;
3. If I must play game on iPad or computer, limit it to 15 minutes a day;
4. Read for 1 hour a day, at least;
5. Work on a manuscript to prepare it for submission, each month;
6. Pray for 1 or 2 picture book critique buddies;
7. Write daily in journal and read daily devotional;
8. Believe in myself.

So far I:

1. signed up for Susanna Hill’s Picture Book Magic class for February;
2. purged nothing yet;
3. um … forgot to time myself but I’m sure I went over, but was listening to a book at the same time;
4. didn’t time myself, but I think it was about an hour;
5. polished nothing yet, but came up with a draft for a new story;
6. heard from someone about this and I’m waiting to hear back from her after my response;
7. forgot to write in journal, but I’ll do catch up; did read devotional;
8. am getting there!  🙂 (a carry-over from my 2017 word – PROGRESS.)

As has been my habit for the last few years, I have been pondering what my word for the new year should be. I started this personal tradition in 2013 with my word being GRATEFUL. I don’t think I had a word for 2014; not sure why. For 2015 it was POSITIVITY; 2016 was CHANGE; 2017 was PROGRESS. This year’s? I waited and listened and waited and prayed and waited. As a result, I believe my word for 2018 is COMMITMENT. I was thinking it was REALizing, a word I like; I don’t like the word commitment. I would prefer REALIZing or SHINE, but I think my word is … COMMITMENT.  *sigh*  The negative aspect of that is an old feeling of being trapped into something I will not want to keep doing because it’s hard to stay with it. The positive aspect is that it will help to keep me on track to actually complete and accomplish my goals. So, if I look ahead with anticipation instead of dread, I’ve found my word.

COMMITMENT in 2018.

I also found a quiz on Day Spring: Find Your 2018 Word of Truth. Out of curiosity I did the quiz. My word there came up as SIMPLIFY. That astonished me at first, but when I read over my blueprint for 2018 … yep! Simplify fits.

For me in 2018 it is COMMITMENT and SIMPLIFY.  That looks like a great pairing. If you want to try the Day Spring Quiz, <– click there.

What is your word – or what are your words – for the new year? If you do the Day Spring Quiz, please let me know what your results are.

Thank you so very much for adding good things and encouragement to my life. I wish you all the best in 2018. May the light of creative joy fill your heart and life.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings.  🙂   ♥