Thankful Thursday - A Year of Success

In December, a friend and I were talking about goals for the New Year and she asked me what I was most happy about achieving in 2011 and I said, "Well, I didn't really do too much."

Really? 


"Well, I worked on Crab Creek Review and did a few readings, but that was about it," I said as if her tone was completely uncalled for.

My friend responded:
Hmmm, that's interesting, Kelli, as I remember your book winning the ForeWord Book of the Year Prize in Poetry and that it was a Washington State Book Finalist.  You also edited an anthology and co-directed Poets on the Coast Writing Retreat.  And didn't you start Two Sylvias Press, have two writing residencies, teach at Centrum, Western Washington University, Field's End, have poems published on The Rumpus, in the Alaska Quarterly Review, Cerise Press and continue to volunteer with seniors helping them write their stories?


My response?

"I forgot."

* * *

This conversation with a friend made me realize how easily we forget all the good news, accomplishments (large &small) and successes we have throughout the year.  So I decided to change that this year; I created a Success Chart--

I created this chart to keep on my desk and write down any successes that happen in 2012, from Fire On Her Tongue showing up in the #1 spot for downloaded books on Kindle in Poetry to being asked to being contacted by a stranger who liked a poem of mine.  Anything that made me feel good about my writing life will be included.

And maybe you need one too to help you remember.

So I've uploaded onto MediaFire (something else I'm thankful for)--

if you want a copy of the Success Chart for yourself, you can download it free here.


I think it's easy to forget what we've achieved, so today I give thanks for remembering and for all the successes of last year and the ones in this year to come (and be documented).







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