My 2024 planning with the YearCompass is complete, or as complete as it can be, before things change and plans need to change.
2024 will look a lot like 2023.
Publishing Prince Tarkten will be replaced with publishing The Rocking House because one day I asked myself, “How come you spent the time and money to turn the story you wrote for Trent into a real book, but you won’t do that for the story you wrote for yourself?”
Khrystyna Lukashchuk, the illustrator for the Prince, now has the House manuscript. I love how we interact with one another as we bridge our language and cultural differences and come to agreement.
Khrystyna: “I read the text carefully. In addition to pain, there is a lot of love in it. I hope I can get it across.”
Jule: “I have no doubt that you will accomplish it. Because you can see it and feel it, you will be able to illustrate it.”
We end our emails with the same close:
“Khrystyna with love 🥰”
“Jule with love 🥰”
In 2024, I want to offer Memoir Mastery again, but first need to bring the current program to a close and then make refinements. The participants are giving me great feedback, but any pilot always needs at least a couple of tweaks. Our 9th and final Zoom session will be on February 19th.
The biggest difference between 2023 and 2024 will be the way I approach it. I have always been so task-focused. I’d like to take that down a notch.
The YearCompass encouraged me to “Pick a word to symbolize and define the year ahead. You can look at this word when you need some extra energy, so you remember not to give up on your dreams.”
I stared at the page. No word came.
I stretched, got some water. Took a walk. Still no word.
So, I pulled out the ‘just in case’ documents I had brought, recommended by my writer buddy Elizabeth, and pulled out Find Your Word, by Susannah Conway.
I got my word, and it wasn’t even listed on the page of idea-generating words.
Enjoy.
I want to slow down. Appreciate. Say thanks. Enjoy the moment, whatever kind of moment it is.
Conway recommends also having a supporting word or two, but I figured one was enough and went to bed.
When I woke up, two supporting words filled my mind:
“Presence” and “worthy.”
(I changed “presence” to “present” for parallel structure.)
If I am present in the moment, and if I know I am worthy and need do nothing in the moment, I can enjoy the moment.
I will Enjoy.
Chewing the Cud of Good
Thankful for the means to enjoy.