I don’t like to call them resolutions but better yet “goals.” The word resolution seems to have such hard boundaries and consequences. Like “you did it wrong before and now you’re going to do it ‘right’”. Well…what if you don’t fully execute that change? What if you slip up a few times? Then did you fail at your “resolution”? I don’t know? Maybe I’m taking it too seriously, but the word “resolution” is a bit intimidating to me.
So I prefer to call them “goals”. A goal sounds a lot more approachable. And if you swung and missed in 2022, you get a fresh start in 2023!
I wasn’t much into goal setting until I started running my own business. Setting goals in business seems more “normal” than goal setting in everyday life. But both are equally as important!
There are three things I’ve learned about setting goals.
1. They need to be realistic! It’s good to set the bar high and push yourself, but if the goal is totally unrealistic then you’ll likely shut down once you fail at achieving it. But setting a more realistic goal will keep you always wanting to do a “little bit better.” And a “lilttle bit better” over time adds up to a LOTTA BIT BETTER 😉
2. A goal without a plan is just a dream. It’s awesome to set goals and I hope you’re joining me in manifesting that 2023 will be our year! It’s awesome to want better for yourself or your family or your future. But if you don’t have ACTION STEPS to reach these goals, you’ll never get there! Goals aren’t reached magically. They actually require WORK. (which I think is a misconception by many people) But writing out a few realistic ways to achieve the goals are actually MORE important than writing down the goal itself.
And 3. You must REVISIT those goals and assess how well you’re doing at ACHIEVING these goals. This requires intentional check-ins. Maybe quarterly or even monthly. But periodically, you need to step back, look at yourself and HONESTLY evaluate where you’re at in achieving these goals. And this usually requires you to alter your action plan.
I know we’re a few weeks into the new year but I wanted to share my goals with you guys. I always love seeing what other people are striving for in their personal and professional lives. It’s inspiring but also humbling to read other people’s goals for themselves. Sometimes we assume that everyone else has it “all together” but when you read the areas that they desire to do better, it makes you feel a little more NORMAL. So I hope these 7 things make you feel seen and encouraged all the same.
Happy New Year Friends.
Shooting for the stars in 2023: My List for You Below!
- Read 6 books this year. I haven’t read a book in probably 5 years. At the end of the night I’m pretty exhausted and any extra energy I have is typically spent on blog work or client coaching. But I miss reading. It is something that brings me a lot of joy. I’d love to read more than 6 books, but I think this is a good start 😉
- Live with an awareness of a budget. Setting a budget is relatively easy. But being aware of it as the month is going along is a whole different beast. It’s taken me a bit to figure out the best way to keep track of spending as we’re actively spending it. But so far I’m really loving the MINT app that links multiple accounts and allows for labeling each type of transaction. It then sends you notifications as you get close to your budget in each category.
- Read scripture every day. My spiritual journey has been a rocky one since Tyler died in February 2020. But within the last year I’ve focused quite a bit of attention on this area of my life. And as I already knew, it plays a HUGE role in my sanity, my anxiety, and just my confidence in doing “life” amidst the craziness that is our world. I joined a bible study and I’m really loving it!
- Exercise 3-5 times a week. This is something I desperately need in my life. Not just for my physical health but my mental sanity as well. I work really long days away from home and by the time I get the kids in the evening I’m too tired to exercise. I knew I had to start working out before work but couldn’t keep myself accountable…so I got an accountability partner! My neighbor and I work out a few times a week at each other’s houses at 5:30am. So far we’re going strong!
- Clean up my language. My potty mouth has gotten a little out of control lately. I’m working to be more consciously aware of the words coming out of my mouth. I’m not quire sure how I’m going to keep myself accountable on this one other than just good ole fashion guilt!
- Eat mainly whole food nutrition. Through living the FASTer Way lifestyle, I’ve learned so much about “whole food nutrition.” What exactly it is. And how to execute it. For the last 3 years I’ve been living the FASTer Way and striving for a diet focused around clean, whole food. Natural food. That God intended for us to eat. But lately, as life has gotten more hectic, we’ve resorted to a lot more takeout. So my goal this year is to cook more, plan more meals, and eat at home. This will also help with goal #2.
- Print family pictures. So this is a BIG one for me!! This is something I’ve struggled with for years. We pay for all the nice professional pictures and then I print NONE of them. I don’t put them into books. I don’t print them for the wall. I do NOTHING! To the point that Tom has refused to take pictures with me anymore. Ha ha. But seriously – it’s a problem! I have a commitment issue when it comes to printing them for our home. So my goal for this year is to, at minimum, get them into books! I’ll be using Shutterfly and Chatbooks to print events.
I’d love to know about your goals for 2023. Be sure to drop them below in the comments! And if you enjoyed this post, check out similar content here!
