Warm Holiday Wishes

~by Amanda Smith
Usually we share our best writing advice, inspire you to set goals, and help you find strategies to meet those goals. We’ll be back to that soon enough, but it is December. Snow has fallen. Trees are decorated, cookies baked, gifts wrapped, and candles lit. So grab a cup of hot chocolate and a candy cane because December is a time of…

​Reflection:
This season let’s take time to ponder our accomplishments and the goals checked off the list, our disappointments, and our triumphs in writing. Also, let’s reflect on what worked and why. Thomas Carlyle said, “The greatest of faults is to be conscious of none.” Let’s look into our mirrors, acknowledge what we see, and start planning new writing goals for 2017.

---

Generosity:
A writing partner reminded us this is a season for generosity, and we should extend some of that generosity to ourselves. Once we have looked into that mirror, let’s give ourselves the gift of grace for what we didn’t do and focus instead on what we did accomplish. Hey, if ever there is a time for carrots, it is December! Leave yourself a little reward, all wrapped up with a bow, under the Christmas tree.

---

 Peace:
 Amidst all the hustle and bustle of the season, let’s find some peace. Take  some time to rest. Make room for solitude, so you can reconnect with your  heart, passion, and dreams.

---

Hope:
Hope is the desire for a certain outcome, a feeling of trust. Once we have reconnected with our passion, let’s set expectations, focus our efforts, and set yearly goals that will help us realize the hope we have for this new year. And keep working, because...

 Family:
 That being said, this season is also a time for family. Let’s trust our work, our  characters, and our muse to still be there in the new year. For a few glorious  days let’s enjoy the small moments with our families – the movies, the baking,  the games, the songs, and celebrations. Let’s allow ourselves guilt-free time  away from writing so that we can soak up all the precious expressions; gleeful  laughter; teenage snark; fiercely frustrating, absolutely infuriating, delightfully  humorous family interactions. (And don’t be surprised if some of those show up  in future writing projects.)

​We look forward to a productive new year filled with goals and writing tips, but for now, from our 24 Carrot Family to yours, Happy Holidays!

---