Of all things 2023 was, it was a time of reflection. A time of figuring out what I want to do, where I want to go, and the kind of person I’d like to become. I’ve delved deeper into Pagan spirituality and practicing witchcraft, pushed forward on publishing my debut novel, researched how to set up a publishing press, and started thinking about continuing my academic career outside of the U.S.
Moving forward, I’m going to hone in on my dream of being an author and publisher. I’m going to focus on writing and launching a literary journal to help other authors and artists share their voices. This means some changes will occur on this blog and the Niki Fury brand. I no longer wish to be a part of “influencer culture” and scrutinizing everything I do to ensure it pleases the algorithms and the masses. I don’t want to think about numbers anymore (except when it comes to girl math). I just want to write my little stories and become a recluse, like in the olden days. This also means I’ll be closing my shop (for good this time, as I simply cannot keep up with it). I would like to still offer my Melanoma Awareness line in order to make donations to skin cancer research and clinical trial developments.
Of course, I’ll likely still have some opinion pieces to share, which will be posted on Medium or Substack. This blog will stay up, just without the glitz and glam of trying to be and do too many things at once. Model, author, blogger, cosplayer, gamer, content creator…I’ve been splitting myself into too many different directions for too long, letting hobbies overshadow my original goals (I blame the ADHD). My creative outlets no longer give me peace because I was trying to monetize or analyze them. I want to simply be me again.
I may even take a break from social media for a bit, letting go of expectations and battling the cacophony of too many people’s opinions. Whenever I take a step back from the constant posting and doomscrolling, I always feel refreshed after. Inevitably, something pulls me back in. While I’m more introverted than extroverted at times and find serenity in solitary mindfulness, I still like to be social every once in a while. I just don’t want to feel the pressure of expectations sucking up all of my motivation.
What I’m looking forward to in 2024
Let’s wrap up this blog by looking to the future. I’m over-the-moon excited about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, coming out in February of 2024. The first part, Remake, hooked me in and I haven’t been able to get out of its grasp. Not that I’m complaining. I’ve enjoyed Final Fantasy XVI and XIV this year and was able to make new friends while strengthening existing friendships through gaming. I’m looking forward to meeting up with them to hang out more.
I’m also looking forward to some change. Since summer, I’ve been thinking about cutting my hair shorter than it’s ever been before. While it makes me nervous (what if my neck and ears get too cold?), it also makes me curious about how I would look with shorter hair instead of my long, flowing locks (which are always tangled and getting in my way — I don’t know how Sephiroth does it.)
Next year will be dedicated to writing and reading. I have a large to-be-read (TBR) list piling up and a ton of works-in-progress (WIPs) I’m itching to complete and share with others. I want to get back to my roots of being a bookworm and writing literary analysis about my favorite works. Part of that is also getting started on pursuing my Master’s degree in English literature. Do I miss the breakneck reading pace I had to implement for several English classes in one semester? Not so much. Do I miss writing essays about Norse god Loki being an anti-hero in modern media? Absolutely.
And of course, I look forward to spending more time with my mom, who has stage 4 melanoma and relies on clinical trials to come out with newer, better treatments. We didn’t get along when I was a teenager, and I’ve been trying to make up for it ever since I became an adult. Not knowing how much longer she has (though hoping she lives to her 80’s, at least), makes every moment and memory sweeter.
What are you proud of doing this year? What are you looking forward to next year? Let me know in the comments below!
Niki Fury 
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