One down, eleven more to go.

So, how’s your New Year’s resolution panning out?

I’m not 100% sure what I decided to go with anymore. I’m sure I mentioned streamlining my life again. I’m still working on it. The fact I made it to the 31st is a good start, and I have been making the slow, painful changes required to reach my goals.

But why does everything have to take so long?

Clearly, I’m still a toddler at heart. But if we’re honest with ourselves, we all still are. I think it’s nice in some ways we’ve mostly learned how to keep the tantrums internal, but at other times, wouldn’t it be nice to just throw ourselves on the floor?

I’m sure once the coffee has kicked in things will seem brighter.

I haven’t gotten nearly as much writing in as I’d like this month, due to the aforementioned reasons of life and things taking longer, but that’s okay.

I mostly wanted to get all nostalgic about my writing journey today anyway.

You may have guessed by now that I love to read. Books have been my BFF since I turned five. Pretty much whenever I get the chance, I’ll be found reading a book.

(yeah, that’s right. If you see me on my phone, ask what I’m doing. Probably reading. Or facebook. Mostly reading though ;P )

I took a small break when I had my first two kids because, for the first time in my life, I was simply too tired to focus. I guess that’s what having 2 kids in 2 years will do to a brain.

This was me.

By the time my third was born, I realized I had at least one book trying to escape and I didn’t want to be on my death bed wanting to “someday” write that book when it was too late.

That’s how my first series was born.

A recurring dream from my teens in conjunction with an article I’d read about Nanowrimo lined up beautifully with the stars the last week of October in 2015.

Five years I’ve been writing, three since I pushed publish on book baby #1.

Man! What a crazy ride!

I’ve since written 8 books in my Rise of the Light series, completing the series although the spin-offs are in the works.

I love doing this. I love that people love reading my books too. Writing and creating these books has been a balm to my soul through some really rocky times, and I need the happy endings and the power my characters have more than ever as the news stays tough.

I can not wait to see what I can accomplish this year as I practice saying no to extra work and focusing more on creation.

2020 is my year to work on the decluttering of obligations in my head. I’ve heard it gets easier with practice.

Okay Baby Yoda. I’ll keep working on it.

I stuck the landing on a “no” this week when a friend helped me reframe the question.

It’s a start.