The Significance of October

October is a month that always brings a lot of introspection for me. It's my birthday month, so naturally I reflect on the past year of my life and think ahead to what I hope to accomplish in the next chapter (looking at you, 27). It's also the beginning of the final stretch for the calendar year.

I am a huge fan of New Year's resolutions and make one every year. Now, whether I actually accomplish them is another story, but it helps me to get a baseline for where I'm at as well as an end-goal or to have something to work towards.

My 2024 resolution was that I would finally write that book I'd had bouncing around in the back of my mind for years. And, you know what? I did it. I worked hard to do it, chipping away a little bit every day until that first very rough draft sat on my printer.

My 2025 resolution? It got a little more ambitious. First, I wanted to see my book published (now, this will not be accomplished in 2025, with a 2026 release date, but I got the ball rolling in 2025). Second, I wanted to finish two additional manuscripts. Somehow, I did that. All before October.

My 2026 goal may need to be even more ambitious than this year's, but I can honestly say that I'm proud of myself and what I've done in 2025 so far, and in my 27th year of life. Isn't that a part of what life should be about, too? Doing something for yourself that makes you happy? Because I didn't do any of this for anyone else but myself. Now, I am blessed to have a whole village at my back of individuals who are also proud of me and excited for me, and for that I am truly grateful, but they're not why I did this. I love writing, and it makes me happy. This isn't to say that this past year was all sunshine and rainbows and writing good drafts.

Life is like a messy first draft; I'm just trying to figure out how to get to the next chapter.