A Gentle Way to Begin the New Year

Every January, the noise starts almost immediately: New goals. New plans. New routines. New versions of ourselves we’re apparently supposed to unveil right away.

For many creatives, especially those of us who’ve been making things for a long time, the new year doesn’t feel energizing. It feels heavy. There’s an unspoken pressure to fix everything, level up, or finally “do it right.” If that sounds familiar, hear this first: You are not behind. You are not late. And you do not need to reinvent yourself to be worthy of creativity or joy this year.

A new year is not a reset button. It isn’t a deadline. It’s simply a continuation... another chapter, not a brand-new book. You’re allowed to carry things with you into it: experience, fatigue, joy, unfinished projects, and even uncertainty.

This year, I’m choosing to approach January differently. Forget louder, harder, faster. Try slower, smoother, softer. 

For a long time, I measured my creative life by output- how much I designed, how much I posted, how much I produced. While growth and ambition have their place, constantly pushing comes at a cost. Eventually, creativity can start to feel performative instead of nourishing.

This year, I’m choosing creativity that feels comforting rather than exhausting. Projects that are enjoyable to make, not just impressive when finished. Work that allows space for rest, curiosity, and even boredom, because boredom is often where meaningful ideas begin!

If you’re in a season where your energy fluctuates, your pace has slowed, or your ideas feel quieter than they once were, that doesn’t mean your creativity is disappearing. It means it’s evolving. Evolution can't be rushed, friends.

One of the most powerful things we can do as creatives is start gently, not with an overwhelming list of goals or with rigid resolutions... but with one honest question: What would feel good to make right now?

Maybe it’s a small crochet project for pure enjoyment. Maybe it’s returning to a familiar, nostalgic pattern. Maybe it’s stepping back for a moment and letting your creativity rest. 

This doesn’t have to be the year you do everything. It can be the year you enjoy what you already know. The year you trust your experience. The year you stop proving and start choosing. If you’re here reading this, creativity still matters to you. And that’s more than enough.

A Gentle Invitation

As we move into this new year, my hope is that you find ease in your making, comfort in familiar stitches, and inspiration without pressure. If you’d like to continue this quieter, more supportive approach to creativity, I invite you to join me inside the Fat Lady Crochet Inner Circle, where we focus on connection, encouragement, and creating with intention.

However this year unfolds for you, I’m glad you’re here. Here’s to a creative year that feels softer, steadier, and truly your own.