Silvester is another name for New’s Year Eve in Germany (owing to St. Sylvester’s feast day on Dec. 31). The Germans will also wish you a guten Rutsch or a good slide into the New Year.

I hope you’ve had a good “slide” into the New Year. I happen to love this time of year, because I tend to be a reflective person. And I enjoy making plans and goal setting as I look back.

This past Spring I studied eggs and the nest structures of the backyard birds.

I watched all these backyard birds. The nest building, the feeding, the nest cleaning, and more feeding. Toil, yet with birdsong in between.

And that sums up my hope for 2019. More birdsong in between.

To be occupied with a gladness of heart in the midst of the day to day.

Birdsong.

For those of who who might be wired a bit like me, here are a few questions I ask myself at the beginning of each year as I set a few creative goals. They help me set my day to day. Some are from a great workshop I attended two years ago. Others are from books I’ve read.

What makes me feel successful as an artist?
What are my roles and my goals? Is my time and are my commitments directed towards them?
Why do I make art and to what end?
Is my work career driven or mission driven? Is it about recognition or impact? Ego driven or vision driven?
What do I want to create this year? Why?
What do I want to learn this year? Why? How?

I’m still working through my answers to a few of them. For more information on the workshop visit Artist U. It’s a good one for those exploring creative careers.

Happy 2019!