Goals for 2023

Goals over Resolutions

In part, these goals are meant to be achievable. We all know a huge problem with Resolutions is that people struggle to keep them up. This is often because they are unrealistic given our personal lifestyles.

For those with all the time on their hands in the world, and all the willpower, and good mental health, and a solid work-life balance, and good sleep hygiene… well, the list goes on and on. Work with what you got and pivot from where you’re at now.

A Few Goals for 2023

·         A big personal goal is to enter 2024 with less chronic pain than 2023

• Continue daily stretching routine to rehab my back

·         Minimize food waste

·         Learn 5 new recipes

• Learn not just how to make them but how to make them well

·         Eat at least one vegan dinner (butter doesn’t count, right?) each week

• This tends to happen anyway but I’d like it to be intentional

• Currently, we probably eat 2-3 nearly vegan dinners each week

• Keep in mind that, for me, this is not too much of a hardship as I’ve been vegetarian since 2009 

·         Drink more tea

·         Spend more time single-tasking

·         Make a strong effort to spend more time sitting with physical books

·         Continue the good fight in the ongoing effort to limit screen time

·         Organize and submit two larger works in progress

·         Find more income streams and a steady paycheck

~ A few notes on Successes from 2022 Goals!  ~

• Double ONE ART readership

• Publish two chapbooks

• ‘Violet Flame’ was excerpted and reconstructed from the ashes of another text

• ‘Meatless’ I’ve been working on iterations of since 2019

• Interview someone I admire

• Engage in a conversational interview

• Test drive a fun car

• So, weirdly, this did happen… and it turns out that fast cars can be a little bit SCARY to drive (insert awkward laugh). Cool experience. Not something I’m super excited to repeat.

• Spend more days wearing only comfortable clothes.

• This was a little too easy with WFH but it worked out.

• Eat healthier

• A key is limiting the insidious snacks around the household that are hard to avoid digging into when your willpower is down.

~ 2022 Goals that DID NOT work out  ~

1.      Learn how to make decent veggie sushi

a.       Decision: best enjoyed at a restaurant when made fresh for you

2.      Sell one piece of visual art

a.       Turns out, this isn’t something I really needed for myself

3.      Write copy for a major company

a.       Turns out, I have a few more hoops to jump through (ways I need to prove myself) if I want to write fancy ad copy

4.      Spend more time listening to podcasts and audiobooks

a.       Sadly, I’ve spent less time than I’d like enjoying these activities. Sometimes, day to day life makes it difficult to incorporate activities you want to do even if you want to do them. In this case, I’m often simply too tired at night.

5.      Write a book review

a.       Sorry folks, wish I had time to put myself out more in this way. I did write a couple blurbs and hopefully that counts as a good faith attempt and a bit of karma.

6.      Sadly, I missed a month in my long ongoing goal of sending out at least one submission each month. Those who follow ONE ART will not be surprised that my personal writing is very much on the backburner at all times.

7.      Continuing my stretch of ~15 years of a home workout involving daily weightlifting and stretching (intended to maintain basic strength and mobility) came to an end. Not long before this I had to abandon my push-ups routine due to increased wrist problems. After injuring my back, a year later I’m still in the early stages of PT.

8.      Limit screen time

a.       Oof. Epic fail. The algorithms are winning.

So, I said Goals OVER Resolutions but… I’m still a fan of certain types of Resolutions.

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What are your Goals & Resolutions for 2023? How are these informed by your past attempts at forming new Resolutions or Goals? What are your ideas for giving yourself a better chance at success? Please share your thoughts and reflections.