So Long, 2022



Bare Branches
Photo by Angela Marie Morton

With year’s end approaching, I recently spent a bit of time reviewing my 2022 goals and areas of focus I had jotted down at around this time last year. Every month or so, I looked at my list to see if I had forgotten something, and crossed off any actionable task I had completed (so satisfying). 

My list had several items on it, a few of which were specific projects, and the rest were reminders of what I wanted to focus on over the course of the year, to help keep me on track. I am good at structuring my time, and am definitely no procrastinator, but I have a tendency to feel overwhelmed when I lack a clear goal or focus, so having something to refer to helps immensely.

A couple specific tasks I had on my list were: 

○ Start a blog

○ Research illustration agencies

An example of a more abstract item on my list was:

○ Continue developing my styles

Reviewing my full list, I found I had accomplished everything on it and, in some cases, did better than anticipated. I have already written down several ideas for next year, and am looking forward to brainstorming and creating a list in the coming weeks.

My version of goal and intention setting is not hugely ambitious. I am not a competitive person, even just with myself, but I find fulfillment in being productive, and like to feel good about the work I am doing. For example, I would not write a goal of, “Get a card company to accept at least one design.” That is not something I can control, and if I failed to meet it, I would feel defeated. A goal needs to be a realistic challenge, and something that I can hold myself completely accountable for. Using the card company example, my goal would be, “research suitable companies, submit designs at least quarterly, to one or two.” It is specific, actionable, and flexible, with enough of a challenge to require real effort, and is not dependent on any external force.

For me, this time of year outside is chaotic and cold, so I like to use it as an opportunity to turn inward, both spiritually and physically, and consciously slow down to take time for reflection. With that, I’ll say so long to 2022. It’s been a year.

   


Popular posts from this blog

Series: A Capsule Kitchen: An Introduction + Minimalist Everyday Bread Recipe

Image
  This is the first post in a new series I’ve opted to call “A Capsule Kitchen”, which I will be incorporating into my blog every other month. Typically, I write about art and creativity, with the occasional off-topic piece peppered in for a bit of variety. This year, I came up with the idea of “A Capsule Kitchen”, and thought it would be a fun addition. Each post in the series will feature a tried-and-true recipe that is in regular rotation in my household. For the introduction of the series, I thought it might be helpful to provide some context and a brief background, before starting things off with a simple staple recipe. My husband and I eat a vegan diet, and I do the cooking and baking, which I enjoy, especially now that I have a curated collection of trusty go-tos we both like and that are easy to prepare. We are decidedly unfancy when it comes to our food preferences, both by choice and necessity, which will be clear from the recipes I will be sharing. I decided to call the seri
Read more

Nothing Special

Image
A pre-pandemic photo of me taken at the Oregon Coast A few days ago, I had to acknowledge to myself that the piece I’d been working on for this month's blog post was just not coming together in the way that I wanted it to. Rather than finishing it in haste, I decided to put it aside for the time being. This meant I needed to come up with something for September ASAP, so I opted for a simple and brief personal post that wasn’t as mentally taxing to write. My posts are typically focused on art and the creative process, and less on my personal life (of course, there is a bit of overlap, since life influences art, and vice versa, but you get the idea), so I hope this piece is a fun read. A Collection of Some of my Favorite Things: Favorite flavor: Pumpkin Favorite TV show: Star Trek (the original) Favorite film director(s): Federico Fellini and Charlie Chaplin Favorite childhood movie: The Explorers Favorite book(s): The Razor’s Edge by William Somerset Maugham, and Lost Horizon by J
Read more

Series: A Capsule Kitchen: Minimalist Cornbread

Image
This simple and humble cornbread is one of my husband's favorites, so I typically bake it once or twice a week. I have it streamlined to just 5 ingredients, which are inexpensive and always on hand. Years ago, we occasionally bought cornbread, and I feel like such a sucker now, as making it at home is so easy, which is why I wanted to share this recipe for fluffy, yummy, cheap and easy cornbread.  Minimalist Cornbread Supplies 8” round baking pan Measuring cup Measuring spoons Spatual Mixing bowl Cooling rack or cutting board Ingredients ( Dry ) 1 cup all-purpose flour (whole wheat flour also works well, and gives it a bit of a rustic taste and  texture)  1 cup cornmeal 1 tablespoon baking powder ( Wet ) ¼ cup vegetable oil 1 cup water (I've used almond milk, but found water works just fine, and is much more cost-effective) Optional ingredients   Pinch of salt A drizzle of agave or maple syrup, if you like a sweeter flavor Grated vegan cheese or a sprinkling of nutritional yeas
Read more