Happy New Year, from Ars Poetica. Here are a few 2020 dreams from around the world

me reading all your 2020 dream submissions

Over the stretch of time from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Eve, I delved into reflection over the past year.

2019 was my first year as the sole owner of my 100% woman owned company, and it has been more difficult and more full of passion and opportunity than I ever could have expected. There was a lot of stress, and a lot of working myself too hard to prove that I could do it.

Over the course of the year, I experimented a lot with diversifying what myself and my poets can offer our clients, going from artists known almost exclusively for typewriter haiku, to gaining recognition and clients for things ranging from tarot, calligraphy, illustration, copywriting, content creation, creative direction, teaching, curation and event hosting, custom commissioned poetry, large scale partnerships, letter-writing, healing arts, and stage performances of our original work.

But through all the experiments and trials and tribulations and triumphs, one connecting force has remained strong: I am a language artist, and my 35 poets and artists around the world are bonded by a passion for language that fills every project we take on.

In 2020 we will continue to fulfill, refine, and deepen that mission: to bring language to life, and use words to heal and inspire around the world. My dream for the year is to share words like water, because we are all thirsty for words that can delight, entertain, teach, and change our hearts and minds.

I asked myself, “what is our community contemplating at this pivotal moment, the beginning of a new decade? And is there a difference between a resolution and an intention?” I decided to call them 2020 Dreams, asked friends on Instagram, and wanted to share with you a few of their responses. Some folks wished to remain anonymous so I’ll just call them "A Friend.”

A friend in Egypt:

My resolution is to have the relationship I want to be as healthy and more honest as possible - also graduating and having the job I want.

Sarah Mitsue Daniels, USA, @fujinokoe:

My dream is to be free to pursue my resolution.
My resolution in 2020 is to focus, to polish and empower the talent my Creator invested in me.
My intention is to find and fulfill the purpose of that talent and elicit a smile, a spark of Joy, from any witness.

Jule Jung, Germany, @Jule.jung:

My 2020 intention is to share more of my truth & knowledge about love & life. I have been learning for many years & this time I am ready to teach others.
This is going to happen through simple sources of happiness as dancing, movement, yoga, meditation, art, nature, good food, good company & a lot of self love. I am ready for a positive shift 2020 in my life and the world.
I am also going to release a conscious life planner as your diary & notebook for the good times the hard times & all the moments you want to keep with you 🌞
2020 here I come.

A friend in Mexico:

My resolution for this new year is to be happy with who I am and to enjoy life my way, to learn to say no and don’t care what everyone else is going to think, I want to be secure about myself and increase my self esteem, or have some esteem. I’m trusting my energy like never before, this year taught me so much and made me realize so many things about my life that I want to change and I think it all starts here. Sending love and my best wishes thank you.

Peter Tiso, Portland, OR, @Grizzzly:

Be really honest with myself about what I enjoy doing, and then really double down on it.

Scoutleader Wiley, Bushwick BK, @teenage_edgel0rd:

This year, I only have intentions. as an incredibly right-brained individual (undiagnosed ADHD, perhaps? that story's for another time), making a goal and meeting a goal sit on opposite sides of a canyon, and I can totally build a bridge...but I'll start tomorrow.

I want to achieve clarity, self-compassion, and a deeper understanding of the world. I want all my friends to make money off of their art, and I want to make money off of mine, too. I want the work I put into maintaining my close relationships to pay off in visible ways. I intend to learn how to make resolutions, because intentions are great, but we don't live on the astral plane. Resolutions are commitments, responsibilities, and good habits, but they're also well-timed breaks, embarrassing fuck-ups, and rewritten plans. And yes, those things really, really suck--but what would suck a lot more would be remaining in a bubble of my own potential, and not living the life i could have lived.

Anthony McPherson, NYC, @McPhersonpoetry:

My resolution is to not stress about stress.

I loved reading what you had to say about your evolution from the past year, and the subtle changes and huge goals you’ve made for your futures. Thank you for bravely putting them out there. If you’d still like to share your resolutions, intentions, and dreams with us we’d love to see them! I’ll leave the form up for the next week - I truly believe sharing your dreams helps make them a reality.

And if you are in the New York City area, I’d love to invite you to join us at our party to light up the year on 1/11/20 at Class & Co in Brooklyn.

I wish for 2020 to become the absolute best year of your life so far.

Much love.