january writing prompts
what do you need courage for in the new year?
“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there’s love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” — Ella Fitzgerald
What do you need creative courage for in the new year?
I ask my creative community this question every December.
In what areas are you channeling the courage to think differently, to move forward or step back, to stretch or evolve?
(I sent out some reflection prompts last week to help you explore this.)
As a collective, there is much we need courage for, and then of course we all have our personal and professional lives that we need courage for, too. Today, I’m sharing some of my intentions and areas of focus for the new year, and then I have the January writing prompts for you.
creative courage
There are a few common activities that growth-minded folks turn to when a new year comes around. Some choose a theme or word that reflects the energy they want to bring into the year. One ritual I love is to write a letter to the old year and a letter to the new year. Some of us make lists of what’s in and what’s out, what’s working and what’s not. Maybe good old New Year’s resolutions are a standard practice for you. No matter how you approach it, self-reflection offers wisdom that guides our steps as we move forward.
So I answered all the questions I shared in this post plus some from the gift of a year. Then I reviewed what I wrote and looked for patterns and themes.
Here are four of the themes I came up with:
Embodied Healing + Mindfulness - This year, I will deepen my exploration of the mind/body/spirit connection. All last year I knew that when I finished writing the book I wanted to pursue training in mind-body healing. It’s time to add somatic practices to the arsenal of creative tools I share with my clients. I’m really excited about this.
Shameless Expression - This year, I will practice sharing my energy, my message, and my work with joy, boldness, playfulness, and love. It may seem like I already share this way, but I still struggle with being seen and perceived. There are still certain environments and dynamics that trigger me to shrink, so this is an ongoing practice. I have a book to promote this year, and I plan to do it with love, not fear.
Boundless Vision - This year, I will place no limitations on what’s possible for my life and where my calling might lead me. Generalized anxiety and ADHD-related anxiety will no longer keep me trapped in the small room of my fears. I’m dreaming bigger.
I need courage for all of these.
Maya Angelou taught us that courage is the most important of all virtues because we need courage to practice any other virtue consistently.
Creative courage will always be a core theme for me because it empowers everything else.
The way I define it, creative courage is all about making choices for your life from a place of love instead of fear.
Creative courage is a mindset and way of being that came from questioning my fears and rediscovering who I am, aligning with my truths and values to find a more authentic and fulfilling way of life.
Think about your creative callings and desires. Do you understand why you want them, why they persist? If you have a desire to write, share your story, or make room for more creative expression in your life, what's at the root of it? Following this train of thought can lead you to a fertile starting point and build a reliable commitment.
We need courage to trust our creative impulses. So how do we cultivate that courage? What are the steps?
I developed the Creative Courage framework based on years of research and client work. It is a 12-week integrative experience for creatives, soul searchers, and storytellers who want to find a deeper level of self-expression, creative courage, and confidence through writing.
As a participant, you will be guided through a 3-month transformation of how you think about your creative work and how it fits into your life.
After this transformative experience, you will be empowered to:
integrate your creative work into your daily life in a healthy way
bring more of your authentic voice and ideas into your work and relationships
build a writing practice that is a consistent source of healing, connection, and fulfillment
set boundaries that allow your writing life to thrive
respond differently to creative challenges, obstacles, and distractions
make decisions with a creative mindset instead of a limited mindset
make progress on your creative vision with new decision-making strategies
build a creative platform or project that expresses your values and creative passions
Have you allowed yourself to imagine all the places that creative courage could take you in 2025?
If you are seeking guidance and community as you shape your vision, consider joining our cohort, which also includes three-month access to the Inner Story Writing Circle.
Enrollment for the winter cohort of the Creative Courage Writing Intensive until Sunday, January 5 at 11:59 pm et. For more reflections on creative courage, I’ve unlocked three story work exercises that you can work on self-study style. You can find them at the bottom of this post.
Okay, here are the January prompts.
january writing prompts
If you’re new here, each month I provide prompt lists that are meant to spark an idea or train of thought that gets you writing. When you read the prompt, what memories, images, feelings, or thoughts come to mind? Using these prompts as writing triggers, you can explore your voice and creative impulses in a playful, no-stress way.
You are also invited to write with us in community. Join us for our free monthly workshop (on Zoom) on Friday, January 3 at 7 pm et where we'll be freewriting from these prompts. New faces are always welcome, and sharing is optional.
I have unlocked the following posts to share more reflections on courage. Take what you need ♥
the makings of courage - as we are seeking deeper courage and fuller expression, we should be aware of our body’s energy centers, specifically the throat chakra, and how our creative tools and practices open it.
the right invitation - finding an inviting path out of your comfort zone that adds meaning to your life and doesn’t feel forced can make all the difference in how you approach creative risk.
a form of constancy - the connection between courage and consistency and how daily habits, activities, and patterns of behavior help you build courage over time.
dropping into the moment- exploring the courage it takes to drop into the present moment and value it as a snapshot of our one precious life.
“Kindness, kindness, kindness. I want to make a New Year's prayer, not a resolution. I'm praying for courage.” — Susan Sontag