It’s hard to believe that we are already ONE MONTH into 2023! *insert jaw drop* Yes, I know this is late but better late than never, right? ๐
2022 was a beautiful year in so many aspects. It was a year of continued growth, change and evolution and the year that laid the foundation for 2023 and beyond. I made a lot of changes in my personal and professional life and while the process was slow at first, I’m finally starting to see the blossoming of the seeds that I’ve planted. You can read more about this in my 2022 Reflection. But now it’s time to leave 2022 behind and embrace the new.
2023 has already started off on a busy note (hence the reason I put off this post lol) but so far, no complaints! Every year, I look forward to creating and sharing my new year goals. It excites me for the future and shifts my mindset in a positive way. It’s also a form of accountability as I go back to this post month after month to review my goals for my Month in Review series. I also love being able to share my thoughts in an honest and authentic way. After all, that’s why I love blogging so much in the first place! But that’s a conversation for another day ๐ Let’s get into my 2023 goals for the new year!
**********************
2023 Goals for the New Year
2023 Goals – Professional
Expand
Expand was one of my words for 2022 and this year, I plan to continue this expansion into various aspects of my life. I want to continue to learn new things, expand on the skills that I already have and allow room for flexibility, spontaneity and experimentation. Not only does this expansion encompass the continuation of learning but in my opinion, it’s also the conquering of fears. I think that stepping outside of my comfort zone will continue to help me grow in many ways.
Take Action
Over the years, I’ve realized that I’m a really good planner but actually taking action can be downright anxiety inducing at times. Of course, I do follow through but sometimes I can get into my own head and slow down my progress. This is one of the main goals that I will be working on for 2023. I want to be more consistent, creative and intentional when in comes to my work. I also think that keeping a realistic schedule will help a ton with this as well!
Be More Confident
This is something that I have been working on for YEARS and I’ve only just started to feel a sense of confidence in myself. I feel that this has absolutely come as a direct result of doing a lot of internal work and letting go of people and things that held me back from believing in myself. I’ve become much more confident in myself and my abilities but I feel like I still have a bit of work to do when it comes to seeing my worth and value professionally. Being fearless and confident in all regards is going to be a major focus this year.
Stay Organized & Time Management
This past month, I actually took a bit of time off to reorganize my life. It can be easy to start neglecting things when you get busy and focused on “work.” I purged and organized every room in our home including my office. As a result, I feel lighter and more refreshed! I’ve also made a realistic schedule to ensure that I’m staying organized and using my time efficiently.
One thing that I absolutely MUST stop doing is procrastinating. I was never a big procrastinator but over the years, I’ve overwhelmed myself so much that at times even the most mundane tasks take a lot of mental energy. I’ve learned that I need to put my focus and time into the right things… not EVERYTHING. This will be a hard habit to break but I know that it will be worthwhile.
Prioritize Health & Wellness
This has been at the top of my new years goals list for many years now (and for good reason!). My health has been at the forefront of my life for the last five years or so and I want to continue on this positive trajectory. I feel like each year had something valuable to teach me in terms of my health and wellness and at this moment, I’m in a really good place. I feel much healthier mentally and emotionally, my dietary changes have finally become like second nature and I’ve started putting more time into being active.
Although I’m in a good place, I really need to work on consistency, especially when it comes to working out. Sometimes it’s hard to find the energy but with each passing year, I’m seeing how important good health is. For 2023, I plan to be more consistent in not only my workouts but also in my journaling and meditation. Most importantly, I plan to incorporate more fun into this area of my life in the form of more interesting work outs and more experimentation with my meals.
Balance
Balance was actually on my 2022 goals list and I have to say that I made pretty big strides in this area! Previously, I was working myself into the ground only to be left feeling unmotivated, exhausted and burnt out. In 2022, I scheduled in more time for self-care, hobbies and relaxing. I was very strict about my work hours and I did not feel even an ounce of guilt when I chose to focus more on myself (quite a long shot from how it used to be). I found that having a more balanced life actually led to me feeling much more productive and excited! For 2023, I want to focus even more on balance within my personal and professional life.
Dream Big
This was also on my 2022 goals list and I mentioned that 2022 would be the “year where I set the foundation for the rest of my life.” It’s so funny how we can unintentionally manifest things because 2022 was definitely a foundational year! In terms of dreaming big for 2023 – I think that this goal really encompasses all of my other goals into one.
Sometimes I feel myself making excuses as to why I can’t do something. There’s a fear that too much time has passed, that I’m “too old,” that I don’t have the skills or knowledge I need, that I’m not good enough in some way. But with my age and journey has also come a variety of skills, knowledge and most importantly, wisdom that I didn’t have previously. Only now, I also have the belief in myself and the realization of self-worth… something I also didn’t have before.
I also believe in divine timing and that most things work out for our benefit in a positive way. As a type A kind of person, I’ve become much more relaxed rather than rigid and controlling of every outcome. This doesn’t mean that I’ve given up in any sort of way. It just means that I’ve become much more flexible in terms of timing and how things happen. It’s given me a more positive outlook in general. And now I know that my dreams can happen for me, just as they can happen for anyone else.
