Hello, New Year
Glimmer & Sparkle like Never Before in 2024
Sunday 1.7.24
And a hearty hello to you, my friends, old and new. I thought since I’ve gained a few new subscribers over the past few weeks I would reintroduce what this is all about. Later we get into what a new year means for me. How has yours been going thus far? Well, I pray. Thank you for being here, and following along on this journey. Enjoy!
Why Substack?
I timidly started my Substack journey a little over 4 months ago. I had a fateful meeting that reignited a tiny flame of an urge to write. On my A Year of Writing-Come Write with Me page, you will find writing prompts, poems, memoir essays, breathing and grounding exercises, and a monthly writing check in. It amazes me how much I have written and read about writing over this short amount of time. I even took my first writing course in October. Meeting other writers has been an added bonus. I recently attended a Substack webinar and the overwhelming consensus for growing an audience and finding community on the platform, is interacting with other writers’ posts. Sharing them, making comments on them, and linking them in your posts. I love how organically your audience grows from this, creating followers who are more than just a number but an actual community. Other social media platforms just do not feel as genuine as this one does, thanks to their constant tinkering with algorithms. I am quietly quitting all of them except Substack at the moment.
When I started this journey, I wasn’t really sure what direction I was going in. I wanted a place to share my writing but my first posts were basically just me flexing my wordsmithing. I had a small email list I had grown for our farming activities and I wanted to import it, but I wasn’t sure they would care anything about my foray into writing and what that process looks like. I started a separate page for the folks who have followed our farm activities since 2016. Over the Hoopee Farm has paid subscriptions turned on for anyone who gets value from my posts and wants to help support this endeavor. However, I rarely post anything for “paid subscribers” only, but you do have to be a paid subscriber to access most of the archived articles. I don’t want to clog up anyones inbox with wasted words, therefore, this Substack will become a seasonal newsletter only. This newsletter is packed with historical stories from our farm, how to’s on some of the things we do around here, recipes, and an overall farm update. If you are a paid subscriber and there is something more you want to see or learn about, send me a message and I will consider offering some extra stuff just for you.
I’m going to continue delving into this platform and learning all that I can from it, while sharing with my readers. Thank you for coming on this ride with me!
2024 Signs and Intentions
When the days grow darker through the end of the year, I become more introspective on how the year has been and how my actions or attitudes shaped the year. In the liminal space between Christmas and the New Year, I begin thinking of intentions that will allow me to be the best version of me. I gave up goal setting several years ago because I was always so hard on myself when I failed and by February I was pretty much over whatever goal it was. In my opinion, every single day is an opportunity to be a better person, I don’t need to start on a particular day.
I set intentions by having a word of the year. Last year’s word was “peace”. I worked hard at learning to let go and letting things be to preserve my peace. I’ve come a long way in this practice, but this is definitely life long work. This year’s word is “capacity”. I used Morgan Harper Nichol’s IG post to discover it.
Capacity- There are times in life when we have the time, energy, and capacity to sit down and figure it all out.
And then there are other times when the best thing to do is to put it on the shelf and figure it all out later.
Whenever you find yourself in this space, allow yourself to be there fully.
And as energy levels change and seasons change, you are allowed to ebb and flow.
Honor your capacity.
I will be giving myself space and grace by setting boundaries and enforcing them to protect my energy and peace. This is what I require to be my BEST self in 2024.
I will continue to search for magic in the mundane, look for signs from nature, and pull tarot cards on the new moon and full moon. On New Year’s Eve, I uncovered an endangered Flatwoods Salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum) while we were cleaning up at my future Sanctuary in the Swamp. My heart skipped with joy from this encounter because I knew it was a sign.
According to Mr. Googlepants, salamanders are mystical, magical and aligned with the Fire Element. Similar to the Phoenix, their symbolism is rebirth, immortality, power, and passion. They are transformative! I’m ready for it!
Taking a cue from Jeanne Malmgren’s (Rx Nature) recent post, I’ll be recording a daily MMM (Mystical Magical Moment) in my journal. I love the idea of being able to go back and read these in the following year for inspiration when things get tough. Charlene Storey (Haver & Sparrow) has some really great ideas in her post about “easing gently into the new year”, you’ll LOVE listening to her read this post to you. Also, if you haven’t signed up for Janisse Ray’s Journey in Place correspondence course for the year, you’re really missing out on something special and an opportunity to meet others who are connecting to their place as well. The comments on the first post have been so insightful and moving.
Thank you for being here. I hope this post inspired you today. Let me know in the comments what intentions you have been setting for yourself in this new year.
Many blessings to you for the week ahead!
Becki