“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.”
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About this quote
Think of the next year as a permission slip to try odd, small things that matter to you. Put one concrete habit on your calendar: finish a book each month, sketch for ten minutes every morning, or build a tiny project on weekends. Who will you surprise when you stop waiting and start doing? Keep the actions tiny and regular so they actually happen, and let the occasional bit of 'good madness' push you past familiar limits.
When to use it
- Starting graduate school: I'm going to keep a stack of books and promise myself one short creative project between classes so I don't lose myself in work.
- Quitting a steady job to freelance: This year I'm carving out Saturday afternoons to make things that excite me, even if they don't pay at first.
- Birthday card for a close friend turning 30: Make some art, read some fine books, and do one thing this year that surprises you.
- Recovering from burnout at the clinic: I'm beginning with ten minutes of sketching each day to see if making helps me feel more like myself.