For 2023, I want to expand on the foundation that I laid last year and continue to not only chase my dreams but also allow for new ones as well. I have a really good feeling about 2023!
2023 Goals – Personal
Prioritize Myself
In the past, this has been one of my biggest struggles. I have always put others ahead of myself… and it has not always had the best effects on me. Maybe it’s a part of growing older but I’ve really been leaning more into prioritizing myself above all. Not to say that this is out of selfishness, but instead out of necessity and self-love.
This year, I want to work more on this from a mental perspective. I’ve been really good at prioritizing myself in terms of self-care and setting a more schedule but at times, I still have problems saying “no” and not feeling some sort of guilt. However, our time is limited and when I say “yes” to something out of pity or kindness, I am also saying “no” the things that I truly want. The realization is there, but I need work more on the execution.
Make More Financial & Life Goals
This is actually a new one for me! I feel like I do this consciously but it’s been a while since I’ve had any concrete goals. This past year has brought about a lot of thoughts in so many areas of my life.
I am 35 and this is the first year that I’ve given any serious thought to the ticking of my biological clock. Not having children feels completely isolating at times yet I’m just not sure if it’s for me (I think I will share more on this in a separate post). This past year, my husband and I have also given a lot of thought to our future and where we want to be including how and where we want to live. We’ve also started making employment and business goals, not just for me but also for my husband (a first).
With all of these thoughts and plans, talks of finances have been at the forefront. This has actually been a difficult realization for me as my relationship with money has been skewed from a young age. I feel so behind in this aspect but also excited to start planning for our life. This year, I want to make more concrete goals and create a roadmap to meet them.
Embrace My Individuality
This is another that typically pops up on my new year goals lists. It’s so interesting… I have always been one to embrace my individuality and it’s something that I’ve been incredibly adamant about but at the same time, I’ve felt the need to hide it as well. The reality is that those who stand out aren’t always celebrated for it and this is something that has held me back.
I was actually discussing this with my husband the other day and I came to the conclusion that I’ve suppressed parts of myself because I was bullied for it…. as a child and as an adult. However, I do feel like I’m in a stronger place mentally than I was before and I think that this is the right time to do a little more work in this area. Fearing the thoughts and perceptions of others has held me back for too long and this year, I will be working through this. By the end of the year, I’d love to be in a place where I can confidently and unapologetically be myself.
Uplevel Myself
This is also a new goal for me. In the past, I always put a lot of effort into myself and my appearance. However, life has gotten busy and to be honest, I’ve gotten a bit lazy. I opted to spend more time working rather than putting on makeup or doing my hair. I guess this is the struggle of working from home (and likely an after effect of 2020). However, I’ve found that this has actually had an adverse effect on my self-esteem. Yes, I’ve worked on my confidence and feel better than I ever have BUT I notice that when I put in more time on my “off duty” days, I feel much better and more motivated. For 2023, I plan to put in more effort into myself – my skincare routine, doing my hair and makeup (even if it’s just tinted moisturizer), creating cute WFH outfits and overall just upleveling myself.
Outfit Details
Pink Peacebird Dress c/o | Pink BB Taylor Floral Handbag c/o | Cream New Bella Pearl Heels c/o (similar) | Lele Sadoughi Pearl Headband (similar) | Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick | Halo Hair Extension (use LIZZIEINLACE for $25 off!)
Romanticize Life
Romanticizing my life more is also a new goal for me. This means truly embracing the small things and making even the most mundane moments seem fun and exciting. Living in the moment has been hard for me in the past but I want to intentionally do more of it this year.
For me this means, perhaps…
- throwing a party for no good reason
- wearing my poofiest dress just because I feel like it
- using my fanciest dinnerware to elevate my lunch
- setting up an extravagant picnic for myself
- upgrading my living space with things that make me smile
- taking a spontaneous day trip somewhere fun
- using a feather pen to write my notes
- creating the most relaxing spa atmosphere for my self-care indulgences
- truly stopping to smell the roses
I plan to do more of what I love and put more effort into those things in general. I hope that this will also be the year where I stop saving my best items for the “perfect time.”
Create More Memories
This might be the most important goal of all. I want to create more memories with those that I love. I’m realizing that although I’m a driven person, there is so much more to life than work. I’m also finding that my freedom is one of the most important aspects of my life.
I’ve always been drawn to travel but I’ve put off certain things due to finances. However, I’ve realized that right now is probably the best time to take advantage of the fact that my husband and I are young, healthy and without certain obligations. With this also comes the desire to have more experiences and to allow others to share those experiences with us. This year, I want to travel more, try new things, see new places, meet new people and above all, HAVE FUN.
And as for my word of the year? I’ve been going back and forth but “Action” pops up in my mind. Taking action in every aspect will be what drives me this year but to be completely honest, I plan to focus on all of these things rather than just one. Ideally, I’d focus on one habit or goal per month ๐
I hope you enjoyed my 2023 goals!
What are you 2023 goals for the new year? Do you have a word for the year?
xo
