I’m trying something new this year with my goal planning. There are lots of exciting changes coming my way this year and I want to live intentionally so that I can meet those changes well.
I have a list of 23 goals in 2023 that I am so excited to share today! These aren’t necessarily in any kind of order…I just jotted them down as they came to me and edited my list until I was happy with it and what I’m setting out to accomplish. You’ll notice that I left the last three goals open so that I have space to reevaluate quarterly.
1. Buy a House | This is my biggest and most exciting goal!! We have been notified that we will be PCSing to El Paso this summer and it is our plan to make that our forever home. Keith will finish out his last assignment with the Army and then begin the retirement process. So, for the first time we are going to be homeowners!!! This is something that I have dreamed of since we got married (maybe even longer, actually). It is something that my heart has longed for and I absolutely cannot wait. We have already been in contact with a Realtor we know in El Paso and are starting to look for houses. We are taking our time and trying to savor and enjoy this process.
2. Visit Venice with Jenny | It has been our tradition to take our kids on a special trip for their 13th birthday. Since we’ll be right in the middle of moving preparations on Jenny’s birthday, we’re going to take her trip a couple months early. And since we’ll still be in Europe Jenny has requested a trip to Venice, Italy. She loves art and classical music, with her favorite composer being Antonio Vivaldi who was born in Venice. Her desire to visit his home and some of the places he’s played was the impitus for requesting Venice and I am more than happy to take that trip with her!
3. Declutter in the winter/early spring | In preparation for our upcoming move, I want to go through all the nooks and crannies and basement storage rooms in our apartment here.
4. Graduate EA & MC from homeschool | I cannot believe that this is my last year homeschooling Elizabeth Anne and Mary Catherine. I want to finish the year strong with them and continue walking with them as nail down plans for their future. They won’t have a formal graduation since we’re not with a homeschool co-op here, but I am planning to have a Graduation Ceremony and Celebration with friends to honor all of their hard work.
5. Practice Yoga | I want to continue practicing yoga. I hesitate to attach a number of days to this goal because that’s not very yogic, but I want to practice it more days than not and honor my practice by listening to what my body needs each day. With yoga, I want to focus on being present within each practice with working on alighment as I am holding poses and transitioning well from pose to pose. There are also some specific poses that I want to get better at (I’m looking at you side plank!).
6. Journal Regularly | This is a goal that I make each year and never really accomplish, but I’m going to just keep trying. I want to develop a regular journal habit. I recently placed an order for a set of four journals that I want to use throughout the year—one for reading, gratitude, Bible Study, and one for personal journaling.
7. Blog | I want to blog here more consistently and really take this blog space more seriously, especially as I am transitioning into a different season of life.
8. Project Life | My goal here is to finish my 2022 Project Life layouts and begin 2023. I also want to print my layouts and put them into an album for the last several years. I have finally found a great rhythm with scrapbooking monthly Project Life layouts. It’s working great for me and I want to keep it up and stay more consistent and up-to-date throughout the year.
9. Have Family Photos taken in the Spring | I would like to have family photos taken here in Wiesbaden in the spring to mark our time here as a family.
10. Reading Goal | I’m rethinking my reading goal for 2023. I set a goal of reading 80 books in 2022 and I will finish this year with over 100 books read. I’m trying to decide if I want to keep that goal or actually push myself to read 100 books in 2023. I’m wavering because I honestly don’t know how our move is going to affect my reading–I may read a lot more or way less–I just don’t know.
11. No Spending Months (at least two) | I want to have at least two months of NO SPENDING throughout the month. The first of those months will be in January. Coming off of Christmas, there is absolutely nothing that we need that we don’t already have. I will not be placing any orders from Amazon or other shopping sites this month. I haven’t decided when the next no spending month will be–probably after we’ve gotten settled into our new home in El Paso.
12. Take a Daily Photo | I have really slacked when it comes to documenting our everyday life and taking photos and I really want to change that. I set a goal to take at least one photo each day. I am using the Collect App to cull them on a calendar grid. The app also sends out a reminder each evening to take a photo for the day. I started practicing this a few days ago and it has already helped!
13. Send Christmas Cards | I have not been consistent with sending out Christmas cards and that’s a change I want to make as we settle into our new home. I love receiving Christmas cards from friends and family and it’s a great way to keep in touch. So, next year I’m making it a goal to send out a Christmas card.
14. Develop a Walking Habit in the Spring | It is dark and cold here throuout the fall and winter. Because of that I slacked off on my walks when the summer came to an end. I also intentionally hibernate through the winter, but when spring comes back around I want to develop a walking habit. That will be made even easier when we move and the weather is almost always sunny! I’ll also be able to use my treadmill again when we move. So, even when the weather isn’t great, I can still walk.
15. Find a local Restaurant in El Paso | One of the highlights of our time here in Wiesbaden has been visiting Raffael’s, a local Italian restaurant in the nearby town. They know me by name and I absoltuely love that feeling!!! I want to find a restaurant where we can be welcomed as a local in El Paso as well.
16. Take a Montly Reading Lunch | I want to get out and take myself to lunch with a book at least one a month this year. This is something I love doing, but I’m not always great about setting this time aside for myself.
17. Driving Lessons for MC | Because we have been in Germay for the last two years and before that we were isolated becasue of COVID, EA and MC have not been able to obtain driving liscenses. One of the first things on the agenda this summer is to get MC started with driving lessons. EA will be the next summer when she’s home from college.
18. Simplify Social Media Usage | I want to set some clear boundaries around my social media useage. At first, I was thinking of making it a goal to get rid of all of my social media, but I really do love connecting and sharing on Instagram. So, for at least right now, I’m going to continue with it, but really limit the accounts I follow and the time I spend on there. I am deleting Facebook as soon as we leave here. I’ve had to have it because it is sometimes the only way to get information and function on this military post. That has been frustrating, but I am dealing with it until we leave.
19. Weekend Away with Keith (at least one) | Keith and I love traveling and getting away together. I want to take at last one trip away with him this year. I’d love to do more if we can make it happen around the move, but the goal is at last one and I already cannot wait!
20. Daily Bible Study | I want to be consistent with my daily Bible reading & study. I’m planning to continue using the She Reads Truth digital studies and am considering switching to their books when we have a address in the states.
21. New Goal in March | After reflection and prayer, I hope to add a new goal in March.
22. New Goal in June | After reflection and prayer, I hope to add a new goal in June.
23. New Goal in September | After reflection and prayer, I hope to add a new goal in September to finish out the year.
I’m so excited for this upcoming year and the goals I’ve made!! I really am feeling so hopeful and inspired for the year ahead.
Now…what about you? Did you make goals for the new year?