First of all I’d like to thank you all so much for supporting me this year.
When I started this Substack newsletter back in January I had no idea how it would pan out. I also had no idea that my health would deteriorate and thus present me with the most challenging year of my life.
As we close out the year, I invite you to take a moment to ponder how your year has been.
What have been the ups and downs?
What challenges have you had to surmount?
What challenges are you currently facing?
Most importantly, what are the gifts in those challenges?
One of the most important benefits I’ve had from dealing with fatigue has been the gift of being kind to myself. I’ve always been someone who has pushed ahead in a super disciplined, “it just has to be done” kind of way.
This year I haven’t been able to do that. I’m pleased to say that I’ve made a fundamental shift in the way I treat myself and I am looking forward to the wonderful ways that this might benefit me in the future.
If you’re struggling right now, please know that it isn’t all bad. You will find hidden depths and resources of yourself that you didn’t know you had. You will come through it eventually and there will be positives, even if you have to search hard for them.
I wrote about this back in the summer and I think this post is one of the most important pieces I have written this year: A Profound Lesson I Have Learned From My Fatigue
Finally, how can you celebrate all that you have achieved? This is me and my best friend Helen, two nights ago, drinking champagne. It’s been a humdinger of a year and we both made it through.
If you need some extra encouragement or you’ve recently joined the Gentle Creative community, I’ve just compiled an index of this year’s articles.
It’s in six categories:
Fear, resistance and procrastination
Mindset
Time management
Encouragement
Craft and publishing
Tough love
Please remember, your writing is valuable. It’s amazing that you get to express your truth, no matter how long it takes you, or how many people get to read it. Please pat yourself on your back for all your efforts this year. Your writing matters.
I wish you a lovely Christmas and a wonderful new year. I won’t be writing an article next week so I will see you all on the other side, in 2023.
Thank you so much for being here and for all the likes, comments and shares. Despite all the challenges, this has been a truly amazing year.
Plodding gently
Cali xx
Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash
Looking for a last minute Christmas present for a writer friend?
Did you know that you can gift a Substack subscription? Is there a writer in your life who needs a gentle nudge to make progress with their project and receive on-going weekly encouragement? Consider gifting them a Gentle Creative subscription. It could be the best Christmas present ever!
I too have appreciated your gentle encouragement throughout the year.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Cali.