I say this not to boast, but to contextualize this post:
2023 was an incredible year for me.
Here's a reflection on the systems and mindsets that helped me flourish in 2023, that I hope to carry over into 2024.
What I did to set myself up for success in 2023
At the start of 2023, I was a little tired, but hopeful. 2022 was a bit of a dramatic year for me and I had been using the fall and winter seasons as a chance to recover and get back in tune with myself. I was starting to feel better after the windfall of 2022, but I still wanted to be gentle with myself in the new year, knowing I was still fragile.
So I decided to set some goals that I knew I could achieve easily in a year, but would still set me in the right direction to becoming a better version of self. I broke up my goals into "process" goals and "project" goals. Process goals are habits and routines I want to fold into my daily life, while project goals are one-time achievements I want to pursue.
I also came up with a theme for the year that would set the tone for how I'd tackle my goals: "easy progress." I made sure the goals I set were entirely within my control and not based on external factors. I made my intention very clear at the start that as long as I try to meet these goals, I'd be satisfied, even if I couldn't bring them all to fruition.
Here were some of the goals I set last year, barring some more personal ones:
YEAR THEME: EASY PROGRESS
PROCESS GOALS
Read 2 books a month
Write morning pages
Go on weekly artist dates
Volunteer my time or money once a month
Engage with music for at least half an hour
Evaluate goals monthly (more on this below)
PROJECT GOALS
Learn one choreography
Make one art piece
Make music with at least one other person
Produce a song
Update resume
Run a half-marathon
Every month I completed a check-in, evaluating how the previous month had gone and deciding what annual goals or projects I wanted to prioritize in the upcoming month. I broke up my life into 7 areas--health, environment, career, spirituality, relationships, hobbies, and growth--and evaluated them all separately.
I've always been a bit of a planner, so these monthly reviews were something I actively looked forward to and made special for myself. I'd brew a cup of tea and light some candles and play some soothing classical piano music.
The monthly check-ins were an incredibly useful tool. I found that they fast-tracked my progress on my goals and I was able to adjust my benchmarks as I grew more confident. Every month was a chance for a fresh start. I didn't have to wait another whole year to start over.
I started the year off by prioritizing the habit that meant most to me: reconnecting with my passion for music. I worked in my desired 30 minutes of daily music time and planned artist dates to fill my creative well. Opening myself up to creativity again was a game-changer and gave me the momentum I needed to steamroll through several other habits. That's the thing about habits, both positive and negative--they feed into each other. Improve one area of your life and you start seeing changes in other areas as well.
As I kept refining and building my routine, I found that things were magically starting to unfold for me with what felt like no effort. I made musician friends and joined a band and started a small writer's group and traveled solo. I embraced these wonderful surprises and began adjusting my goals as the year went on. By December, my daily music time had been raised to an hour and fifteen minutes. I also started blogging once a month, which I had no intention of doing at the start of the year!
I am pleased to say that I have met and/or exceeded all of my 2023 goals! Here's where I landed by the end of the year:
PROCESS
Read 67 books
Wrote morning pages
Went on weekly artist dates
Volunteered or donated monthly
Practiced music daily for an hour and fifteen minutes
Evaluated goals monthly
PROJECTS
Learned the dance to "OMG" by NewJeans
Picked up crocheting and made several little amigurumi figurines
Joined a band and wrote songs with the group
Wrote and performed and produced a solo song (hopefully to be released in 2024!)
Updated resume, remade personal website, started blogging
Ran the half-marathon distance 4 times
My plan for 2024
Last year was a certified doozy. I know that life has its ebbs and flows; it's not realistic to expect consistent linear progress each year. But I do feel emboldened and more confident going into 2024. I want to continue on course and build on last year.
This year, my theme is "rock star." It's a little cheesy, I know. But I do want to embody that energy and spirit. I want to be taken more seriously and take life less seriously. I want to enjoy little pleasures, embrace spontaneity, question systems, and let my creative reins loose.
Here's what I have planned, on top of continuing my habits from 2023:
YEAR THEME: ROCK STAR
PROCESS GOALS
Read 50 books (around a book a week)
Post once a month to socials or YouTube
Engage with music for at least an hour and fifteen minutes daily
Blog once a month
Perform once a month (even just an open mic)
Travel once a month
PROJECT GOALS
Finish Alphabet Superset (challenge for creatives set by Struthless)
Release a solo single
Go to the mountains (preferably alone)
Make one new musician friend
Make website fully navigable
Run a half-marathon in under 1:55:00
Again, I set goals that I have complete control over and that I feel I can realistically and easily accomplish with a year. I will have to keep reminding myself that it's okay if I don't meet all of these goals or if my priorities change. But that's what the monthly check-ins are for! As long as I'm doing my best and checking in with myself regularly, I'll be on the right path.
It's also important to come back to the point of all of this work. Creating new habits, setting goals, and boosting productivity are just a means to an end. All we really want is to spend as much of our lives as we can doing things that we love with people that we love. As a detail-oriented person, I can get in the weeds too much and stress myself out if I'm not meeting my goals. But ultimately, these systems should improve the quality of my daily lives, not add anxiety. I just want to live a life well-lived.
I'm excited to see how 2024 unfolds for all of us! How do you set goals and resolutions for the New Year? Leave a comment if you feel like sharing. I'm always interested to see new ideas!
Happy 2024!
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