Goals for 2023

I don't know if you want to call them New Year Resolutions, but I have been thinking a lot about my goals for the upcoming year. As I mentioned, the culmination of the past several years I've felt like I've lost a bit of myself. I've been in a rut and almost paralyzed by not knowing how to move forward and change things. 

During the last few months of 2022, I spent time reading books and trying to find ways to figure out how to bring myself back, so to speak. So I've declared that 2023 will be the year I figure out who I am, not only as a mother, but an individual. I want to prioritize myself so that I can show up as the best version of me for my family. 

On one hand it can be overwhelming to put pen to paper with a big list of goals, but it can also help keep us accountable. I think that creating habits (using methods from the book Atomic Habits, which I loved) will help set me up for success. I know that no one is stopping me from reaching my goals except me. No one is going to come do the work for me, and in a year from now I will be so proud of myself for following through. 

So without further ado, here are my goals for 2023 - 

Prioritize my health - I'm 37 now, and I'm realizing how important my health is. I want to be here for a long time for my kids and my family. Since I became pregnant with Jack & Charlie, I basically gave up on my health. Besides walks, very limited exercise besides bursts of motivation for a week or two throughout the year. And while pumping late nights, I made snacking habits that I have continued with now 6 months since I've stopped breastfeeding. Beyond my weight being the highest it's been, I am mostly concerned with feeling better. I know the benefits of weight loss will be rewarding, but I'm most looking forward to feeling better. More energy, better skin, sleeping better, improved mood. All of which will make me a better Mom. 

Positive Self Talk - I have always struggled with putting myself down and having low self esteem. I know a lot of that has to do with the way I think about, and talk about myself. I want to focus on affirmations, learning to love myself, and believe in myself. I think it will have profound effects on so many aspects of my life. And I want my boys to remember a joyful, happy mom. 

Parenting -  I want to continue to grow as a parent and prioritize the best way to show up for our boys. I spend a lot of time reading and learning about gentle parenting; how to react during those difficult moments of frustration, reminding myself to have realistic expectations for their behavior, and generally how to not totally screw up my kids lol. But I know I have room for improvement. And I'd specifically like to read more about raising boys to be respectful, empathetic, and kind humans. 

Nurture our marriage - I'd like to make more time for Andrew and I, prioritize date nights and putting our relationship first. 

Back to blogging - Stop letting fear hold me back and chase my dreams. I have big goals and I am working on creating systems to help make sure I follow through. 

Home - Since Jack and Charlie were only 5 weeks when we moved to our home, it took literally a year to even finish unpacking and start to organize. Many walls remain empty and while we made huge improvements last year outside with our front yard landscaping and exterior paint, inside it doesn't feel cozy to me. I'd like to make our house feel like home, and on a budget! 

Simplify home - On that same note, I want to simplify, declutter and organize our house. We're in a stage with a lot of toys and things, but I know we can find a better way to organize it so it feels less chaotic. I read about how your space being messy can make anxiety and overwhelm worse, and I know that is the case with our home. When it's clean and tidy I can literally feel the difference. I want to simplify and get rid of A LOT of stuff so it feels easier to maintain, and I think it will help the kids feel less overwhelmed with all the toys and they may play more independently. 

Photos - I take a million photos, I have something like 70,000 pictures on my phone. I desperately need to prioritize my photo storage and organization. I also want to catch up on photo books so all these memories are tangible and will stand the test of time. Already the boys love looking at old photo books and sadly I haven't made a single one since Jack and Charlie were born! 

Less TV - Andrew and I tend to watch a lot of TV in the evenings. And while I love that time and relaxing after the chaos of the 4-7pm witching hour, I know there is better use of that time. The feeling of accomplishment will far outweigh the few hours of watching TV and mindlessly scrolling my phone. 

Read - I want to start reading before bed again. These days I get into bed too late after watching TV. I've been doing a lot of audio books, but I'd like to make time for reading more fiction before bed.

Atomic habits - As mentioned, I read this book (twice) and I want to implement a lot of the tools so that I can successfully achieve these goals. 

So, here's to 2023. May it be the year I fall in love with myself, the journey and all the little moments life has to offer.