We’re in the home stretch.

The new year is just 31 sleeps away.

It’s the time of year when we (just me?) are caught between “Oh wow! Hurry, hurry” and “I’ll just put this off until January 1.”

This time of year makes me jittery with questions and reviews.

Did I do what I said I wanted to do when the calendar flipped to January 1, 2025?

Should I have done more?

Did I give up on things I shouldn’t have?

Is there still time to Accomplish things?

I wonder if people in other countries are as goal-oriented as we in the US seem to be.

What is like to just Live?

Do goals give our lives substance or is it enough to simply enjoy the day—take a walk if you want to, make a great meal, bake a loaf of bread, putter in the garden or anywhere?

But that’s not the way I’m wired anyway, and I think others feel the same.

There are house projects to work toward, travel plans, organize, be more social, learn French, read 50 books, save six-months’ worth of living expenses, complete and display a half dozen pieces of personal art, write a novel, move, exercise.

It’s enough to make you hyperventilate.

By this time of the year, if there are goals left undone, we can feel a bit Scrooge-y.

So let’s call on the Ghost of Christmas Present.

He’s warm and joyful and full of abundance.

He teaches us that joy is possible if you start acting today.

So, look over your goals for 2025.

Put a great big heart next to the ones you’ve accomplished.

Put a great big star next to the ones you still want to do.

Then get real with yourself.

You have 31 days.

What can you realistically do in that time?

Even small things count.

• Make hotel and flight reservations for that trip—even if you can’t go until 2026.

• Read as many pages as you can. Any amount is worthwhile, whether it’s 100 pages or 5.

• Contact one local gallery to ask about exhibiting your art.

• If you exercise—even 15 minutes a day—for the next 31 days, you’ll feel better, maybe even marvelous, by New Year’s Eve.

• Nail that concept or theme or logline or hook for your writing project and watch everything else kind of come together.

One thing I haven’t done that’s on my 2025 list is learn how to juggle.

You know, with actual balls, not schedules, and reading material, and dinner preparations.

My sweet daughter even bought me some cute fabric juggling balls.

She’s good that way, urging me forward toward my goals.

Both my kids are.

Just like Scrooge, I haven’t run out of time at all.

And neither have you.

Make use of this weird limbo period.

Do something that moves you forward.

Write, read a book, learn to juggle.

Bake some bread.

Enjoy your week.

~ Gail

(Tick tock)

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