It’s that time of year again when we discuss goals for the New Year. I’m a very goal-oriented person and setting goals motivate me to lean into my purpose and show up as my authentic self. 

So today, I am sharing my eight goals for 2023. I used Powersheets for the first time to help set my goals for the upcoming year. 

I also read the book “The 12 Week Year” to help me rethink how I set goals each year. Both of these principles reminded me that goal execution isn’t a sprint it's a marathon and you have to pace yourself.

Now onto my goals for 2023…

Cultivate a community of new friendships in Atlanta

The pandemic made me more introverted and comfortable with being at home. I work from home full time and there are days when I don’t leave the house. I’m finally starting to get comfortable with getting out more and enjoying things to do in the city. Some friendships have taken a sabbatical during the pandemic and it has been a challenge to get friends together regularly. So I am looking to make new friendships and find a community of like-minded people this year. 

• What does this look like for me in 2023?

  • Find a new church home. I watch church virtually and I’m ready to go back in person. I’m looking for a non-denominational church in Atlanta with a diverse community that is rooted in scripture. 

  • Grab coffee or lunch with a friend at least once a month. 

  • Visit a friend in another city

  • Join a social community in Atlanta

Be intentional about my finances

Many Americans have racked up debt due to the rising costs of inflation and the pandemic. I am one of these individuals. I’ve been focused on paying off my debt for a while and made great strides right before the pandemic. But now I’m back to being laser-focused on paying off my debt and saving more. 

• What does this look like for me in 2023?

  • Stop emotional spending and be intentional about my purchases. 

  • Pay off all medical, auto, IRS loan, credit card debt by the end of 2023. 

  • Master budgeting and keep track of outgoing expenses

  • Meal plan to eliminate excess spending at the grocery store

  • Eat out less

  • Meet with a financial coach once a quarter

  • Find free or low-cost things to do in the city

  • Celebrate pivotal moments in my debt pay-off journey

Deepen my faith and relationship with God

I’m my best self when I’m spiritually connected to God. Earlier today I went back and looked at some old prayer journals. It was amazing to see how when God was at the center of my daily life, I was thriving and the people around me were too. Lately, I’ve been feeling the urge to feel God’s presence. I recently rejoined a small group because I felt the urge to connect with fellow Christians and immerse myself in scripture. 

What does this look like for me in 2023?

• Building a prayer wall

• Prioritizing bible time vs cell phone time in the morning

• Pray boldly

• Finding a new church home

• Reading one spiritual book and one fiction book a month

• Writing in my prayer journal

• Praying for others and not just myself

Continue to grow and evolve my online presence and deepen the relationship with my existing community of followers

I miss blogging and publishing consistent content. This year I want to commit to writing again and publishing new content weekly.

What does this look like for me in 2023?

• Publishing new content at least three times a week. 

• Launch the After Sunday Dinner Cookbook Club

• Only accept paid partnership opportunities or long-term gifting collaborations

• Testing new mediums to engage with my audience (i.e. video, more Tik Toks and IG reels)

• Network with other content creators

Become more organized 

When life gets in the way of daily routines organization gets pushed to the wayside. My house becomes a cluttered mess and my productivity goes down. In 2023, I want to take the stress out of organizing and commit to becoming more organized at home and work.

What does this look like for me in 2023?

• Creating a daily cleaning schedule so that I don’t have to spend my entire weekend doing laundry or cleaning the house

• Get back to using a written planner

• Set better boundaries at work 

• Have a cleaning team come once a quarter to deep clean the home

• Set up a sinking fund for home repairs and expenses

• Using a calendar blocking system to block time for self-care activities

Continue to focus on making health and wellness a priority in my life

If you’ve been following me for several years, you know health and wellness are a priority in my life. Keeping a healthy mind, body and spirit is vital to my overall well-being. When those are in tip-top shape, I remain in remission and I’m the happiest, healthiest, most vibrant version of myself. 

What does this look like for me in 2023?

• Making daily movement a priority

• Taking my dog Pebbles on daily walks outside

• Getting 10k steps a day

• Booking an appointment for my monthly facials

• Trying local workout facilities

• Prioritizing snack time 

• Blocking off stretch time on my work calendar

• Sticking to a morning routine

• Journaling daily

• Finding a new therapist

• Reading at least two books a month

• Meditating and praying daily

• Getting a massage once a quarter

• Sticking to a healthy eating routine

• Speaking positive affirmations into my life daily

• Practicing gratitude daily

• Book an annual solo wellness trip

• Prioritize sleep and aim for eight hours.

Live a life consuming less media

We often spend hours scrolling on our smartphones or glued to the TV. If you are like me you dread getting the weekly alert showing your smartphone usage. In the last few years, I’ve found myself no longer enjoying dramatic reality TV and leaning toward craving educational content. In 2023, I want to cut down my TV time and smartphone usage.

What does this look like for me in 2023?

• Sleep with my phone in a separate room

• Put my phone on Do Not Distrurb during the workday

• Dedicate two nights a week to reading and not watching TV

• Set app limits on my cell phone

• Schedule all blog content in advance

Take up a new hobby once a quarter

There a few hobbies on my list that I want to try or commit to doing again in 2023. 

What does this look like for me in 2023?

• Signing up for swimming lessons. (I’m not a strong swimmer and have several traumatic stories from my childhood that still haunt me to this day)

• Signing up for sewing lessons (My grandmother left me her sewing machine and I want to learn how to sew again)

• Sign up for tennis lessons and join the local tennis league ( I played tennis for years and want to get back to playing the sport)

• Learn how to dance. ( I have two left feet and I’m not coordinated) I’m committed to learning how to dance this year. 

Well those are my goals and action steps for 2023. I ’d love to hear about some of your goals for 2023! Let me know in the comments