The last time I made a list like this was in 2018, when I was inspired by Austin Kleon’s list. And now Toko-pa, dream worker and author of Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home, has encouraged people to write New Year’s Validations rather than Resolutions. I personally love resolutions, but I also love validations, too. So here goes:

1. Declaring myself a musician. Making music is the most powerful meditation I know how to do – finally accepting myself.
2. Having the desire, the real desire to be a guitar player.
3. Declaring my yes.
4. Sending love to my past self.
5. Reiki infused Chakra Healing Meditations.
6. Buying a ring light for pictures and videos – which has made this business of documenting everything so much easier!
7. Declaring “egghsells and tight shoulders will not do” – and following through on the declaration in so many ways.
8. Teaching yoga in the park.
9. Umbrella Academy. Just enjoying a story for the sake of the story.
10. Separating my worth from my wealth.
11. Happy Dance of the Day project.
12. The Dismantled Project. I lightly vowed to do a piece of art a day on cardboard.
13. The slow feeling of relief for not seeing the Orange Menace every time I open my computer or phone.
14. Publicly acknowledging the pain and terror of white supremacy in my personal life and in western culture at large.
15. Having a daily walk around the neighborhood, before sunrise and at sunset.
16. Offering up my stories to stones and trees, Mother Nature as Higher Power.
17. Carolyn Elliot. Practicing Existential Kink.
18. Feeling a shift in perception – acknowledging the shift – and still feeling it! Paying attention to the astrology.
19. Pulling a tarot card every day – as an exercise in seeing the vibe for the day.
20. Giving my all to a relationship and acknowledging I was not being met halfway.
21. Paul Westerberg.
22. Enjoying entering my sixth decade – and celebrating by dancing A LOT to my 50th birthday mix tape.
23. Seeing Sympathy for the Devil in a new way.
24. Art as currency.  A new way of dancing with the energy of Money.
25. Wearing tie dye leggings and not worrying if they make my butt look big.
26. Accepting that I am a witch, and declaring it.
27. Florida. Bearing witness. Being horrified.
28. Deciding that differences in political ideologies are deal breakers in personal relationships for me after all.
29. Honoring my wise and (com)passionate inner teenager who calls things as she sees it.
30. Respecting my intelligence and not dumbing myself down anymore – even though it would mean having to let go of certain friends.
31. Reawakening the understanding that the game is fixed.
32. No longer accepting invalidation of my feelings.
33. Chopping wood!
34. Practicing outside with the Lofi Sofias, and, entertaining the neighbors during the pandemic.
35. It/ll Be Better Tomorrow – movie about Hubert Selby by Michael W Dean
36. Looking at the past closely, taking what worked, and allowing it to inform future movement.
37. Long driving to Crested Butte (12 hours) by myself to visit my friend Gina.
38. Creating a deliberate altar.
39. Taking a vacation!
40. Sitting with discomfort for over a year and finally, pushing, changing the painting Cosmic Clock until I was satisfied with it.
41. Full moon riding!
42. Loving the work of learning and being a musician, an artist, and the altered states of mind long creative spurts bring.
43. The Lydian Spin podcast.
44. Enjoying reading fiction again.
45. Set The Controls for the Heart of Sharon Tate, by Gary Lippman.
46. Making a video about the weird Deja Vu experience I had while reading Set the Controls for the Heart of Sharon Tate.
47. Deciding to buy an iphone 12 pro max because it’s capability for videography is outstanding (for my needs). I used the phone as a b-roll camera in a movie project where I was Assistant Director of Photography. I use the phone for everything.
48. Having fun playing in an all-girl band.
49. Trying to be “normal”, to “fit in” was killing me. I was agreeing to a life I didn’t want to be living, and I was using drinking as a crutch to put up with things that weren’t acceptable to me. After a 22-year relapse into the deep dust layers of mediocrity, I quit drinking.
50. Getting up early, going for walks, and listening to affirmations.
51. I wanted to go to the PSI Basic Seminar but didn’t have the funds. At the suggestion of my friend Sydney, I promoted and put on a successful salon art and music show fundraiser. I was able to go to the event! I pushed way beyond my comfort zone to make the art and music show happen, and, I did all the preparation in less than a week.
