Ahh yes, the heady time of December 3, 2021 through January 21, 2022. Where each day received a little extra notice in the form of a daily page. Freezing toes while I crafted in the basement were a small inconvenience to pay when the end result is this lovely, fat, book.
I started this creative habit in October 2021. I did it as a way to kickstart my creativity, get me working in my craft room, and give me a space to create within boundaries but without expectations. In 2021 it served its purpose and more. I also joined a lovely community of women working on Daily Pages of their own. Which provided me with support I didn’t realize I needed at the time.
I have now finished two books of my own making. This flipthrough represents “Volume Two” and captures the time between December 3, 2021 and January 21, 2022. I created something in this book every single day during that period. Wowzas. It feels momentous, while also being simple and small. It showed me that I could start habits, and maintain them. With a little bit of effort. And I am immensely proud of myself. I haven’t done any Daily Pages since that last day in this book.
So I also want to hold space for folks who have lost a habit. For whatever reason. My reason specifically was Dan working on a wall in our basement and my crafting space disappearing for a few weeks. Those few weeks was all it took for me to lose this daily habit. I was distracted at first, and then sad, and now I’ve become reconciled to its absence. With the knowledge that I will pick it up again at some point.
Habits are a strong theme for my year, my word, my 2022 plan. And this year I have decided to be more mindful about how I am spending my time. This is going to be hard. (This is already ehard). In an attempt to make it go more smoothly, I post to myself this question: is what I am doing right now getting me closer to my goals or aligning me with my life’s purpose? Yep. Nothing like a simple question to get me on track. HA! But it’s good, I’m good. SometimesI forget to ask myself this, and use up all of my allotted Instagram time before I leave for work in the morning. Oh dear.
And it would be ridiculous if I didn’t do my due diligence in linking literally everything in my life back to my Word. Typical. And, since I am (strangely) currently enchanted by habits, I am fervently asking “how does this habit fit into Care 2022?” Going beyond “does it or doesn’t it”, and literally interrogating its place in my life, my goals, the habits I am forming.
There are so many BIG pictures I am looking at this year – social justice, rest, climate activism, covid frustrations, organizing, community-building – I want to ensure my time is well spent. And that my leisure activities are relelvant and doing their job to allow me space to rest up for what’s next.
FURTHER READING AND RESOURCES
Daily Pages Creative Habit (Not Ladylike)
Daily Pages – My New Creative Habit? (Not Ladylike)
The Awesome Ladies Project (rukristin)
4 Things I’ve Learned from my Daily Habit (Jill Elliot, Wit & Delight)
Daily Creative Habits (Verbal to Visual)
Not Ladylike Community 