On 2024: Year of Movement & Art

I have a lovely end of year review process, that in the last few days of 2023 I was lucky enough to be able to carry out in a little two day retreat my friend Charlotte and I managed to book for ourselves.

Tucked away in a cozy cottage in the New Forest, accompanied by stretching with Mady, chocolate and a crackling fire, with grey December skies outside and the wind roaring down the chimney, we both (rather geekily, that is why we are friends!) set about reviewing that year, and setting ourselves up for 2024.

My favourite part of this process is reviewing what I call ‘Magic Moments’ from the whole of that year, which I will have written about before I’m sure. At the end of every day, and then every week, when planning for my week, I capture in all the magic moments from that week.

One thing stood out for me in 2023: almost ALL of my magic moments were based on relationships with family and friends, as well a handful of really enjoyable work moments, all building towards what I consider to be my purpose: creating magic moments for children and their families via my picture books.

For me, this review process confirmed that life is made up of a string of teeny tiny moments, and in noticing those moments and being present in them, a) I become more present generally and b) life slowly but surely becomes magical.

So, taking that forward into 2024, I am focussed on my immediate family – my husband, two small boys, two grown up stepdaughters, and extended family – and time with friends, as well as slowly but surely continuing to build up consistency with my art and business.

And, into all of that, I want to incorporate my overriding ‘theme’ for the year, MOVEMENT and ART.

With that in mind, I’ve started the year fairly slowly, ensuring the boys are happily settled in school (we had a few tricky moments last term), getting myself as mama and illustrator into a good rhythm with health with things like gym, nutrition, sleep. Movement, therefore, is in progress! I’m loving lifting weights at the gym, thanks to Laura at TeamProjectYou‘s guidance, and I’m walking twice a week with friends as well as little walks round the block with our fat pug.

Now…it’s time to add in ART! It’s been a while!

If you aren’t already signed up for my newsletter, I’d love for you to join the fun, I’ll be consistently sending out a little missive once a month this year, encouraging you to get moving, and THEN get creative, whatever that may look like for you, as I think movement and expression are so important for our creative practices. The link is at the bottom of the page, please share with anyone else you may know is trying to work more creativity into their busy lives, as it will be all about the importance of our little, daily, steps.