My Goals and Hopes for 2023

Back in the day, I used to start my blogging year by sharing my New Year resolutions, later shifting to my goals and hopes for the next 12 months. I don’t think I’ve done this in a few years, due to the pandemic wreaking havoc on my ability to do most things. But I’ve always found it beneficial to share my goals as it helps to keep me on track – a sort of strange parasocial accountability.

Now that I’m in my 30s, I’ve noticed a patterning change in my mindset and what my goals are. They’re a little less lofty and vague, and far more focused on wellbeing and those oft-mentioned little joys that seemingly power Daisybutter and my offline world. Here is (the public-facing edition of) what I’m hoping for from 2023.

Take more photos

Last year, I wanted to make one of those cheesy year-end Reels full of my memories from 2022. It was a pivotal year for me in many ways, but I couldn’t quite capture the feeling of it all from my photo albums alone. This year, I’m determined to take more photos. More personal photos, more Instagram-worthy moments, more little videos in the moment, as well as a more refined approach to blog imagery.

Maintain my bullet journal

This is my sixth year of using the bullet journal method, and I’m not looking back anytime soon. The infinitely adaptable system and endless layout options makes it perfect for, well, anybody. I’m positive I’ll be able to keep up with this one: I even shared my 2023 bullet journal set-up on here, if you’re interested.

Practice Pilates once a week or fortnight

It’s been a year since I returned to a regular gym routine now, and I’m loving more than ever before. I train three to four times a week – a mix of weight-training and cardio – and it works SO well for me. But now that I’m in my 30s, I’m keen to continue training in a way that benefits and enriches longevity and mobility. This year, I’m hoping to bring back a fortnightly or weekly Pilates class to my routine, in lieu of my cherished Barre classes that moved too far away for me.

Volunteer for a rewilding scheme

Rewilding is a cause that is incredibly close to my heart at the moment. I’ve been deep-diving into the topic for months and I’d really like to devote some of my own time to volunteering for one of the many local or national schemes in 2023. For the uninitiated, rewilding is the large-scale restoration of ecosystems, allowing nature to take back and take care of itself. I really recommend starting with reading the Rewilding Britain website, if you’d like to discover more.

Reread some of my favourite books

In 2022, I over-achieved my Goodreads reading challenge and read more than 60 books. It was great, and I discovered so many incredible books. But I also read many average and awful titles too. Conscious of time slipping away from me all the time, I’ve already set my goal for the same number this year and mainly want to focus on rereading my favourite books. I’m hoping, this way, I’ll feel more encouraged to read (and write) and slip into fewer reading slumps.

Write regularly

Since being shot down several times for the non-fiction book I wrote throughout 2020 and the first few months of 2021, I’ve shied away from writing for several months. And that’s fine. I ended up having SO much precious time away from my laptop. In 2023, I want to nurture my love of writing again and schedule in at least a fortnightly ‘big’ writing session, if not weekly. I know daily would be far too much of a strain amidst my current, busy lifestyle.

Prioritise my health

Focusing on my mental and emotional wellbeing was a big theme throughout 2021 and 2022. I feel like I’ve gotten to a really good place with therapy, so I paused sessions a while back. However, I didn’t always stay on top of my physical health. The latter part of 2022 was full of health struggles and it reminded me to take care of myself – first and always. I’m stocked with vitamins, minerals and supplements that I carefully researched for weeks, and determined to prioritise my health throughout 2023. I gave up drinking coffee (on a regular basis) in November and have found it to be a huge gamechanger, so I’ll definitely be continuing with that too!

Of course there are many more things I’m hoping for from 2023, but those are strictly for my eyes. It’s good to reserve a little of yourself too – that’s a big learning from last year.

What are some of your hopes and goals for the year ahead?