Out of the Ashes: Starting the New Year by Reviewing the Past

A look back at a year of new experiences, achievements, losses, & failed goals…

As the New Year approaches, we all tend to reflect on the accomplishments and failings of the waning year. I am no different. I started a new journey in 2022. The journey of being a blogger. I thought that it would be an easy and fun endeavor. I was partly correct it is fun. It also takes a lot of time, and here I am at the end of 2022 looking back at my “unfinished intentions”

Started Out Strong, and Then…

When I started the blog I worked hard to get two articles posted per week. Blogging takes a lot of time and effort. There is sometimes research, coordinating links, creating projects, writing the article, doing the project while taking photos, editing the photos and article, and finally posting the finished product. That is just the front end of blogging, thankfully for me, my husband handles the behind the scene or backend tasks (such as keeping this page running using all the programming tricks and magic).

Links to posts from the past year that I am most proud of:

1. Springtime Found Us Busy as Bees; ByVikki March 31, 2022
2. Harvest From the Backyard; ByVikki November 3, 2022

That all worked well for a while; but as it often does, life got in the way. Traveling, the birth of our first grandchild, regional tornados, and flooding (that left family and friends homeless), all left marks on my blog.

I do not regret for a minute spending time helping my family and friends, or being there to dogsit our grandpuppy Dianna, during the birth of our little grandson. What I do regret is not keeping up with my blog entries and projects.

Another Hoop to Jump Through

I got home from Texas at the end of October. I ended up starting to work part-time at Dollar Tree. In theory, this job was going to give me an inside edge as to what wonderful items the store had newly stocked that I could turn into blog projects. The reality was a bit different. I ended up working varied shifts and days that prevented me from forming a routine around which I could still produce the blog at all.

Do I regret the job? Not entirely. I have made new friends. I have a new and profound appreciation for how much work goes into keeping even a small store stocked, and in keeping it looking neat. On that note: Folks, please don’t go into a store and place items where they don’t belong! It takes the staff hours daily trying to return items to their proper place. Hours, I might add, that keep them from stocking shelves, etc.

Okay, back to the blog, where was I? Oh yes, the job. It offered me the chance to see how to stock a space efficiently, how to count money accurately at a faster pace, and how to greet those entering a store space. It has been a boost to my confidence in being able to move my crafting hobby into a full-time business. Working in a new field is always a learning experience. I will leave the adventure of being a store clerk with new skills and tricks.

What I Wish I Had Managed to Complete

By now you probably get that I didn’t follow through as well as I wanted with the expectations that I had for the blog. That is so true! But there are other areas that I fell short in as well. I was so busy trying to juggle the blog and life’s curveballs that I totally failed at preparing for fall and holiday craft shows. You heard that correctly. I did not make it to even one show! Also, I still haven’t made my mulberry jam, darn it!

Looking Back: A Gallery

Plans for The New Year

I may keep the store job if I can work two to three days a week. But my main priority for the coming year is to get the blog back on track. I love writing, and I miss it when I can’t sit down to compose a post to share with you all. Next, I plan to actually get a business license and start booking craft shows on a monthly basis. I even bought a printing calculator to help record sales! I am also planning to expand my offerings to include paint parties and paint-your-own art kits. My plans are to include my adventures of getting the business up and running in with my blog. So wish me well.

New Years Resolutions

I generally do not make New Year’s resolutions, but this year is going to be different. My resolution for this coming year is to be consistent and successful. What that will hopefully look like is a schedule full of craft events and painting projects, weekly and by-weekly blog posts, more adventures in backyard gardening, and crafting with you all. I do want to apologize for not getting the December blog posts out as planned. I ended up filling in for others at work. I also managed to get a severe sinus infection, and then Covid (more curveballs)!

What are Your Plans…

All of us make plans with the best of intentions of seeing them through. We are all perfectly imperfect, and that is okay. Life happens, some of it is good, and some of it is painful. It’s been that kind of year for me. But that’s okay too. That’s another thing that I am finally learning: It’s okay to not be perfect. We all make mistakes, fall short of the mark, or fail to complete a task. The thing is to try your best, and never give up. Then, try and do better in the future. Change direction when necessary, and keep your head up.

I know that for me, my daughter was my compass for progress. As she advanced in her pregnancy and then had our sweet little grandson, she had less time to have to keep me motivated. I realized this one day, that her coaching had kept me motivated. That is also an area that I have to improve in, self-motivation and accountability. I swear this retirement is like being a teenager all over again. But, that’s enough about me. What about you?

What are your plans for the new year? Do they include a job change, or moving to a new area? Are you planning on starting a business, or maybe a blog? Whatever it is, give it your all. Believe in yourself, you have got this! Let me know how things turn out.

Happy New Year!

Stop back by soon.

Vikki