Hello 2023!
I love a clean slate - a new morning, complete with a beautiful sunrise and a strong cup of coffee; a fresh day, filled with opportunities before me. I love the beginning of a new week, where I can breathe and plan and {sometimes just…hope for the best}. I love the start of a new month, with promises of new adventures waiting to be found. And it should be of no surprise that a new year brings me great excitement and joy as well.
I am not into all the “new year – new you” junk, though. I love a good goal setting session, but for the love of all things good, don’t make me be resolute. That seems a bit too stuffy to me. While I understand the thought process behind resolutions, I don’t want to encumber myself to strict decisions to do {or not do} anything in particular. The new year is wide open, with 365 days of positivity, joy, excitement, and possibility. I don’t like to ruin those days with staunch resolutions. There is enough pressure in life.
Even though I prefer to view a new year as wide open, I do like to set goals - but I give myself room to fail (and I am good at failing; “expert” level good). I set a lot of goals, based on a purpose, and then refine along the way. You can read about my process and my 2022 goals here. I won’t recap all the highs and lows, but I will tell you I didn’t meet all of my goals. My intention was never to meet them all, which sounds strange, but I purposefully set some lofty goals so that I could learn what I needed to focus on.
For instance, I did become a Lemongrass Spa consultant, but I didn’t see the reach I had longed for. However, it was the catalyst for some other avenues I ended up exploring and found success. I will continue to sell LGS because I love the product and enjoy that discount, but it is not a focus for me to meet any goals in 2023.
I also scrapped the art idea I had, for now. Mike is just too busy to help me the way I need help, so that goal is face down on the table. The work I did put into this project will still be used, though. I have created some art – pictures, quotes, and bible verses, that I will use to encourage others in 2023 in the form of stickers, cards, and prints. This goes along with the goal of encouraging others - and remains a goal for the new year.
I like it when all of my goals work together for a greater purpose.
When I was growing up, I remember my dad having lofty goals. He met some of them (like owning his own newspaper and writing books). Others, he didn’t (like traveling - which is harder to do with five kids in tow). Mom was a realist. She would listen to his dreams and humor him a bit, but she would always bring him back down to reality. I have a little bit of both mom and dad in me. I tend to dream big, but then I will burst my own bubble {eventually}.
That is why my theme for 2023 will be a year of focus. Many of the same goals will stay on my list from last year, some with tweaks from what I learned this year - all with focus for the greater goal of building relationships and helping others to use their voice for good.
Blog & Podcast – I got better, but honestly, the blog and podcast are just not where I envision them to be…yet. Stay tuned for some changes that involve more focus!
Write – This is my main focus for 2023. I currently have two books and a bible study in the works (hello, focus!). I will work through some publishing options for the grief book and continue working on the other two and bring them to life! I am also dedicating time to help others with their writing goals.
Read – I read 23 books last year (with a goal of twelve). I would like to get to 30 this year but that may be a few too many. I would also like to read more fiction. I always say that…
Health & Fitness – I will continue to workout (that is not typically too difficult for me because of the habits I have established), but I need to be better at eating. I sure got derailed this year! I need a few less cookies and a few more stalks of broccoli. Or are they bunches?
We have had several rather interesting years, one stacked on top of the other, and there are a lot of funny memes floating around about not claiming 2023 to be “your year.” But I have to admit, I am excited for a new year. I am cautiously optimistic and ready to dive in and see what doors will open to build upon my goal of expanding my reach from 2022. With the focus of 2023, I am hopeful this will be a good year.
What are your goals for the new year?
D 😊