I love an end of the year reflection post. I also love a song lyric that feels so relevant to a moment in time it’s as if the lyricist wrote it just for me (thank you Jack Johnson, circa 2005).
So, here I am at the end of 2024—sitting, waiting, wishing only good things for 2025. I have just read Centered, my 2023 wrap up, and I feel proud all over again for what I accomplished last year. Life felt a bit all over the place, yet I stood firm and grounded in what I felt was a calling to pursue full-time creativity. That theme carried over to this year, but in a way that felt like my identity itself was centered. Perhaps that’s just being in your thirties. Perhaps it’s hard work paying off.
This time last year, I think I was craving some steady normalcy. I loved 2023 for its travel and adventure and inconsistencies, but I think I knew that would be unsustainable to continue long-term. I set goals for 2024 that were very reasonable and routines that were very possible to sustain. And I did the things this year. But to be honest, as I look back, I think I was too measured in what I was hoping to accomplish. I only made safe bets on myself.
2024 was wonderful exhilarating and also, somewhat mild. Two solo art shows; creating 30 pieces of original art; selling 36 original and 34 commissioned artworks; contributing poetry, art and photography to nine literary magazines (two of which were paid!); hosting 45 women at three Garden Party events. Plus, the 185 freelance copywriting hours; floral design for nine weddings; teaching 128 yoga classes and one university course—all of which helped maintain my status as a NON-starving artist.
Through it all, I had healthy rhythms that overall kept me focused on my work, but also provided space to connect with loved ones. I had fun hobbies and sobering moments of reflection. I travelled and explored, but mostly I stayed home—a practice that used to make me feel trapped, but one that I’ve grown to increasingly appreciate. Despite my exciting professional accomplishments, I felt grounded and very peaceful. Sitting, waiting and wishing doesn’t feel lazy or frivolous when you are really digging deep in getting to know yourself. Contentment is a blessing.
Half-way through this year, I think I realized that my contentment had slipped into complacency. Such things happen when you find your stride and forget where you’re actually meant to be going. In early summer, I set a Lofty Mid-Year Bonus Goal to write/publish 100 more posts before December 31. That would have meant publishing every third day and almost immediately, I fell behind. Yet, continued to make progress (this is my 41st post this year, more than double the count of any other year). At the end of August, I also decided to show a yet-uncreated second collection of art in October. I painted 13 pieces in six weeks (which was a huge push for me). Plus, in the fall, I decided to host Garden Party events to celebrate & facilitate community engagement with wonderful women over delicious food and a beautiful table set. To top it all off, I finally put together a full manuscript of poetry and submitted it to an independent publisher. Spoiler: it was accepted and yours truly will have a book printed in July 2025!!
In truth, I’ve hardly been sitting, waiting, and wishing for anything lately. Yes, there are personal and professional goals that I’ve put effort into which have yet to reap the payoffs. Yes, there is prudence and wisdom in being still and patiently waiting for the right timing before making big life decisions. Yes, it makes sense to pause, plan and prepare with boundaries and margin—a lesson that has taken me years to learn. But heading into 2025, I’m ready for the knock-my-socks-off level of adventure again. If anything, I’m stirring, scheming & dreaming in excited expectation for whatever is to come over the next 12 months.
My goal for 2025 is no longer to be a non-starving artist, but a thriving one. I don’t just want to casually throw spaghetti on the wall to see what sticks. I want to be intentional about curating a creative work flow in which I am able to crank out consistent work that gives space for evolution. In 2024, I laid some very necessary groundwork for a foundation on which I could stand as a full-time creative. In 2025, I am looking forward to build my “next big things,” recognizing that at this moment, I cannot even fathom half of what that will mean. Even beyond that, I want to be challenged and pushed to be better in all areas of life. I want to grow as a total person, not just a titan of creative industry.
But first, I’m riding out the remainder of this precious liminal space of rest between the holidays; so thankful for this quiet time to sit, wait and wish for good things to come for us all in 2025!
SDG
L.M.Beatty 