Festive Greetings & Gratitude

I just wanted to wish you a Merry Xmas and hope that wherever you are in the world you are with loved ones. Whatever faith you follow this is a time to gather together and appreciate what you do have in your life. I know if you are a creative you may be swerving questions from your relatives about when you are getting a proper job or whether you have got your novel/play/film published or distributed.  I know from very personal experience how annoying it can be but I do understand that the way I see my future, which does not lie in a steady job with benefits, however concerned members of my family just want me to be ‘safe’, ‘in a proper job’ and to know what is ahead. So take time to take a deep breath and smile at them, or just switch topics! They will probably never understand you and vica versa so why bother arguing.

Hopefully you will have some time over the next few days and into the new year to have a think about goals and what you want to achieve next year. If you have a chance start writing a gratitude list of what you have achieved or gained in 2014, whether material gains, people, wonderful life experiences and also taking into account how you have grown personally and professionally this year. Also think about how the universe has supported you in your creative endeavours. This is not the time for regrets or ‘Should-haves’ but a list of what you are grateful for, including the health of your loved ones and every small triumph.

• Did you re-edit a project?
• Film or write a new one?
• Get an agent?
• Win or be nominated for an award?
• Hold an exhibition?
• Make some money from your creativity? How much? More than last year?

Having done such a list you can then deal with the family questions from a sense of pride and work you know you have done. Certainly having some lovely subscribers to my blog is something I am grateful for!! So thank you for being here!

I have just come in from singing carols outside on the  village green near my sister and her family. It was freezing but the mulled wine helped and happily belting out carols whilst waving my pork and hot apple sauce bun in my hand reminded me of being at school Christmas service most of us slightly drunk from having smuggled wine on the morning school bus. I still only sing ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ in Latin ‘Adeste Fideles’ is just more fun.

I have, as I am sure you do, a lot of big goals and hopes for the coming year but it is good to first appreciate what this year has brought. I always do a beginning of the year reset on goals and where I am headed which I will post about before the new year. But on Christmas Eve sitting in my sister’s beautiful new house in front of the brandy, mince pie and satsuma that my 6 year old niece has insisted on putting out before she goes to bed for Santa and his reindeer (pictured), well I feel pretty grateful for an amazing, very bumpy year of highs and lows. I have finished the year well and can’t wait to get back out there in 2015 to get some of my projects out into the world. Yes it will require courage but I am hoping blind faith might work it’s magic if I do the necessary work 😉

I hope you have a wonderful few days of holiday wherever, however and in whatever way you chose to spend it!