Happy New Year!
As another year approaches, so do new resolutions and goals. Whether they are fulfilled or not, only time can tell, but a majority of people choose to make their goals fresh every year. Today, I'll be going through my own goals for the new year!
Maybe, you can take something from these goals too!
Reading / Writing:
You already knew these were coming up!
Every year since 2021, I've made a reading goal for myself through GoodReads. In 2021 my goal was to read 50 books, which turned into 64. Naturally, I raised the goal in 2022, which was 60 books. As of December 29th, as I'm editing this, I've read 66 books.
Now that the new year is coming, I think it's only right to keep raising the bar (but not too much), so my 2023 reading goal will be to read 65 books. If you'd like to follow my progress on GoodReads, you can follow me HERE, where you can see my reading goals and reviews.
As for writing, it's hard to make goals (as you know) based on creativity levels and life getting in the way. However, I would at least like to work on my second (😉) poetry book, which is in the very very early stages of production. I also am working on a romance novel that is old-friends-to-lovers. I'm excited to get back into novel writing, as poetry has been a daily routine.
New year, new projects!
Staying Healthy:
I know, it's one of the most common resolutions/goals to have to enter a new year, but it's also important! For the past 2 years or so I've been on and off exercising, and the new year is a great way to start fresh and get back on again.
Something that I've learned about exercising in the past is that, once you make a schedule and start, it's easy to maintain a strict schedule, but once you fall off it gets tough to get back on again. I believe it's always better to make a schedule, and set reminders so you can at least see the reminder. It's a step!
With a working lifestyle, this can be difficult, but that brings me to my second point. You don't have to do anything vigorous.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!
The end goal is to exercise. This can be taking a few minutes to stretch, taking a walk, going to the gym, etc. It does not have to be a full exercise, it just has to be something. My personal exercise goal is to exercise 3 days a week. Whether that will be a set schedule, who knows, but about 45 minutes a day is usually good enough to make me sweat.
I usually use YouTube as my primary motivator, so you can follow my workout routine HERE if you'd like to see how I get my sweat on!
Also, with exercise comes eating right. I will say, I have been getting a lot more fast food this past year. It's convenient, it usually only takes a few minutes, it's tasty, and most importantly it's portable. Fast food can be a blessing and a curse, but it must NOT be a necessity. So, I also want to cut out as much fast food from my daily life as possible.
Consistent Journaling
Journaling is something that I've always wanted to do but never got into. Only recently have I started journaling (again), and for some reason, I'm actually sticking with it. It has been a massive help, as I am not a very outspoken person, and it helps me to analyze and evaluate my general thoughts and feelings.
Something that I do struggle with, however, is consistency (and that can go for a lot of things). With journaling, I want to remain consistent, even if it means journaling once a week to keep on it. I believe that journaling can really be beneficial, for those of us who have trouble putting our feelings into words.
I've also implemented the 'Emotions Wheel' into my daily routine. There are different versions, which you can find HERE, and it is a great reference to use when you're unsure what to put down.
Synopsis:
If you're making some goals for the new year, try to focus on things that will improve you rather than satisfy you. Remember not to bombard yourself with tasks and dreams because, at the end of the day, we can only do so much. Keep it simple!
So here is a much shorter list of goals for the new year that I plan to follow (especially with you all holding me accountable 😁 ). Share yours if you have any!
To read 65 books
Exercise 3 days a week
Cut down on fast food
Journal consistently
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