#12BloggerDays Revisited

At the start of December, (yes, a mere month ago) I gave myself a blogging challenge.  The 12 Days of Blogging... which seemed perfectly natural given "the song."  (You know the one I'm a-talking about!)  

So, as my "Scrap-It" App pic above indicates--I did it!  A whole baker's dozen: 12 + 1 bonus.  Yes, a sense of triumph and jubilation is mine.  There were some times, early on especially, when I wasn't sure I could do it--at which my husband always makes fun of me.  Here I go again, bringing about my own self-induced anxiety and frustration by my own self-induced project!

But, my take-aways are strong & I'm glad I did it:

• It's always good to set a goal (even relatively short term), & accomplish it.

• It put my feet to the fire in a good way, which in turn rejuvenated my writing (at least for me internally--which for me, is what counts)!  It got me thinking in more creative ways, & I dabbled in some different styles I hadn't used in awhile.

• It got some of my procrastination topics marked off my to-do list--another sense of accomplishment right there.  Those things that "just hang there," taunting you, start to demean you.  I was feeling quite hard on myself for never getting them there--which does nothing to your self-worth & value!

• Christmas season served as a good time for me to do it. (Again, this is on a personal level just for me--you might have your own "best time" to do such things.)  I tend to get frenzied and hurried, and thereby grouchy and sometimes discouraged during this season.  So many lists, so many things to do--sometimes I wind up losing the meaning of the season.  Yet, this gave me writing, which for me is a way to re-energize.  I get into the flow, and I bask in the "me time."  A very good way to counter the exciting-yet-sometimes-draining elements of  prep time during "the most wonderful time of the year."  Plus, Christmas sometimes opens up seasonal topics which are ripe and perfect for blog fodder!

•  It has already started to inspire some January posts, so it continues to be a gift (to myself) that keeps giving.

I'd recommend to anyone to find little (and sometimes big) ways to shake it up.  Kind of what New Year's is all about, with resolutions.  I used to love that about "new calendar season."  A brand new calendar, empty, waiting to be filled.  A year waiting to be lived.  Reminds me of the quote below from Brad Paisley (that cropped up around New Year's). 

My #12BloggerDays walk-away-words:  Write a good book, build some great adventures for 2015, and shake it up in little and big ways! 

Book & Brad Paisley quote from https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B6KyK-gIYAA56Hx.png:large; 12 Days of Blogging pic created on my ipad using the Scrap It HD app.