#Expectancy - by Magdalena Scott

Hi! I'm baaaaack.

What? You didn't notice I was gone? Yep - I was on hiatus for a few months while dealing with some personal issues. 

I struggled in 2019. And - oh yeah, there was also that rough patch I sometimes refer to as 2018.

But hey, we all have troubles, don't we?

I'm really hopeful for 2020. Because of the topic of a devotion I read several weeks ago, I've chosen expectancy as my word for this year.

Gratitude Helps

I try to always be grateful, reminding myself throughout each day of the many blessings I enjoy. I aim for contentment with what I have. My minimalist lifestyle makes it a bit easier to find that kind of peace. Spending as little time as possible on social media, or any other type of media, and more time in person with folks in my small hometown, also benefits my mental and emotional health.

Imagine a Rosy Future

I need to be present, healthy, and able to function as a helper and encourager to those who depend on me. But I've learned that facing hardships with stubborn gratitude works even better alongside occasional contemplation of happier times. 

So while doing the best I can in the here and now, I'm also looking ahead. I've made plans for work (new books!) and play (making music, spending time with loved ones, traveling!) I'm feeling more hopeful and upbeat, which is a better place from which to write sweet romance.

I look forward to sharing more about all those positive outcomes as they unfold this year.

#Expectancy2020. Maybe I should put it on a t-shirt. Perhaps printed backward, so I can read it in a mirror?

What are you looking forward to this year?

USA Today Bestselling Author Magdalena Scott is a practicing minimalist, having downsized from a 3,000 square foot house to a studio apartment, where her Giant Closet continues to resist taming. When not writing at home or spending time with family and friends, she loves to travel–carry-on baggage only–and is always pleasantly surprised at the kindness of strangers.


Website: https://magdalenascott.com/

How do you get ready for the new year? ~ by Magdalena Scott

As Mary Alford posted a couple of days ago, I've been looking forward to the new year's possibilities.

I love the holiday season: decorations, music, movies, and extra time with friends and family. But as usual, by the end of Christmas Day, my introverted, minimalist soul was ready for...less.

So, when I got out of bed on the twenty-sixth, I "un-decked the halls." The vintage aluminum tree and glass ornaments, then the red bow and jingle bells from the door, were stored away.

Then I moved some furniture around, just for fun, in my studio apartment. (Everything is on sliders, so even though I'm small, this is still a one-person job.)

Here are some other things I've done to prepare for 2019:

* Bought a paper planner. Although I keep a digital calendar, there's just no feeling like making a thick slash mark through a list item when it's accomplished. (Check marks are nice, but not quite as satisfying.)

* Made a list of 2018 lessons learned. (Sheesh - some of them have probably been on that list a few times!)

* Prayed for guidance.

* Wrote down, in the planner, personal and professional goals for 2019.

* Committed to check in regularly with an accountability partner.

That's me so far. How are you preparing for the new year?

Magdalena Scott

USA Today Bestselling Author Magdalena Scott writes sweet romance and romantic women’s fiction with small town settings. She is a minimalist, having downsized from a 3,000 square foot house to a studio apartment, where her Giant Closet continues to resist taming. When not writing at home or spending time with family and friends, she loves to travel–carry-on baggage only–and is always pleasantly surprised at the kindness of strangers.

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The Slate is Clean, Sort of ~ by Magdalena Scott

On December 26th, I dismantled my vintage aluminum Christmas tree, and took down the hand-stitched and sequined "Joy" banner that was a gift years ago. Jingle bells and the brilliant red bow were removed from my all-season door wreath, and the mistletoe I kept forgetting about was muttered at and jerked out of its spot above the door. These and the other decorations are all stowed away for next year. (Even the mistletoe. Surely next year I'll remember to look up, all innocent-like, and say, "Oooh! Mistletoe!" at the correct moment.)

I had a lovely Christmas. It was filled with family, friends, beautiful music, and delicious food. But the minimalist in me delights in removing the extraneous. Although I greatly enjoyed my decorations, after a month they had begun to look and feel like clutter to me.

Making Space

When I took the four boxes (the smallest of which contains the tree) out of the closet the Saturday after Thanksgiving, I decided they wouldn't go back in until there was space on a lower shelf.

It wasn't a great idea to be on tiptoes on my little step stool to get them from the top shelf in my ten-foot-high closet, and I refused to re-enact that dangerous move. (A bad ankle sprain in September helps me be realistic about some things.) The boxes sat out longer than I'd like (talk about clutter!) but before holiday guests arrived, I re-arranged things enough to nestle them one shelf lower.

The decluttering and re-arranging hasn't ended yet. I'd love for it to continue indefinitely!

But here's my guilty admission. I'm hosting a luncheon on New Year's Day, and was shifting some dishes around looking for a better way to store them...

Guess Who Still Owns a Deviled Egg Plate

Yep--that would be me. I also unearthed the big etched-glass plate that would have been perfect for serving something somewhere in the last five years. When I didn't find it (whenever that was) in the only place it could possibly be, I decided the beautiful antique had sold at our auction.

Nope--not sold. Just over-owned. You would think (or at least, I would think) that, as limited as my storage space is, and as much as I've embraced minimalism, I wouldn't get all weird about whether or not a specific item answers roll call.

Sigh. Somebody still has work to do. And part of it is mental work. It's much easier to shift stuff in a closet than it is to shift thinking. But hey--I'm up for it. And I'm excited about it! Do you know why?

It's Time for a Clean Slate

Did you read Mary Alford's post here yesterday, about 2018? If not, take a moment and do so.

I won't ask for your resolutions; Mary has already begun that conversation. I will ask, what are you leaving behind in 2017? I'm leaving over-commitment, lack of organization, and negative thinking. When the clock strikes midnight and the new year begins, I will not carry those heavy burdens with me into 2018.

Incidentally, another thing that will not accompany me into the new year is an item received at the extended-family gift exchange on Christmas night. Due to some confusion, I didn't end up with a gift. And that, my friends, was the very best I could have hoped for. Instead of having a new belonging to read instructions about, store, dust, etc., I left the gathering with empty hands but a heart full of memories.

If you're interested in simplifying your life, I have a suggested reading list on my website. You can find it here: http://www.magdalenascott.com/p/simplify-your-life.html

I also wrote a romance about a young woman who realizes she can't reinvent herself after a near-fatal car wreck unless she leaves behind the burdens that tie her to the past. Find Emily's Dreams here.

Until we meet again,

Happy reading!
Magdalena Scott

www.magdalenascott.com

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Balance - by Magdalena Scott

I keep seeing articles about shaping up for the new year, so--whew--I guess it's not too late to tell you about my oneword365 for 2016.

Last year my word was Simplify, and I almost went ahead and used that one again. But I sort of have a handle on Simplify. (Except for my perennially exploding Giant Closet.)

What I'm way off on is Balance. Last year I spent so many hours working-learning-networking-promoting, that other parts of my life were suffering. (Actually now I think of it, if I had simplified all those tasks, I might be further along on Balance. Hmm.)

I'm making some progress, but a month into 2016, I'm not ready to announce I've got this whipped. The sign above is posted on my fridge, and every time I walk past it, I'm reminded of what I'm trying to achieve.

Did you make a resolution, or choose a word to help you move toward a goal? If so, how's it going? It's still early, you know. I think we can do it this year!

Magdalena Scott is a USA Today Bestselling Author of small town sweet romance and women's fiction. Learn about her books, read her blog, subscribe to her newsletter, and connect on social media by visiting her website: magdalenascott.com

Book Four in her Serendipity, Indiana series releases today!

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