Stealing from Gretchen Rubin (again)

The 2023 sea change

Hi Friends,

Happy Spring! How’s life?

Now that we’re a full season into 2023, I’ve been thinking about what word or idea could describe this year in my life. So often recently I’ve felt a return of the old energy I felt before the beginning of the pandemic. I know it will be a long time (if ever) before life entirely returns to the way it used to be, but I notice myself beginning to move on emotionally in a way I hadn’t been able to before now.

Catching the Wave

When I try to think of a word for this new feeling I end up, as I often do, stealing inspiration from Gretchen Rubin, the happiness writer and podcaster who declared “Wave” her 2023 word of the year. (you can hear her explain her choice around the 12:37 mark: https://gretchenrubin.com/podcast/408-we-reveal-our-one-word-themes-a-gift-giving-hack-and-have-you-ever-had-an-uncanny-experience/

I’ve even started to embrace she image she describes, “Under the Wave off Kanagawa” (or “The Great Wave”) by Fugaku sanjurokkei as a personal image for 2023. When I upgraded my phone last month, I made the image my wallpaper to take advantage of the extra pixels. And, in a fun twist, the Boston MFA has a new exhibit built around the painting!

For me, embracing “the wave” is about meeting the new events of 2023 with excitement. I recognize that this year comes with its own challenges, but I want to ride the waves, like a surfer. I have some financial obligations coming up that could be scary, but I’m going to focus instead on the opportunities that come with them. To quote Gretchen Rubin again, “don’t treat a gift like a burden.” The truth is, the waves this year are bringing some pretty awesome things my way. I just need to get on my board!*

Nail Your Submission Strategy

One of the waves I’m riding right now is breaking into teaching more classes on my own. “Nail Your Submission Strategy” is a new version of a class I taught at Grub Street last year to very positive response. (I’m also teaching a longer version there again– Zero to Submitting – in April)

If you’re a short fiction (or flash) writer who isn’t sending out stories as often or as well as you’d like to, join me 4 weeks beginning this Saturday for a top-to-tails tune up. As writers, we devote so much energy writing and editing, don’t let your stories down by fumbling the submissions. Sign up here.

That’s it for me this week!

I’ll be back next week with a new Appointment with a Story.

Yours in year-round swimming,

Kayleigh

*The surfing thing is just a metaphor. Under no circumstances do I intend to get on a surfboard. I could maybe do a boogie board, at most.