What’s in store for 2024?
Well, we did it…we survived 2023! Hopefully, you thrived through at least parts of it. The beginning of a new year inspires introspection for many of us…either looking back to evaluate the past year or looking forward to what we hope to accomplish in the new year…perhaps both.
I long ago gave up New Year’s Resolutions, but I still want to be intentional about my growth from year to year. I have tried a number of alternatives: Seasonal Bucket Lists, Words of the Year, and New Year’s Rejections, to name a few.
For 2024, I have decided to go with monthly goals related to each of my four core values:
- Health and fitness
- Joy
- Learning and growth
- Relationships
January’s goals
So here are my goals for January. To create accountability, I plan to share the results at the end of each month; at which time, I will also share my goals for the following month.
Health and fitness
I actually chose two in this area, simply because two of the health-related things I want to do this year happen to fall in January.
1. Complete Yoga with Adriene’s FLOW, a 30-day yoga journey. This goal consists of doing a short (approximately 20-minute) daily yoga session available on the Yoga with Adriene YouTube channel. This will be my third year participating in Adriene’s annual yoga journey.
2. Sign up for and begin the Orangetheory Fitness Transformation Challenge. In short, the Transformation Challenge is an 8-week event designed to help you lose body fat and gain muscle. You take an in-body scan before the event and another at the end to determine your results. This is also a repeat challenge for me. I participated in my first Transformation Challenge in February of 2018 and have done it several times since then.
Joy
Make preliminary plans with my husband for our next travel adventure. We nearly always have a trip on the calendar, but we don’t right now, and I’d like to remedy that. I’m thinking maybe the Grand Canyon or Mount Rushmore. I’ve never been to either and have always wanted to see them.
Learning and growth
Experience something new closer to home. In other words, go some place or see something I’ve never seen in my own hometown.
Relationships
Celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary with my husband. This is kind of a given, since we would do this even without specifically setting a goal, but since I set two goals in the health and fitness category, I’m giving myself a pass on this one. I will, however, make the goal to be mindful about our celebration and deeply appreciate the 25 years we have enjoyed together so far.
Your turn
So that’s what I have planned for the first month of 2024. What about you…
- Do you have a resolution, Word of the Year, or other intention for 2024? If so, what is it?
- Have you been to the Grand Canyon or Mount Rushmore? If so, was it worth the trip?
- What else is on your mind? Anything at all; I just love to hear from you.
Feature image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Hi Christie – I like your monthly list idea, but for me it’s still too much to try to tick off – then I get the failure vibe happening (I’m such an oldest child!) I’ve stuck with my Word of the Year again this year – a little inspiration, but no pressure 🙂
Have a great 2024 and enjoy celebrating your anniversary – ours is in February. x
I can relate to the danger of monthly goals becoming items to tick off, Leanne. I have to watch out for that too. This method does remind me to be sure I am spending time on the things that are most important to me, and not letting the days get away from me. There’s a chance I will change my method before the end of the year. We shall see. I will be heading over to your site soon to learn about your 2024 Word of the Year. Happy 2024!
I am choosing… “choice” words!
Relating to me taking charge of me mostly!
Loved reading yours.
Happy New Year!
Denyse x
That sounds like a wonderful idea, Denyse. Happy New Year to you too!
I’ve been choosing a word of the year for a while – sometimes it’s a hit, other times it’s been a big miss – so I’d been considering other options when my coach talked about an exercise called the 7 Layers Shift.
My opening question was “to be the best version of myself in 2024, I need to… ” then you incorporate your answer into the next question, asking again what “I need to…” until you’ve got 7 answers – it’s that 7th answer which is the charm. For example, my first level answer was “I need to have more joy from my work” while my 7th level answer was “I need to work every day on myself and my confidence”. Of course, the opening question changes to suit the scenario. I rather like it, so plan to use it throughout this year.
I like that method, Debs. I may find that useful in choosing some of my monthly goals. I can see myself saying, “To be the healthiest version of myself, I want to…this month.” Thanks for the inspiration!
Christie, I like your idea of setting goals relative to your values. It was smart to do this monthly and not annually. I find that breaking things down into small bites always works better, as will holding yourself publically accountable. I look forward to following your progress.
I don’t choose a WOTY, but I make a conscious effort to maintain balance in my life, which is much like what you are doing, but without a physical list of goals. Like you, I need something to look forward to (travel), attention to health & fitness, interaction with friends, family time, and downtime. Sprinkle in a healthy dose of gratitude and positivity and the path to contentment seems achievable.
It sounds like you’ve got solid perimeters for a well-balanced life, Suzanne. And I love that your end goal is contentment, rather than something achievement- or activity-based. Here’s to a year full of gratitude and contentment!
I’m trying for one percent. I know that sounds weird, but instead of being stymied by so much to do all of the time and feeling like I’m drowning, I’ve set out to do just one percent of whatever it is I’m focused on for the day. Often that’s just enough to get me to do a little more! Mona
Not weird at all, Mona. I think it’s genius! I’ve found that sometimes those small goals are just what I need to encourage me to start and to build confidence, and like you pointed out, starting is half the battle. Once you get going, momentum often builds. Here’s to a 2024 that one percent more of whatever you want!
I was thinking on a WOTY and then nothing settled in that felt right. So I’m sticking with my retirement lifestyle vision statement (which still does feel right) and my positivity practices. But I’m looking forward to hearing how everyone’s WOTY picks play out.
I have been to both the Grand Canyon and Mt Rushmore and they are both worth visiting! I was surprised I liked Mt Rushmore as much as I did. The Crazy Horse Memorial is in the same area, so swing by that as well. Also more impressive than I expected. Grand Canyon and Mt Rushmore are totally different experiences – one nature’s work, the other human’s!
Good choice, Pat, to go with the method that feels right for you. That was my decision as well when I went with small monthly goals. I will likely do a WOTY again in the future, as it has worked out well for me in previous years.
Thanks for the input on the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. I definitely want to see them all in the next couple of years…maybe one this year and one next year…or if I get really motivated, I could visit both areas in one year. The joys of retirement!
I have also chosen:
1. Health and Fitness
2. Travel
3. Friendships
Health and Fitness
I have been working with a Medical Fitness Coach as I had recently been diagnosed with Osteoporosis and wanted to make sure that all the exercises I was doing were medically save.
Travel
My husband and I usually have a travel plan as well by January, but recently went to Mazatlan at the end of October and November. It was an emotionally challenging holiday and I have to say it kinda derailed us! I would definitely also love to go to the Grand Canyon. So hopefully Christie (and Larry) we can make that happen as it is always great to spend time with friends……
Hi Patti! I love your areas of focus for this year. I’m glad to here that you are benefiting from the medical fitness coach and hopeful that the exercises will help with your bone strength. The Mazatlan trip was definitely challenging and not what we all expected. Larry and I are looking forward to your visit this year, and it would be pretty cool if we could combine it with a trip to the Grand Canyon. Let’s look into that. Here’s to a year full of health, travel, and friendships!