Creative Wellness Letters - Easing into 2024 + my words of the year

Hi Reader, 

Happy new year! (Yes, we can still say that on Jan. 22 if we want. 🤓) And, how is it 2024?! #notoldbutnotyoungeither

It’s my first normally scheduled Monday in 6 weeks, and I’m back writing to you after the recent whirlwind of holidays and album recording!

(16 hours / 26 tracks / ~ 60 minutes of music and it is IN THE CAN, as they say - celebrate with me! 🙌)

Also, my annual reminder that you’re not behind if you’re still working on 2024 planning, or if you haven’t started at all yet!

Check out my first Creative Wellness Letter of 2022 for more affirmation for taking your own personal fresh start whenever you like! The Gregorian calendar is only one of many options, and calendars are arbitrary, right?

I’m usually a fan of the January fresh start/reset time for re-evaluation, but I’m also a fan of honoring that winter is often a time of less energy and a slower pace.

Because of the aforementioned album recording in early January, I didn’t get the usual holiday down time, so, I’m getting an intentional late start to my 2024 new year planning, and it’s still in process.

In case you were wondering, I never fully plan out a whole year at once, more like an overview of the next quarter while loosely looking further ahead.

So far, I just have a collection of ideas about things I’d like to do this year, and first I gotta finish this album and get it out there, hence the email subject line “Easing into 2024…”

It’s always tricky to walk the line between being gentle with your goal-setting, and having enough structure and discipline to follow through, but taking the time for consistent check-ins allows you to keep being intentional, and to shift course as needed.

(If you want to borrow my simple review prompts, download my free weekly and monthly check in worksheets right here.)

Along with more specific goals, I love the ritual of choosing a theme/intention word for the year. I’ve been doing this for several years, and some words end up being more meaningful and impactful than others. 

My 2023 word VISIONARY was a real winner! Prompted by my 40th birthday last May, I was able to reflect on a lot, and get more in alignment with my true priorities.

As for 2024, my words are:

BELIEVE + INHABIT

I chose BELIEVE first (shout out to Ted Lasso for a bit of the inspiration), because it can be easy to make plans, but ultimately, belief that they’re possible and belief in myself are what carry them out. So, I’m trying to keep that flame burning.

(Also, it’s a U.S. election year, so belief in the world being a positive place will be extra helpful, too. 😬)

Then, on a walk, INHABIT popped into my head, and felt oh-so-right, so I’m doing both!

Because I do and enjoy so many different things in my creativity, work, and life, I want to make sure I’m truly inhabiting the things that I commit to, rather than being in less-meaningful autopilot / reactive mode. I want to feel that I’m really inhabiting the projects and creative endeavors I choose to do, instead of just piling them on and not giving them enough attention, and that makes it better for my clients, students, and collaborators, too!

If you are looking to pick a word for 2024, it's not too late! 

You can pick a word of the month, week, or day instead - you get to do it however it works for you, regardless of calendars!

If you need a little help getting started, begin by brainstorming words in a really open-minded way first. Then, going back over the list, you’ll settle into whatever word feels right in your gut, because it'll feel a little bit magical. It'll probably be multifaceted in its meanings, too. 

You'll know when it's the right one! (You’re also allowed to change your mind if it no longer feels like the right word.)

2024 Plans to Share:

As I mentioned, many of my 2024 plans are nebulous, but here are a few things brewing:

• Some format shifts in how I offer creative coaching, to add more accessible options (your feedback on this is welcome)
• A summer small group coaching program(?!)
• Combining my coaching and music websites back onto rebeccahass.com (definitely not close to done yet, this is quite a process)
• February is the new January sessions - COMING SOON!

February is the new January sessions:

If you’re also easing into the new year, and starting to feel ready to plan a project, I’ll soon be offering one-off coaching sessions (at a lower price than my Rise Above the Overwhelm sessions) to help you get your proverbial 🦆🦆🦆 in a row in a gentle way!

I’ll only have time to do a handful of these, but you all will get first dibs - more details next week!

I hope that your 2024 is off to a good start, whether you’re in new year planning mode or not! 💗

Did you pick a word of the year? What are you excited about in 2024?

I'd love to hear about it! 

I'm always rooting for you, and my inbox is always open, so please feel free to reach out if I can help in any way - I love hearing from you!

Have a lovely few weeks! ⁠

Rebecca

• Jocelyn Glei on Creating With Open Receptivity - I loved this episode of the Zen Habits podcast, and her podcast Hurry Slowly is also one of my favorites!
• Will music composition exist in the era of the content creator? - An interesting perspective by Michael Cain, which I'm not sure I totally agree with (humanity and feeling can't be automated!), but he raises many interesting questions.

Book a free discovery call to learn more about coaching and get a mini-session

Coaching Offerings:

• Rise Above the Overwhelm: laser-focused 1-time sessions

• Creative Season (3 months)