I want to welcome the new year. And I want to welcome you to this blog today and all through 2017. I have been blogging here, in this very spot, since 2004, and I will keep at it some more. I state that I blog about art, craft and creativity in everyday life, but the fact is, the art and crafty projects is now my life, and creativity walks with me everywhere.

I'm Not Giving Up Blogging in 2017

I love the promise of the New Year. It is a clean slate to become something bigger and better. To grow, to become stronger, richer and more beautiful than before. But change like that does not come on New Years Day, like a wrapped gift with a bow on top. It comes slowly, often grudgingly complaining and with lots of resistance, and often serving up quite a few setbacks. I’ve had more setbacks than success with growing, planning and changing, but damn if I will let that stop me from trying to grow once again.

I am determined to do some changes around here. Around myself, with how I act, plan, feel, and earn money. In my surroundings, how I get dressed in the morning, sort my belongings and clear out clutter and old projects. And maybe these changes will reflect what I publish on my blog, we’ll see.

Is it time to Quit Blogging in 2017?

I don’t think so. Everyone has to make up their own mind, of course, and decide what’s important for them. For me, I know I will not quit blogging in 2017, even though it seams to be a trend. I’m giving it this year (at least to start with) to see if I find new flow and love for the art of blogging again… Maybe beyond SEO, social media marketing and Pinterest sharing. I know I love your comments, the community feeling, connecting with you guys and writing to inspire, so that’s why I’m still here and will be back tomorrow. I’ve got a good thing going, but change is also good (albeit very scary)…

I got lost in busy making around Christmas, and after that I got the flue and went down like a log. I was coughing so much I thought I’d never stop. That’s a few of the reasons why I didn’t get any blog posts out – but I bet you didn’t even notice? I have been tweeting, instagraming and posting updates to facebook to make up for not creating any real content on my blog. All that is just fluff, the real stuff happens on a blog. The blog is where we have room to exist in a bigger, bolder way. It is the foundation of everything.

The blog is the foundation, swing by some time won't you?

If blogging is going away I think the best part of the Internet will be lost, and then what the heck are we here for? So I will keep blogging in 2017, if you’ll keep reading. Deal?

Blogging as a habit

I loved writing my accomplishments list posts a few years ago, but these days, I don’t do that many different craft projects, and in 2016 I’m not sure I finished much. Plus I haven’t been photographing my finished embroidery and textile works as I should. The regular lens of my Nikon camera is broken, and I am such an underrbuyer. A camera lens one of my happiness tools, so why haven’t I just gotten a new one? I am determined to order one next week, no excuses.

Best nine on Instagram 2016 - click to follow me on Instagram, I'm iHannas there

I’m reading Gretchen Rubin’s book Better Than Before, about how we create different habits. I’m bummed that I am the type of person who seams to have the hardest with setting habits, being happy and getting things done! It’s not a surprise to me, but I still feel like could’ve fallen into at least one of the personality types that she lists that has it easier than the others. But no, I think I’m all the hard ones. But of course, knowing what kind of person you are and what potentially could work for you, is a really good thing. If you know what your own obstacles are, at least you can acknowledge them better and move around them when possible. And when that is not possible, maybe I can learn to forgive myself better for not being the person I want to be?

Sharing my art, writing and being a blogger are things I want to keep up with, for myself as much as anything. The blogging habit is hard to lose, since it is part of my identity now. What I do want to change about my blogging habit is to plan it better, and post a bit more regular, plus I want to make it more sustainable.

The subjects I want to write more about on this blog is my art practice, which this year is going to be more painting than last year (and as always, I will keep creating collages), my textile art and a bit more about planning, traveler’s notebooks and notebooks in general. I have many ideas of what I want to share, as well as YouTube plans, and I’m looking to create the habit of daily writing.

Inspiration Mosaic - December 2016 collected by @ihanna

Inspiration Mosaic – December 2016 collected by I, Hanna.
Click the image to view individual sources on Flickr, or view big mosaic.

Starting Something New

I haven’t giving myself that as a daily count or goal for January, because I don’t want to over-commit the first month of the year (as I usually do). I’m doing daily yoga with Adriane (it’s a kind of Yoga Revolution), and that habit is even more important to me right now. Getting my body healthy and stronger is my main priority for the month (year?).

This “goal” came about on the last day of 2016 when I signed up for the yoga challenge on YouTube and just decided to “do it”. No matter how many times I’ve set this goal for myself before I haven’t followed though with it, but now it’s day 10 and for the first time in my entire life I have done yoga for 9 days straight. That is no small feat around here. To tell the truth (but don’t tell anyone else) this is the most exercise I’ve ever done in 10 days ever, and most of these days I was still fighting of that horrible cold. This is so strange, I can hardly believe myself this is happening. Though not even a whole month of yoga will change my life, just that particular month. Here’s to a great Start!

So now I’ve started the blogging year, and damn it feels so good.

What are you making or planning for this year? Let me know below in the comments, will ya?

No matter how you plan, what you plan or where you are, I wish you a happy creative year! May all your dreams become goals that becomes finished projects and days you’re proud of.

Namaste.

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