My Slow Flowers gift to you covers two important exercises: Writing an outgoing Year-in-Review and a Forecast of major themes for the year to come.

For the past seven years, I have turned the calendar page to the New Year by first revisiting the one coming to a close. This ritual has becomes my regular "Year in Review" practice as I take stock of what has happened in the prior 12 months, how my efforts supported my mission and the relationships I developed along the way. 

A valuable narrative for a blog post, a newsletter article and an Slow Flowers Podcast episode, this is an important exercise for me personally and professionally. By reflecting on highlights of the past year, four seasons, 365 days - or whatever way you want to measure it, you can learn so much about your true priorities, passion, purpose and (one hopes) what's most profitable in terms of trading your time for income.

I also use this Year-in-Review exercise as a predictor for the year to come. I believe that my interactions with members, media, sponsors and others during each year can help me forecast and plan future themes and insights for the next year's content and marketing programs.

Whether it's for personal or professional reasons, as this year comes to a close, I encourage you to take time to write a Creative-Year-In-Review. When you do this, a narrative emerges, one that can guide your decisions for the future.