In true New Year fashion, I thought I’d check in to my little old blog and put down on ‘paper’ some of my goals for the year 2023! I love coming on here each year and setting myself a few goals and challenges. Some I don’t end up following through for various reasons, but it’s really satisfying when you do complete them, and then looking back and saying “yes, I did it!”
I turn 40 towards the end of 2023, so perhaps subconsciously and possibly slightly unrealistically I feel the need to make this year the ‘best ever’ and accomplish some things before the big 4-0. Which probably isn’t necessary but I’d like to go into my 5th decade feeling good about myself and life in general!
Compared to many people, I feel like we’ve come out of the past few years relatively unscathed when it comes to covid, work and juggling kids etc, but it’s only looking back now and realise it’s still been a pretty tiring time. 2019 was spent launching my Digital Marketing business, 2020 and 2021 was spent continuing to build this whilst also juggling homeschool and lockdown, and then 2022 felt like we were going hell for leather all the time catching up on missed time with doing ‘all the stuff’, and again, building my business.
Let’s just say this past Christmas and some time off was a much-needed break!
So for 2023, my goals are as follows…
- Embrace Dry January and cut back the booze again. I’ve dabbled with not drinking on and off over the past few years, and can definitely conclude that I feel SO much better not drinking, get more done, am more patient with the children and 100% less bloated and slug-like! Since there is a lot I would like to achieve this year, being less hungover existence in 2023 would be ideal, plus vanity is screaming at me that a hungover face is a grim one as you hurtle towards 40!
- Write more – particularly on this blog. This blog is 10 years old this year (wtf?), and due to me setting up my business nearly 4 years ago has been hugely neglected, but I really miss the creativity that here provides- the opportunity to write, as well as take photos more creatively and pick up my ‘big camera’. I’ve set myself a goal to double my page views from last year, and not that views really matter in the grand scheme of things, but by having a target it gives me incentive and a kick up the bum to beat it!
- Read more– I’m pretty good at this, but I like to set myself a goal of a book a month, and then if I manage anymore eg on holidays, it’s a bonus.
- Be more sociable – I think since lockdown and Covid we’ve become more lazy, and don’t do as much socialising as we used to, whether it’s going out-out with friends or as a couple, or even having people over. I said that once we’d had our big extension done then we would host more, but we’ve been pretty slack (eek). I was talking to my best friend about this, and she feels the same, so we both agreed to do better in 2023, so hopefully we can spur each other on!
- Be stronger – This year is the year of the weight, with a bit of cardio thrown in! I’m not really bothered about my weight particularly, but I definitely feel more doughy after a fairly carefree couple of months of eating and drinking. I’d like to start doing some weights and kettle bells (we have these, so no excuses!), to firm up, lose weight and also look after my bone health as I get that bit older (waah). I quit my gym membership a few months ago as it just didn’t fit in around family and work life and I wasn’t getting the use out of it, so I’m starting to do stuff I can do at home, plus go for runs and long walks. I know it can be done as Adam manages it around his work and the kids, I just need to make the time!
I think that will do for now! Possibly some cliches here, but they do have specific, measurable goals, so I’m looking forward to seeing how I’ve got on in a year’s time! I think I’d mainly just like to feel a bit more ‘together’ this year, as I’ve been so busy this year and a little burnt out that I’ve found the lines between working, kids, social stuff becoming increasingly blurred and I haven’t always felt ‘present’. I do think working from home makes this more difficult, so it’s switching off when I say I’m going to switch off, and making life a little more ‘zen’ – I’ll let you know how I get on!
What are your goals this year? I’d love to hear your plans!
See some more of my January organisational posts here