Halfway There

The title of this post is not only because the year is almost half over but also because my husband and I started watching Thank you, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story on Hulu. (Let’s see who’s old enough to now have a certain song’s refrain in their heads. . . .)  

Checking in on my 24 in 2024 Trifecta goals/plans:

 

One Word 

My word for the year is Unapologetic. I’m to stop apologizing endlessly and needlessly, externally and internally. This is not going well. I’m still dithering, doubting, second guessing. 

 

The 24 in 24 List

This is also not going the way I’d hoped, and I’m not sure why. I’ve been struggling a lot with energy – emotional, mental, physical - and focus, so that might have something to do with it. 

 

The Write 24 in 24 Challenge

Yes! This is actually working. So far, I haven’t missed a day – knock wood! – and I’m keeping myself accountable, including setting loose monthly goals to give myself some direction. The best part is that it feels like I’ve found my creative joy again. I’m working on all sorts of things. I even wrote a 2500-word short story, something I haven’t done in a long time, if ever. 

 

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Something I thought was absolutely hilarious from Austin Kleon’s free newsletter [5/17/24] – “Frederik Backman on Creative Anxiety and Procrastination.” Just make sure you’re not drinking coffee or anything because it’ll be all over your keyboard by the end of the 4 minute video. 

 

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How’s your year going so far? Accomplished any goals? Made some progress? Decided to revise or scrap altogether? Any suggestions for getting back to my One Word and my 24 List? Have you laughed out loud recently? I hope so, since we’re all just livin’ on a prayer . . . .

Twenty-Four

This year, I'm loosely following Gretchen Rubin's The 24 in 2024 Trifecta  – "One Word" (which I mentioned last month), "The 24 in 24 List" and "The Write 24 in 24 Challenge."

  

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The 24 in 24 List – these are 24 things I hope to accomplish in 2024. It includes some fun things – art classes! - but it's mostly tasks that have been driving me crazy for the last few years, and I need to get done before I lose the little sanity I have left. I probably won't get them all done, but I'll be pleased with just a handful.

 

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The Write 24 in 24 Challenge – I put this on my 24 in 24 list, and I don't care if it's kind of cheating – it's my list, I'll do what I want. (My One Word = Unapologetic!) This takes place over the whole year, writing 2-4 minutes OR 24 minutes every day. Now, some people might ask, don't I, as a writer, already do this? And the answer is yes . . . and no. I do pretty much write every day, but it's not as focused or as imaginative as I'd like. 

 

Over the last few years, I've lost a lot of my creative joy. I don't know if this challenge will help, but we'll see. I'm also going to re-focus on shorter works – flash fiction, micro fiction, short stories, maybe a novella. So much of the novel work I've been doing has felt so heavy, like one of those weighted blankets. (By the way, I tried one of those and felt so trapped, I almost had a panic attack.) 

 

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Now, we did not do this on purpose to continue the theme, but my husband and I are re-watching the old TV series, "24" starring Kiefer Sutherland. We're up to Season 7, and although it's gone off the rails a bit in these later seasons, it's still been a lot of fun. I only wish I had thought to create my own version of a "drinking game" so that every time Jack Bauer or another character said "dammit" I'd get to eat a Peanut M&M. 

 

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Are you participating in any challenges this year? Do you find them helpful or too restricting? Are you feeling the joy in your creative endeavors or are you trying to get it back? If you're a fan of the weighted blanket, please tell me, what am I missing? Do you remember 24? Watching anything that's fun for you?