Happy New Year! Hope you all enjoyed the festivities, however you celebrate.
Over the last few days I’ve been on Trello, the app I use to plan my year ahead. I review monthly and then do a big review of my year to see whether any of my plans came to fruition. I find it such a good way to figure out what’s important to me, decide what to put my time into. Last year was a year of change, a crossroads. My word of 2023 began as Grow but by February I’d changed it to Pivot.
I spend so much time chasing the new and hurdling over the obstacles that get thrown at creatives. One day it’s Instagram algorithms, then it’s Etsy fees going up, then it’s AI threatening illustration jobs - 2023 was not the best year for a certain type of creative business. But I’ve realised over the last year or so that it’s all about pivot. You don’t have to give up, you can just shift things around.
So I went about my year that way, shifting to print fulfilment, painting more, quitting ineffective POD sites and putting more energy into one or two good ones, concentrating on original work over illustration jobs and launching my website shop. I’m in a much more contented place because of it.
So this year my word is two words - Sit Still. This doesn’t mean do nothing, I just want to stop chasing, juggling, panicking and not make rash decisions. It’s about being thoughtful, sitting in the moment. I’m going to enjoy this year creatively; make what I want to make, paint how I want to paint, investigate, play and not sweat the small stuff. We all need a break from the hamster wheel sometimes.
Do you have a word of the year?
One big ambition from my 2023 planning board was to add a collection of paintings to my site, so here they are, finally, by the skin of my teeth! And funnily enough, they are all about sitting still.
Lastly - There’s a print sale in my shop. Just add PRINT24 to the coupon box at check out for 15% off. One use per customer, valid till Sunday 21st January. Lots of choice from furry friends for kids rooms to grown-up still life.
Sending love and hope for the year ahead, thanks so much for joining me here, I appreciate your company!