Another year. We made it! Every new year, we are hopeful that our most promising ideas await and our best lives are yet to come.

We reflect on the past year’s joys, triumphs, heartbreaks and disappointments and look forward to the following chapters of our lives, hoping to gain more insight and experience as we move closer to becoming the people we strive to be.

We navigate our lives as if we are tending to a flower garden. We plant seeds and watch them grow, watering them when the soil is dry and offering them shade from the sun. Some flowers don’t make it, others flourish, but we are grateful for the process and the beauty we have helped create.

I began planting seeds in my metaphorical garden as a child. My first love was the joy I found in reading books, imagining worlds I hoped to explore. It was magic. Equally, I loved art — the colors, the movement of the paint on paper, and the absolute pleasure I found in expressing myself. As I grew older, my love of learning, teaching and curiosity about the
world grew.

You’re never too young to plant seeds and discover what brings magic to your life, and you don’t have to be an artist to do so. We are all born creative, and there is no better time than childhood to develop self-expression and curiosity.

Can you remember what you found magical as a child? Did you love music or dance, or look to the stars hoping to be an astronaut? Then, somewhere along your journey, did you put what you thought were fanciful notions to bed?

Often, my adult students tell me they have forgotten these “childish” dreams and pursued other goals, but deep in their hearts, they feel those childhood passions were the seeds of their gardens. I remind them that while I believe one is never too young to plant a garden, it is essential to remember that one is never too old.

No matter our age, we can always find new things to learn, create and explore. Perhaps revisit a childhood passion. Take a class online or preferably with others. As human beings, we feel better when we connect. Take a walk in nature. We are more creative outdoors, and our minds are more open to new ideas.

Why not tend to your garden this year? Develop a mission statement to guide you and point you in the direction you want to take. Below is mine from years ago. I am still planting seeds, hoping new flowers will grow for many years to come.

“Like an explosion of stars across the sky, like splattered paint, I keep moving and leaning into the creative process. I hope to inspire, create and continue learning from others, dazzle with colors, smile at whimsy, and always fall head over heels in love with art.”

Judy Nemer Sklar is an expressive arts facilitator, artist, writer and owner of Creative Life Workshops for Health and Wellness. She can be reached at (760) 902.5467 or [email protected].