It’s been another tough year hasn’t it? Covid has now entered the circle of people I know. My family and my home are still safe, but it’s threat feels louder at the door. My heart goes out to all those it’s touched.

I find myself at the end of the year with disbelief at how quickly I got here. Lately I’ve been concentrating on getting through rather than being present in the moment, and now its winter and I’m looking back. Where has the year gone?

If you’re looking to review your year I can recommend some resources:

• Beth Kempton’s free ‘Perfectly Imperfect’ planner which I’ve just started. It comes with an audio version and a winter visualisation which is fun.

• Soul Smile with artists Alice Sheridan and Megan Woodward Johnson, which I have completed, for the more arty.

Both are about looking back and thinking forward and are helping me see how I may be able to approach next year more present in the moment. Alice and Megan’s approach to WIN: What’s Important Now? is great.

This year, as you will have read, has been one of expansion for me as I’ve continued with my art and novel. Since I generated my first series of paintings in the summer, I printed four as cards which have all sold out and I’ve also sold my first original work! Whether it’s beginners luck or the universe showing me I’m on the right path I don’t know, but I will be following my art making into new mediums in the new year as well as the writing. The art is here to stay because it gives and something nothing else can.

If you’ve been developing your creativity too I recommend a new podcast from Art2Life. You may already know I’m a fan of Nicholas Wilton’s but the podcast especially has been helping me understand more about my own creativity. Particularly the most recent episode on Wayfinding. This is something no one ever taught me at school and he shares an understanding of creativity I’ve lacked for too long. Enjoy, if you do give it a go.

My plan for the holidays is to rest and then brew on my novel so I can get back to the second draft. Current inspirations over the last two months have been The Starless Sea and The Hunger Games. And then I will spend the first week of the new year as I hope to spend more of 2022: writing.

Thank you for following my journey. I hope some of my words may have helped you on your own path, or if not that they have reached out across the ether and brought distraction or interest.

I wish you a calm and restful holiday, and a happy new year.

Lucy x