Welcome to 2025! You made it! *confetti*

We’re at the beginning of a new calendar year, and man, it can be fun to look over the past year. It’s a good chance to take the time to reevaluate your life. A beginning of endless possibilities (even though it’s the dead of winter… brr.)

I’ve spent the last week figuring out a ton of my goals and focuses. Buckling down to start the publishing process, finally finishing a Goodreads goal of 100 books, making my blog writing process smoother. But something I realized, while I was trying to plan all this out, is that self-care usually takes a back seat for my goals. I get so focused on writing or reading, trying to hit a word count or a grade, that I forget the most basic things, like drinking water, taking time to do face masks and diligent skin care, and spending time outside.

So, one thing I’m prioritizing for not only this month, but for 2025, is to give myself self-care. For now, I’m just trying to set myself a self-care day every month. To do a face mask, or take a long bath. Drinking lots of water, every day! And making sure to prioritize my feelings and myself, and not just push myself all the time to hit my goals. It’s gonna be a process–I’m a very determined person, and tend to push even myself aside if I think I’ll mess up my goals, but it’s a habit I’m fighting to break.

My challenge to you, is to take a day this month to do a full self-care day. Whatever will help you feel refreshed and revived and ready to conquer. Take a long shower. Dance in your kitchen. Eat only fruit for breakfast. Buy yourself a water bottle with the times on the side.

And another thing I was thinking about: rewarding yourself.

We’re setting all these goals, and we’re gonna conquer them… and then move right onto the next thing? To conquer the next thing, without any rest or celebration?

I know this is something a lot of people, and writers, struggle with, myself included. Even for daily goals, like hitting 100 or 300 words a day, or drinking water, should be rewarded! This is another challenge I have for you guys, and for me: set a reward for one of your goals this month. It doesn’t have to be big, or fancy–just something you’ll enjoy. After you hit a writing goal, buy yourself some chocolate, or take the time to find a song that fits your character. After you hit a fitness goal, change up your routine. Go swimming! Buy a new scrunchie or water bottle. Give yourself something good, and celebrate yourself, and others.

Now, for our story prompts and a new kind of prompt:

Our short story prompt of the month:

The ball just dropped into the New Year. Your character turns to the person next to them to celebrate, and freezes as they recognize someone they never wanted to see again.

Our poetry prompt of the month:

New Beginnings // Dark Waters // Sparks of Life

And last but absolutely not least, our self-care prompt!

Write down ten things you love about your life in this moment

Free feel to use these prompts any way you like, and if you end up using them, let me know by tagging my Tumblr!

In the meantime, I’ll be figuring out something fun for our next post. Since I haven’t been getting many questions for our Ask Me Anything posts, I’ll have something new coming instead… be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss it! And let me know in the comments: what’s one reward you’ll be giving yourself this month?

Until next time!