2022 / ChloeHarriets

2022 Word of the Year.

Monday, 31 January 2022

If you read my recent blog post on my 2022 goals I don’t think my word of the year will come as much of a surprise to you. All of the goals seem to tie back into one thing. It wasn’t something that was intentional but then reflecting on the goals I set, I realised they seemed to spell out my word for 2022.

Are you ready for it?!

Creativity.

All of my intentions for the year are fuelled by my desire to be creative.

I want to connect with my creative side again and find joy in making things simply for the joy that bring. I want to find that child-like playfulness within the little daily things like getting dressed, and how I spend my evenings. I want to explore the creativity in my 9-5 and the places where I wouldn't normally expect to find it.

To find joy in being creative for the sake of being creative, rather than feeling guilty for not using that time to tick things off that endless to-do list.

I think it's important I rediscover that child-like element of myself. I think that could be a ticket to fulfilment and mindfulness for me.

I want my year to be spent making, painting, and having fun. Creating.

Creating to add some colour to the mundane, creating as an expression of love, creating online, and offline, alone and among others, creating to cut down on buying and creating because I can.

And it's got me excited to feel craft-y again.

Have you set a word for the year?!

2022 Goals

Monday, 10 January 2022

Hello, happy new year. 2022 feels good, doesn't it?

As I do around this time every year, I've been thinking about the person I am, the person I want to be, the things I want to achieve and the kind of life I would like to lead and use this information to set my intentions and goals for the year to come (my blog post on my word of intention for the year is coming soon too, promise).

I know some people don't like thhe practice of create new year goals and resolutions, but I personally find them refreshing and exciting. They add a little extra flavour to the hope I find within a new year beginning.

So without further ado - here are my goals for 2022...

Feel like a writer again - and a blogger for that matter.

I used to feel like a writer. I used to shae poetry on my Instagram despite cringing whilst pressing post. I've written an entire finished draft of a novel, which is simply sitting on the laptop I'm typing on right now, just waiting around for me to make some edits. I used to write for the sake of writing. For how it made me feel.

My life had transformed a lot over the past few years. It's become happier, one I'd wished for, but with that my constant desire to write somewhat faded. It wasn't that I no longer enjoyed it, more that I no longer need to feel the release it provides. I no longer feel so lost that words on the page are the only way I can find myself. But still, I miss writing. I miss the places it takes and the peace it brings me. I miss the thrill of the words just coming to me. The high of feeling like I've explained myself in a way I couldn't out loud. I stopped writing because I didn't feel so sad, so lost that I needed it. But now I'm happy and in the place I want to be and maybe it's worth writing about that too. My happiness is worth writing down, recording on paper.

I miss talking about my blog with pride. I miss showing up, sharing with my tiny part of the internet every week. In 2022, I will find the writer and the blogger within me again.

A long time ago I wrote this blog post. Deep down I'm still that girl who dreams of being a writer. So I'd better get writing again.

Have more fun with fashion.

I love fashion. I have a degree in fashion. I watch shows like Emily in Paris in awe of the crazy outfits. I spend my lunch breaks scrolling fashion video on TikTok, feeling a jealous ping of all the cool 'fits. Then I realised if I want to have fun with clothes I can. I can get creative with my outfits and enjoy what I'm wearing because I want to. I can experiment and try new looks and express myself through the clothes I choose - so I'm going to do just that.

I've also decided to start posting 'get dressed with me' video on TikTok to encourage me to put a little effort into my outfits. Plus, I see so many styling videos on TikTok that I love, who's to say I can't be one of those people too - if you fancy checking them out, you can find my TikTok here.

Complete 5 paintings

I've recently rediscovered my love for creating art. I've been getting out my paintbrushes more often. For Christmas this year I painted my boyfriend's dad a picture of his home village in Italy. It was a present I handed over with self-doubt, but now I see it proudly displayed in their kitchen, I share its pride. The majority of the time I paint a picture, it doesn't get finished. There is always more that could be done, especially when I paint for no reason other than the joy that the brush stroke on the paper brings me. But here's the thing, I don't think I'm bad at it. Out of practice yes, but bad no. In fact, if I put in the work, I think I could be pretty good at it. So this year I will finish 5 paintings, at least. Considering I still have almost finished pieces from years ago sat around, actually completing them is a pretty big deal for me.

I see creating art in my future so I'm going to lean into that. Who knows, maybe at some point I'll feel confident enough to start selling pieces. And if the pieces are a load of rubbish, I will have experience the peaces that the painting process brings me, so that's something.

Make 5 pieces of clothing that I actually wear.

I used to sew a lot. Like I said, I've got a degree in fashion, but it's been a while since I've made anything larger than a hair scrunchie - however when I created my Etsy store during the pandemic it did revive my love for sewing. More recently I've seen a lot of people creating their own clothes on TikTkok and it's made me think, why don't I do that. I know how to, I enjoy it, and I'll get some cool custom pieces of clothing (which will definitely help me have more fun with fashion). I figured it was the pattern cutting that was putting me off. It's the first step and for me the least enjoyable part. But I can pattern cut so until recently I going to do that part myself - and then I realised I can buy patterns. I can adjust them to make things more custom if I want to. But without that step, I feel so excited about it. There's no need to be put off by something, which I don't necessarily have to do. So I've bought myself some trouser patterns and I am excited to get sewing.

Actually, start my search for a literary agent and publisher

This one links back into the first goal really. I think it's time to try a little harder to do something with that book I wrote (I'm pretty sure I've had this goal before, but who knows, this could be the year).

Go outside every day

This is such a simple thing, that makes all the difference to my mental health. I'm working from home at the moment, and sometimes before I realise it I haven't been outside for a day or two. This year I'm going to make a conscious effort to get outside each day. To breath in the fresh air, and have a moment or two to take in nature.

Have you set yourself any goals for 2022?

I'll be sure to update you on how mine are going as the year progresses!