Fresh Start Monday #013: Conspiring with the world
How have you and the world conspired to make this the perfect time to start?
We find excuses not to do something so readily, but what about the reverse?
We need to build the momentum in our head that this is THE month to start.
What do I mean by that? I'll start.
I thought about freelance writing when I got laid off in October. Do I want to do this? Is this the best time to start? What's significant about this time of year? Here's what I wrote down:
In November 2017, I launched my website and published my writing online for the first time. I started doing Morning Pages, a 30 min daily writing exercise to build a writing habit.
In November 2019, I did November writing month, where you write a 50k word novel in 1 month or 1,667 words a day. The novel was rough, but I finished it and produced a volume of writing I thought was impossible.
November is historically a month where I've made major changes, and my writing takes a leap. With my weekly newsletter, I've built up several strong writing samples. I have an updated website to send people, a daily writing routine, and time.
I built momentum up in my head, and by putting it down on paper, I created a more powerful energy that I couldn't say "No" to.
Doesn't it feel like I almost had to start freelance writing in November?
What about you? How is December shaping up to be the month you start something new?
To start working on our personal goals requires sacrifices in other parts of our lives. Christmas makes for a great artificial deadline to create urgency.
The holidays are in one month. Can you sell your handcrafted items as Christmas gifts? At a Christmas market? Can you book a booth at a market and sell the holiday-themed ornaments you made?
Or you're going home for the holidays. Is it time to mend a relationship in your family?
December is also when we transition into winter. There's no guilt for staying indoors when it's dark out at 5 pm. Is it the perfect time for indoor activities like editing photos, crocheting, or learning to cook?
We can also consider the timing of negative events. We're great at lamenting the awful timing of events such as job loss, illness, the end of a relationship, or an injury. How can we flip that on its head? How can an injury turn into a gift?
A coaching client recently had an injury that didn't allow her to work or exercise. Although she found difficulty slowing down, she had more time and energy to nurture a new relationship. She’s never prioritized a relationship before.
Last week
I created everything I needed to start a weekly journaling group. My proud of the name I came up with: Wine and Words on Wednesdays.
However, when I spent significant time on this last week, I realized my focus needs to be on sources of income.
I look at this in a positive light. If I had a full-time job, I could start this without worrying about money. But a lack of income has created an urgency to grow my coaching business and other revenue streams. It's pushed me to hustle more. My priorities are in focus.
The journaling group feels more like a nice to have than a need. My interest has remained strong, but the timing isn’t right. I’d like to start it early 2023.
Fresh Start Experiment
It's a simple journal inquiry: How is December 2022 or January 2023 the best month of your life to start that new habit, learn a new skill, or put yourself out there?