Writing a Tale in December 📚

Thoughts on writing your story: What do you truly need this time of the year?

Hiii lovelies! I sprinkled some of my holiday art throughout this post for you to enjoy! I’m not a seasonal artist aka I don’t specifically create art for holidays, but I did dive into a Winter Wonderland several years ago and the little designs that appeared still make me very happy, haha. ❄

Little Monsta & Fluffy Cuties by TJ Lubrano. I actually can’t quite recall when I created this. I think 2019.

~ Teachings of Winter ~

Like a delicate snow crystal, December shimmers back a myriad of facets. There is a wave of energy that builds towards the holidays alongside the quiet that the slower pace in nature signals back to us. The light is enveloped by the dark a lot sooner, but the stars gleam that much brighter because of it. Reminding us that there is always a flicker of light even when you feel there isn’t.

It’s a bit surreal that the last month of the year has arrived and at first I wasn’t sure what I wanted to write. So I’m going to do what I do best, approaching this as if I’m writing a tale and write out a bunch of thoughts, hoping it all makes sense in the end, haha.

What I do know is that I’ve always felt a calm during winter, but for a long time I was afraid to embrace this calmness as this wasn’t necessarily on trend with what happened in the lives of people around me. I wanted to wander through the last months of the year at a slower pace. To skip the hustle and bustle of shopping and settle more often on the couch with blankets and a good book. To have delightful cups filled with hot drinks and explore new recipes for cozy meals and tasty treats. To embrace the need to create space by slowing down and taking an honest look at how the year has gone for me.

Over the last few years, a lot has changed when it comes to how I move through the holiday season and what I desired slowly made its way into my reality. This is partially due to the burnout I had to nurture these last two years, but also the healing I moved through ever since I twirled onto a creative path and the understanding I could collect about myself. I shed a lot of old ways of being and the meaning I attached to this month shifted and changed. One thing that I’m embracing for these last few weeks is:

There’s no need to force what didn’t happen this year nor do I have to be anything more than who I am right now. I’m following what feels good, what tends to the fire within me, even if it doesn’t really make sense right now.

Hello, lovely reader! I’m TJ, an artist and storyteller and on here, you will find gentle reflections & musings on life, self love, healing and the magic of mundane wonders. Aka the stories that I collected as I pivoted my life around by choosing to follow my creative dreams. Make yourself cozy, have a read and I hope you the words will bring a dash of wonder and magic into your day.

~ Let this month be whatever you need it to be ~

December is a big month, with big feelings and for many people, a lot of doing. Wherever you are in the world, your journey in life, the actual weather, your mood. Whether you celebrate the holidays or not, we all have one thing in common; a year is slowly coming to an end.

Whatever season you find yourself in, know that you aren’t defined by what you did or didn’t do. We all have our own timelines. Trust that it’s all working out beautifully for you and know you can always tweak your story to fit the season you find yourself in. Your to-do list will always be there and you know what? Instead of seeing all those little tasks as things you need to tick off, see them as options, as ways to tweak your reality into one that feels more aligned, more calm, more enjoyable.

The more I could anchor in this shift in thinking, the more I could let go of feeling that I didn’t do quite enough in a year. The more I could let the month be what I needed it to be.

However, if you do find yourself feeling overwhelmed or wanting to squeeze all the things in your day so you can start a new year on a different note, I’d love to extent the invitation to pause for a moment and ask:

What do I truly want and need this time of the year?

This is a question that I ask myself the moment I begin to feel overwhelmed and when my thoughts start to tumble over each other.

Not sure what I’d do if a tiny kitty would start to sing for me. Pretty sure I’d faint of the cute, haha.

It's so very alluring to give away your energy to everything and everyone around you as there are many things that demand our attention. But, I hope you also remember that it’s okay to give yourself that precious energy as well. That it’s okay to have seasons where your pace is a little slower or different than the world around you. That it’s okay to write the story of your life through the adventures that you want to experience.

In the end, life isn’t measured by the number of tasks you get to tick off. Life isn’t built through getting those little hits of pride when you’ve hit a goal or managed to wrap something up before a new year starts. Life truly happens in the moments where you can allow yourself to be where you are. Where you allow yourself to enjoy your time. Where you allow yourself to move through any sadness or stuck energy that occurs within you. Life is built through your ability to experience.

And while we’re taught to move through life on a set timeline, one where we need to hit milestones in order to move up an invisible ladder; life exists outside of time. It’s right here, happening and unfolding in front of our eyes. Life isn’t meant to be overcome; it is meant to be lived.

I remember being so incredibly happy with the flowy lines I captured for these trees!

~ Tiny December Reminders ~

As December continues to unfold, let this month be a time where you get to:

• follow little sparks of wonder and anchor in glimmers of hope

• honor yourself and the path you’ve paved this year

• allow yourself some space to celebrate how far you’ve come

• allow space to nurture and/or grieve whatever is calling your attention

• feel into what you’d love to nurture in the year ahead

• feel into what you’d love to let go off

• feel into the experiences you want to make space for

• honor your feelings for this holiday season as much as you feel safe to do so

• be present in the moment, celebrate the beauty of everyday

• indulge in the food and drinks that make you feel warm and cozy

• stare at the sky and marvel at the beautiful colors and the shapeshifting clouds

• be kind to yourself, you’re doing the best you can

Aannndd my mind is blank now! I feel I’ve written enough for this musing, haha. I so hope it makes sense, but I probably have to tweak some sentences here and there as I’m not sure the flow is right. This aside, if there’s something that you’d add to the list, do let me know in the comments!

As always, thank you for being here even when my presence is a bit quieter on Substack at the moment. I will have a little update soon, but for now, as you're moving through these last few weeks of the year, continue to carve out pockets of time to check in with yourself every now and then. No matter how busy your days are, you’re allowed to take a breather. And even though we have a December every year, this December is one that you won’t get to experience again. It’s unique to how you are right now and the choices you make. Embrace the present as much as your desires to create your future, because this is the space where you actually get to write your story. Dance to the melodies that you feel called to dance to and root into the wonders that linger all around you.

I’m sending you all so much love and all the magical wishes for this month we’re in!

Take good care of yourself and Till next letter!

TJ xx

If you made it to the end, I’m so grateful to have you here! I hope you loved reading and staring at all the things, lovely! If you got some value out of the words and you’d love to support me, I’d SO appreciate it if you could heart & share the words with your wonderful world. And, if it’s aligned, I’d love to welcome you as a subscriber as well! Thank you so much for reading and spending some time with me. ♥

Baby deer and dancing tree by TJ Lubrano

~ News on the Glimmer Board ~

• The Gift Shop will be have a soft launch soon. 🎊 A collection of bookmarks and prints will be available and a clearance will happen as I want to make space for new art. To be the first in the know, please sign up to receive a secret letter!

• I don’t have paid subscriptions on Substack, but I do have a Patreon world, aka Society of Wonders, where you can collect more slivers of magic for yourself. You can think of magical wallpapers, wondrous ebooks and WIP peeks & indept creative musings. You can also collect a monthly exclusive bookmark and/or 5x7in print! There will be a tweak in my art goodie tiers in January 2025, to accomodate higher production costs & postage prices, but anyone signing up until then, will lock in the current prices for as long as you’re able to join me there. Your support is so appreciated and it helps me to keep a breathing space in my process so I can show up with more magic for you. ✨