52. Putting on Facebook Live shows with Paul Perreault – and insisting we use a PA system (and using the iphone as the camera).
53. PSI Basic Seminar – coming home and realizing everything changed.
54. Making wishes for all the people I have ever met.
55. Rekindling my friendship with Sydney.
56. Allowing myself to feel love and compassion from my friends.
57. Getting dressed up and made up to go out – it feels good!
58. Singing backups on the spot for BirdSavage & Bird’s album, Life is Sweet. 
59. Getting to the point of singing and playing guitar on my own! Recording a video of my solo performance of Hallelujah! for Paul’s dad, Norm, after his wife Mar died.
60. Marc Bolan: spirit guide.
61. Sending intentions to the past.
62. Parvathy Baul: spirit guide.
63. Getting clear that being yelled at for anything, let alone my job, is unacceptable.
64. Moving out of the house where I lived in Flagstaff for the last couple of years – without having another place to move to. Trusting.
65. Staying creative despite forest fires, pandemics and relationship breakdowns.
66. Taking chances and hanging out with new friends.
67. After spending so much time in isolation and the pandemic kicking up so much trauma, Paul and I let our relationship go.
68. Getting by with a little help from my friends. Saying yes to help and a place to sleep.
69. Visiting my mother for her 80th birthday.
70. Being present with my mom. Also, I am so thankful I am with my mama and my Aunt Penny. Being with them is a much slower pace – Mom needs a lot of help. I don’t know how much time she has left. I want more time with her.
71. Visiting NYC for the first time in ten years and feeling so happy, so at home. I made the decision that I need to live in New York City at least one month every year -preferably in April or October.
72. Spending Autumn in New York – and rekindling old friendships.
73. Remembering I am a Child of the Universe.
74. Every day, doing something I love. Just freakin’ doing it.
75. Documenting my art process.
76. Deciding I am done with having people in my life who are (radical) Conservatives (which means I probably need to leave AZ).
77. Declaring myself an artist.
78. Saying yes to a solo art show, Dreaming in Cyan, at the HeArt Box Gallery.
79. Deciding to play music with New York musicians again! It feels so good!
80. Traveling.
81. Slowing down.
82. Purging my belongings down to essentials. Keeping only some books.
83. Accepting help and love from my friends – a very big deal for me. (I keep mentioning this).
84. Allowing vulnerability to be a strength.
85. Driving to New York state from Arizona all by myself.
86. Meeting my friend Jordan Hoggard in person for the first time in Taos, New Mexico on my way to New York. We had a blast! I was so happy to see he has moved to a place that truly is home for him.
87. Enjoying the weirdness of life.
88. Acting on my intuition immediately.
89. Falling in love with the Hudson Valley.
90. Actually meeting and becoming friends with Gary Lippman, author of Set the Controls for the Heart of Sharon Tate.
91. Being willing to consider relocating to Los Angeles.
92. Crossing the $2000 threshold for artwork. A landmark for me.
93. “Love is the answer.” – John Lennon
94. Loving being in my 50s. Feeling like the best is yet to come!
95. Enjoying beauty wherever I am.
96. Letting myself dream of having a gorgeous New York City apartment and art studio, once again. Fully believing it can happen!
97. Making DIY Up-cycled holiday-2022-whenever-people-get-them cards.
98. Fully accepting and enjoying being wined and dined by fabulous men.
99. Twelve Days of Tarot – live card readings on Instagram leading up until Christmas Eve. At first it was scary being live, but then, it was fun.
100. Allowing myself to be in a state of “I don’t know” and curiosity as my “normal” way of being.
101. Catching and surviving COVID-19!

It’s almost springtime! With the massive changes I’ve been going through, I am amazed I even did this post. I am so glad I did! I hope it inspires you to look at what you have done/experienced/lived.

Have a rockin’ great day, month, year, life!

Your friend –

Holly

March 10, 2022
Elizaville, NY

Image – me getting ready to take the train on my birthday (Christmas Eve). Next year’s intention – no train on my birthday (unless it’s to an exotic place).