When I first started blogging regularly several years ago, I didn’t have any particular mission but I quickly found that I was at home admitting my mistakes so I and others could learn from them and sharing those eureka moments of discovery and creativity, as well. Before I was worrying about building chapters for books or coming up with characters, I would blog — regularly — and each year I would give myself a new fun blog challenge to tackle. They were always creative challenges and I had other folks tell me that they liked some of them so much, they too would take them on, too. I’ve had a year of chronicling one photo a day… another year, I wrote a whole short story (my first ever…not my greatest work but a hoot) and I wrote it one paragraph a day. Another time I decided to take on five new things each month to try, whether it was a new cocktail, restaurant, museum or activity. I called it Five to Try. And I also had a question that I posed where I would ask others to share their thoughts and then do a blog during the week answering it myself…called Kuhnspirations.
Yes, I’ve always looked at the new year as a great chance to reset. I don’t wallow in resolutions or spend too much time on goals. I suggest focusing on only a few because if we set TOO many, it begins to feel like dreaded work and not exciting unchartered territory, which is far more inspiring in nature.
This year, I’m going back to my roots. I’ve lost sight of these little challenges since I became a writer of books, and that’s too bad, because these fun creative activities have always given me a lot of joy but best of all, they’ve given others some joy, too — at least that’s what some of you have expressed in the past.
So yes, it’s back to the basics. I’m going to be returning to the world of becoming much more of a regular blogger. Sure, I’ll plug the books and tell you about new things I’m working on, too, but do you know what would make me happiest? To transform some normally not-all-that-adventurous people (creatively speaking) into Imagination Trekkers with me. Yep, that’s my mission this year. I’m going to PUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLL out the buried imagination that maybe some of you don’t get to tap into all that much. And for others of you who follow and do lead a fairly creative path — as a writer, photographer, artist or other creative type —- I’m going to encourage you to stop selling that new title or getting bogged down in deadlines to take a moment out of your day, or at the very least your week, and come exploring with me just because…it might feel good and do your brain a little good. Consider it an imagination reprieve.
My thought to chew on today is… get ready. A new year is around the corner, and my blog is going to take you into a variety of places creatively and I hope you’ll come along with me so we might explore them together. I’ll have a new year-long campaign I’m going to launch called #OurArt that you will hear much more about very soon. I plan to use each month as a chance to dive into some new activity, art or creative fun, share the adventure with you and invite you to dig in yourself and discuss your adventures! And then there is the world of words… I have some ideas for exploring new territory there as a writer. In 2013, I published my first book. In 2014, I tried my hand at erotic poetry. In 2015, I entered the world of short stories and published my second book. Whatever will 2016 bring? Well, if all goes as planned, there will be a sequel for those Oliver Sand fans out there but I also hope to have another new literary achievement under my belt by end of the year. But that one’s a secret…ssshhhhh!
So what will the new year hold for you? What can you do to push yourself forward, out of the comfort zone and into the brilliant light of discovery? I hope you’ll share here in the comments or on my social media accounts what you are brewing up for the new year. I cannot wait to hear all about your 2016 and what new experiences will await. ~ Chris xo
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