There’s no sugar-coating this.
It’s been a lousy year so far, for many of us. Lockdowns, the continuing stress of the pandemic, extreme weather events, and in the UK a cold, grey summer of the dreariest kind.
But I’ve always loved September. And this year it’s already delivering some glorious last-minute sunshine.
I live in a coastal town, and the tourists are now leaving, or largely restricted to weekend trips. After the bustle of the summer, the beach is slowly emptying, the shops, pubs and restaurants once more frequented mainly by familiar faces.
The French call this la rentrée, a welcome return to the routines and rhythms of normal life after the long summer break. The shops and restaurants reopen with a celebratory flourish. Families return to town after August in the countryside. And friends meet up to reconnect and share stories from the holidays.
The new academic year is beginning.
The kids are back at school. And even though I haven’t been in full-time education for years, it’s always seemed like a fresh start to me. A chance to make the most of the final quarter of the year, and to get things in motion for the year to come.
Few of us got the stress-free holidays we hoped for in 2021, with Covid testing and ever-changing travel restrictions. But we are at least a little more rested than before, more energised. It’s the perfect time for a reset, a reboot.
I even have a new planner and diary! (Note for those weird folks who don’t fetishise stationery: for writers, this is irresistible. I’ve been stroking mine and looking forward to writing on the first page of it for weeks..)
So this week I’m compiling a new reading list for the winter, lists of films and documentaries to watch, podcasts and talks to listen to, courses I want to take, friends I want to see.
For me, this year just flew by, but I’m aiming to finish strong. This doesn’t mean piling on unrealistic and punishing goals that will push me to the limit and inevitably mean I end the year with a sense of failure. This year more than most, we need to be kind to ourselves as well as others, and set a steady pace we can keep to comfortably. We’re in this for the long haul, remember!
I’m being gentle in 2021, and not expecting too much.
We’ve all been carrying a heavy load over the past two years. Most of my work and personal goals for the next 12 months are about simplifying, decluttering automating, getting more help – and having as much fun as possible in the process.
So in case it helps you with yours, here are my priorities for the next year.
1. Write and publish at least two books
One is nearly ready, and I’m hoping to tell you about it soon. The other is still bubbling under, occasionally taking muddy forms but not settling into its final shape yet. And there’s another idea trying to nudge it out of the queue, too, so I’m giving myself space to explore that one.
2. Lose the lockdown weight I’m now carrying
Sitting at my desk to coach up to six hours a day and write for another two or three is, it turns out, not great for the body. Nor is the case of wine that used to be a quarterly treat but turned into a monthly one in the pandemic. I need to move more, drink less, eat better. Something I’ve known for months, but done little about. It is time, now. Before winter really sets in. So I’ve just signed up for a 30-day stretch challenge, to loosen stiff muscles. And I’m making a real effort to walk more, swim more, move more.
3. Reduce my work hours
I don’t want to do less, necessarily. But I do want to set up better systems, get more help, get rid of some things and generally improve my efficiency. I’ve finally set up an automated booking system for my coaching, for instance, which is saving hours in email ping-pong with busy clients. (In case you’re curious, after trying several, I settled on Book Like A Boss and it’s excellent.)
4. Simplify.. everything
From my finances to my software, my wardrobe to my bookshelves, things have got cluttered and complicated over the past couple of years. Like all of us, I was adapting to the new normal, pivoting and experimenting. It’s time to see what works now, and to let go of what no longer does. I’m doing my first runs to the charity shop and the recycling centre this week. I’ve also deleted hundreds of emails from mailing lists that I know I’ll never read. Digital clutter is just as oppressive as physical clutter. I don’t want to feel I’ve forever playing catch-up on courses, talks and podcasts. If I really need it, I’ll find it again online.
5. A social media experiment
For the next three months, I’m running an experiment and going all-in on social media. I’m aiming to post daily for the next month at least, to see how that feels. Will it make any difference at all in terms of coaching clients, traffic to this site, or book sales? Will I feel more connected with my community? If the answer is no, I’ll either quit it altogether. Or go back to posting only a couple of days a week – with no more FOMO or enrolling for courses to show me how to do it better.
6. I want to serve you better
Most of my one-to-one coaching clients come by referral and word of mouth. I started this site to help more creatives make the work they want to make – and earn more from it. So I’d really love to know: what are your intentions for this coming year? What would you really like to finish and get out there? And what gets in your way? What’s your biggest challenge right now?
What do you think?