Setting the Tone
Writing is about process, and so is life.
I like the launch into a new year because it’s a benchmark for me.
This time, instead of resolutions or long lists of goals, I’m thinking about tone.
How do I want to feel? What do I want to give? How can I help? What do I want to do and learn?
I guess I’m setting the mood for the year rather than declaring a list of must-dos or accomplishments. It’s not that I don’t have goals. Hellooo, can I please finish the novel? I do have things I want to do and learn. I even get a little spark of energy thinking about them.
But this year, no matter what I’m working on, I want to stay open, engaged, and curious. I want to be gentler and kind. I want to feel steady and creative. Flexible. Available to ideas and possibilities.
This is what I want to bring into the moments and days ahead. I want to feel this way when I write, take care of my family, and move toward my goals. And I want to share it with others. I want to be deliberate in the energy I bring.
How Would You Define It?
Welcoming? Cozy? Content? Like settling into your favorite pair of jeans or sitting by the fire with a good book, the dog curled at your feet.
I don’t know exactly what to call this mood. But today, I’ll begin setting it.
What mood are you taking into 2026? What tone will you set for your writing time and life? In writing, the process is more rewarding than the ultimate publication. In living, the process is all we got.
I wish you ease, peace, and time for the things you find meaningful. We’re going to have a good year. We are going to get writing done, and I, for one, am going to have a blast doing it. Hope you do too.
Thanks for sticking with me here. I love writing for you and hearing from you.
Happy New Year. Let’s do this.
-p
