Tales from Burkeland: Tale One
Happy New Year!
This is one of my favorite times of the year. There’s something about the New Year’s Eve clock hitting 00:00 and the calendar turning to 01/01 that makes me believe anything is possible.
That’s the allure of a new beginning.
I’ve always loved new beginnings. It could be the influence of being born under a new moon (I like to think so). Or that could just be a coincidence. Regardless, I’m one of those people constantly eager for a new adventure, a new project, a new SOMETHING. There’s a giant world out there, and I want to experience as much of it as possible. A new beginning means another step toward that goal.
The author facet of my life is bursting with new beginnings for 2025. I launched my website, Facebook page, and Instagram page on January 1. You’re reading the first post on the Tales from Burkeland blog. And my fiction will be traditionally published for the first time when “Rise of the Witches” releases in Flame Tree Press’s Circe, part of their Myths, Gods & Immortals series.
It’s a new, more public life for my author self. I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t nervous. But I remind myself that no new beginning comes without a foundation. Although publishing fiction is new to me, being a published writer is not. Although managing a social media presence and writing a newsletter for my author brand is new to me, managing professional social media accounts and writing newsletters is not. I did all of these tasks as a journalist, and I do them now for my day job.
If you’re facing a new beginning this year, remind yourself that you’re not starting from scratch. Your life up until now has given you the ingredients you need for success.
If you’re not facing a new beginning this year, consider shifting your perspective on something instead. That’s what I’m doing with my 2025 New Year’s Resolutions in my personal life. For the last few years, I’ve set resolutions around abundance and discipline. This year, I’m shifting abundance to frugality, and I’m shifting discipline from emphasizing pushing myself to ensuring I create time for rest and rejuvenation. Both shifts move me closer to the vision I have for my life.
Although not as big and flashy as setting out on a new journey, the adjustments we make along the way are their own new beginnings and are important to our success.
Whatever new beginnings 2025 holds for you, I hope you use them to grow.
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In this month’s newsletter:
From the Drafts- How I titled “Tales from Burkeland”
Remember You Shine – Hope: The power behind new beginnings
Myths and Magic: New Year’s Resolutions
What I’m reading and watching: Top 5 Books from 2024