✨Merry Christmas✨ (Patreon)

I thought I would be celebrating Christmas alone this year, but my neighbors invited me over for a nice holiday dinner. I'm going to bring flowers, a fruit tart, and a mini ganache cake. 2023 was a tumultuous year for me because I decided to move far away from my home town to try and live on my own. It was scary because I didn't know anybody and I wouldn't be able to get help from my family if I needed it. After the initial period of anxiety and stress, and some long nights of being sick and alone, I managed to adapt. I actually made some good connections and accomplished more than I ever thought I could in my life. I was always an  introverted shut in and a huge ball of stress, so this was a major victory for me.One of the major roadblocks I faced was the psychological impact of the writing and researching process. I'm always revising my script and trying to make it stand out, but some of the information I uncovered took a massive toll on me mentally. The organized crime aspect and the world building requires reading about history and looking deeper into what's potentially going on in the world to raise the stakes and build genuine, believable drama and thrills. I uncovered too many 'black pills' and it made it difficult for me to stay positive, so I decided to dedicate more time to improving my health. I eat way healthier nowadays and I care a lot more about making myself feel pretty, and I am more devoted to fun hobbies and taking more breaks from the darker parts of my research. I tried out fun slimes and squishies, and I took a floral design class to push myself to meet new people and socialize more. I also pushed myself to try more complex recipes at home.

Yesterday I went to get some supplies to try growing basil, and I had a lovely chat with one of the staff at the store. It's so important to try fostering those social connections, no matter how small or insignificant they seem. I think friends, family, romance, a good community, and self-care are the most important for a long healthy life. Nowadays obtaining and maintaining just one of those things is the biggest struggle for many people globally. Sometimes I feel so small and powerless when I uncover uncomfortable truths about the world, but I think it's vital to be open to discussing and learning about those realities, while prioritizing the people closest too us and maintaining a positive attitude.Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to continue working on SWFTD, so I can put forth a story you may never have experienced before. I want to improve my 3d skills next year so I can increase production and have even more time to work on refining the script and making the comic as beautiful as possible. Again, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ❤️