This is my last Thursday thoughts blog of 2019, so I thought I would use it to share my creative projects for the new year. I recently blogged that every year for well over a decade now I have selected a few annual creative adventures to embark upon and was seeking ideas for the new year. Some of these daily projects have stayed with me for many years, such as my #dailypics photo-a-day challenge that runs on my Instagram page. I believe I first tried this personal creative challenge back in 2010 and then took a break for a few years. This next year’s #dailypics theme will be much looser than the 2019 #artinspired theme which could be really tough to satisfy at times. Since one of this year’s key words to represent the year will be “carefree,” I’m going to make sure my self-imposed creative assignments capture some of that carefree nature by being less rigid and more open to interpretation. Look for my first 2020 #dailypics post next Wednesday, January 1!
This year, I proved that I put myself to the test, I can squeeze in some kind of post on my blog every single day of the year, so as long as I make it through next Tuesday, I will have finally achieved this for the first time ever. Sigh. Cool. I don’t believe I’m going to put myself through that kind of pressure next year. I hope to continue blogging a lot but I won’t be doing regular features like #MovieMondays and #ThursdayThoughts. Instead, again embracing the looser carefree approach, I am going to blog about movies I feel deserve a blog about them because they are oh so good or oh so disappointing — whenever I feel like you must know about it, you’ll see a #MovieViews blog entry in the new year but nope, not every Monday. And I will continue to blog about topics that I feel like addressing but on any day of the week, not just Thursday, so you might see a #TuesdayThoughts or #FridayThoughts blog entry come through, not any particular set schedule though.
I believe that whenever you embark on something creative, it should continue to be fun and encourage self-expression but not cause added stress due to a hectic schedule or feel like a chore. So far, the only thing I’ve actually revealed that is definite is that not much is going to be definite or scheduled in the new year except a much looser-themed version of #dailypics. What the hell am I doing with this blog in 2020 after all, huh? Lol
Well, next year I have a milestone birthday. I turn the Big 5-0. Because of that I decided that for my birthday year, I am going to expand a previously tried concept “Five to Try” that I introduced many years ago. Five to Try was a creative challenge that I tackled each month: my mission was always the same, to try five new things that month. It didn’t have to be anything complex. It could mean a new restaurant, a new TV show, a new place to visit, a new dish, or recipe that I had not made before. One month it meant new cocktails that I have never tried, and it was just in time for New Year’s Eve.
But this year, rather than giving myself a monthly requirement to knock off 5 each month I am going to give myself the entire year to try FIFTY new things! I’ll move at whatever pace I move and not set any rules beyond it has to be new to me.
The new year is the perfect time to encourage stepping out of my comfort zone and trying new things like a new activity or cuisine. I’m not going to make myself complete all 50 new things by my birthday, April 6. Nope, I’m giving myself the entire year to celebrate and a full year to meet this creative challenge.
Now…if anyone else is celebrating a milestone next year whether it’s turning 50 like me or another milestone year and would like to join me on this ‘trip,’ I invite you to join me in taking part. Challenge yourself to whatever number of new things you want to try in your new year. Sometimes when you venture out together with other people, even if your lists may be different, you might discover some curious suggestions and piggyback on each others’ ideas. But no, I have no need or desire to jump out of planes, off of bridges tethered to a rope or any other wild and crazy stunts but I am excited about the prospect of discovering some new favorite thing. This is the only way you’re going to find it, right?
Join me here as I blog about my Fifty to Try Adventures as they happen as I count down each adventure. Don’t forget: you can sign up to receive blog posts in your email inbox. Just scroll down to the bottom of the home page and sign up to receive email updates. And as always, thanks for reading.
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