I've had a hard time in 2017, as I'm sure that quite a few other people may have also experienced. I've felt like I was struggling with personal direction, loss of a relative and general creative blocks. Sometimes I will admit it was quite overwhelming. But I suppose that we've all been there at one point or another.
Still it helps to be optimistic for the remainder of 2018. Although the year has started, the remaining months are a blank slate. So why not start over with the positive things that happened in the past year. No matter how small they may be. Maybe you met a new friend. Maybe you got a promotion. Maybe you completed a course or tried a recipe that turned out to be a hit. Maybe you fell in love or out of love, and not necessarily with a person. Anything positive is source of strength. Amidst my tumultuous times in 2017, I realised that I still have quite a few things to be thankful for, including the following:
- I attended my first protest for a social cause which I consider to be highly important. See the Life In Leggings Women's Solidarity March post for photos.
- I attended my first dog show. And it's no secret how much I love dogs! Please see my post Must Love Dogs: Barbados Kennel Club 2017 Dog Show.
- I attended my first vintage car show. A small trip out with a friend turned out to be a fun Sunday afternoon. I am certainly no car enthusiast and I had never photographed cars before. But I embraced something new. I'm inclined to try it again this year, given the chance.
- I was contacted by a regional magazine and sold some work. Published! Small steps and small victories can add up. Check out the teaser pages from Caribbean Insight magazine: https://view.joomag.com/the-caribbean-insight-issue-2/0536250001504020549
- I completed an introductory 7 week course in video production. I'm rather happy about the new knowledge and skills.
- Been working on my website here and there. This may not seem like a positive but I am really enjoying the creative process of making content. While I didn't have a great volume of content, I am proud of what I managed to accomplish.
There's a lesson here that I learned from 2017. There's good in everything, even "failure". And to the creative types, never see a slow period as a negative. They are sometimes necessary to reset and focus the mind. I hope that this helps anyone who may be struggling creatively today.
Until next time...