What a year.

Obviously there’s no need for me to recap 2020. We’re still in this pandemic, but at least there’s been encouraging news about vaccines so we’re not totally doomed.

My resolution for 2020 was all about optimism, specifically to be more positive and to let go of negative thinking. My resolution for 2021 can be boiled down to these simple phrases: Do more. Think less. Stay focused. Love myself.

You know how some people are impulsive and don’t think their decisions through, and as a result they unintentionally screw up? I have the opposite problem. I overthink things to the point of inaction. A quote that comes to mind is from Nick Miller in the New Girl season one episode, “Injured” when he says, “I can’t just jump into something if I don’t know what’s gonna happen. I never have been that guy. I’m the guy that, if I don’t know what’s gonna happen, I don’t do something. Ever. I don’t care how bad I wanna do it. I don’t do it. Like, if everybody were to go out into the ocean and jumped in the water, I’m the guy on the beach guarding the wallets.”

I differ from Nick in the sense that if I really want to do something, I refuse to let fear of the unknown stop me. Obviously, while fear can be a motivator at times, allowing it to run your life is no way to live. It’s good to be cautious, but every so often you gotta throw caution to the wind and take a leap. So, my goal heading into 2021 is to do more and not overthink things. Trying and failing is worse than never trying at all. I made strides earlier this year when I pushed through my initial fears and dove into a class I’d been wanting to try for years by taking a free improv class. It was a lot of fun and a great experience.

I’m also extremely proud of the 6-page comic book I wrote called A ROSY GLOW. I’d never considered writing comics before, but when the class presented itself I knew I had to take it. I learned a lot about the industry and talked about it in The Making of A ROSY GLOW, and I interviewed the artist, Sam Kays, on my podcast. Other wonderful guests I interviewed this year include the founder of Jacob Krueger Studio himself, Jacob Krueger, as well as people who worked on one of my all-time favorite shows, BoJack Horseman, including Nick Adams, Aaron Long, Alison Tafel and Shauna McGarry. I’m so grateful for all of the guests who’ve joined me thus far, and I look forward to welcoming more guests in the future.

Another goal of mine for 2021 is to be more focused. In August, I signed up for Storyteller Academy, an online community that offers picture book writing and illustration classes. The teachers are all published authors, and their goal is to teach students everything we need to know to get published and build our brand as authors. I’ve learned a lot so far and wrote a first draft of my picture book manuscript, and I’m excited to learn more and press forward on this path as I know my manuscript has a long way to go. I have to admit I can get overwhelmed at times with all of the information out there, but I know if I stay focused and persistent, I’ll publish my first book and successfully build my author brand. I’m also still pursuing a career in writing for television, and I’m excited to continue on the path to achieving that goal as well.

I do also have to admit that I’m hard on myself when it comes to not only my writing but just about everything. When I dove into improv, I immersed in the experience and pushed myself to be the first to participate in each game we played. I was happy with the results and with my own capabilities as it reminded me that once I get out of my head, I know I can conquer anything by not holding myself back. I also want to consciously practice self-love as I still struggle with self-esteem, and it’s so exhausting and draining and frankly pointless because there’s enough negativity in the world. I’m already well aware that there’s a lot of rejection when it comes to making it as a professional writer, but that’s just part of the journey. The teachers at Storyteller Academy rightfully remind us to be persistent and keep working on our craft, thus staying focused, practicing self-love and taking action are all part of my resolutions heading into 2021.

Wishing you all a spectacular 2021 filled with personal and professional triumphs. No matter how many times you’ve heard it, it’s always important to remind yourself to never give up. I know you can do it, and I can, too!