My 2023 Goals

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I LOVE this time of year! I’ve been planning goals each year for as long as I can remember. In elementary, I made a list of goals before school started each year, and one year, I remember making it a goal to “be weird”. I wanted to be different and not predictable. I’m sure I have my inner nerd and being a twin to thank for wanting to be unique!

Here’s a look through the past 10 years: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. It’s wild to see what has changed in my life in 10 years! God has been at work in ways I don’t even realize until I look back. 

Today, I’m sharing my 8 goals for 2023. Someone mentioned on Instagram that they love to see the verses I incorporate for each goal and possible obstacles, so I’m sharing those again, too! I’ve intentionally listed only the references instead of the verse written out. Pull out your Bible or hop online to dig in!!

Ok, now here are my goals for 2022! 

GOAL 1. Successfully complete RTN Group Coaching Program

I have tried several different programs over the past two years, taken more supplements than I care to admit and tried so many things. This program is all about natural foods and little to no supplements. The goal is specifically to help with thyroid issues. I’ve been keeping up with Josh and Jeanne’s content for a while now and decided this was the perfect time to try this. 

• Schedule time to accomplish tasks each week 
• Buy necessary resources (keyword: necessary!) 
• Plan meals weekly
• Watch videos on time 
• Follow through with instructions 
• Write down daily goals and track 

Verses: Hebrews 12:11, Romans 12:1

Possible roadblocks & how to combat them:

• Not planning time for me to prepare food – Don’t pick up phone before Quiet Time
• Neglecting self-care because so much depends on me, letting myself get rundown and not useful – Schedule time each week for self-care and budget for it

How I will delight in the process: 

• Enjoy new foods – Shoot for 30 different types every week 
• Make food prep fun and something I look forward to each week (i.e. audiobooks I only listen to during food prep)
• Be grateful as I eat nourishing foods without expecting them to instantly heal me

GOAL 2.  Speak Tyler, Vivi and Vana’s love languages

My three people are so very different. I spend a lot of time loving them, but often in ways I know I would feel loved. I want to love them more in ways they feel most loved. 

• Read the books 
• Write down their love language 
• Write down ways to express it
• Act on it 
• Check in weekly 

Verses: Ephesians 4:29, Proverbs 18:21, Proverbs 15:1, Psalm 127:3, Romans 12:10, Colossians 4:6, Ephesians 6:4

Possible roadblocks & how to combat them:

• Forgetting to write notes. I always think about it at night in bed, but mornings are rushed – Solution: A notepad in my nightstand to write notes at night and stick in their lunchboxes in the morning

How I will delight in the process: 

• Celebrate little wins even when I fail some. Keep a note on my phone of fun ways I show love. 
• Looking intently at each of them with love. (This sounds so small, but last night, having one of our late night chats, I was just so captivated with Vana’s beauty and it made me extra grateful for the moment.)

GOAL 3.  Create good sleep habits

Sleep is so important to overall health. In my mind, I sleep a solid 7 ½ hours every night, but when I do the real math, it’s less most nights. I find myself LOVING the late night lately, which is not like me at all. I think if I put a little effort into good quality and quantity sleep, it would do wonders for me!

• Research good sleep habits
• Modify my nightly routine and update Routinery app
• Sleep 7.5-8 hours nightly 

Verses: Psalm 3:5, Psalm 4:3, Psalm 127:2

Possible roadblocks & how to combat them:

• Wanting to stay up late – Use a timer on my iPad to go off when it’s time for my night routine
• Phone – Put in Aro box before dinner

How I will delight in the process: 

• Remember that the fact that I CAN sleep more is a privilege and a blessing that me with a newborn would have killed for.  
• Make our room a sanctuary. Turn down room before dinner, diffuse Anxiety Ease oil. Make it a comfortable place.
• Enjoy porch time during sunrise (helps with circadian rhythms) with gratitude journal and fun, healthy, hot elixir. 
• Listen to audio book when doing red light therapy. 

GOAL 4. Do 3-Month Contentment Challenge

I need a spending break! Last year was expensive. Between mold remediation, new appliances (because everything in our house is falling like dominos), health tests and a month of travel, spending snowballed. I did this challenge years ago and it’s amazing the headspace gained when you realize you can’t purchase that cool new thing you saw on Amazon or that book someone just shared.

• Find Contentment Challenge PDF/devo
• Don’t spend. 🙂 

Verses: 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-18, Hebrews 13:5, Philippians 4:11-12,

Possible roadblocks & how to combat them:

• Thinking I really need something – Run these by someone who could keep me accountable
• Forgetting I’m doing the challenge – Review goals in the morning for a reminder

How I will delight in the process: 

• Savings board. Figure out the average of what we spend a day and each no spend day, have a fun little way to mark the savings. 
• Give money away. 
• Rejoice in not spending my time shopping online, unboxing, recycling boxes, re-boxing and returning. 

GOAL 5. Re-read 10 favorite books

There are several books that have really impacted me over the years! I’d love to revisit them! I’ll share the list of 10 in tomorrow’s books I’m interested in reading in 2023! It’s over 50! 🙈

• Pick one-ish a month to read while adding new books.

Verses: 1 Corinthians 10:31, Philippians 4:8, Proverbs 18:15

Possible roadblocks & how to combat them:

• Choosing an episode of Seinfeld at night instead of a book – No screen time after 8 PM
• Getting bored if I remember it better than I think – Skim highlights or don’t be afraid to skip around

How I will delight in the process: 

• Reading is something I already delight in so this will be easy! 
• I want to put a post-it in each book for the top 2-3  things I want to remember. 

GOAL 6. Hire a shop manager and integrate them well into the team

We thought we had found a shop manager but the search continues (more of that story here)! We are praying for someone hungry, humble, and smart with a heart for ministry and behind the scenes. If you live in Lafayette or know someone who’d be interested in a part-time job with loads of purpose and fellowship with female believers, click here to check out the position! 

• Pray for God’s will and continued clarity 
• Re-share application info
• Interview candidates 
• Hire and integrate well
• Team retreat!! 

Verses: 1 Corinthians 3:7, Ephesians 2:10, Ephesians 3:20. Colossians 3:23

Possible roadblocks & how to combat them:

• Not finding anyone – utilize the wonderful part-time helpers we’ve had the last few months and be grateful we made it through the holiday season. 😜

How I will delight in the process: 

• As I’m shipping, take notes that will help optimize this position. It’s been so long since I personally shipped, this has been a great opportunity to revisit things we are doing and look for ways to improve. 
• Enjoy more time in the office with one of my closest friends, Hannah, who we rent from, as well as our part-time help! We genuinely have had so much fun the past few months. 
• Enjoy working with my hands (it really is a rewarding job!)
• Enjoy having time to listen to audio books. 

GOAL 7. Laugh more, complain less.

Y’all, I’m a complainer. I think we all like to assume we aren’t, don’t we? But I am. I like things the way I like ‘em, and unfortunately, it’s rubbing off on two very impressionable girls. I hope to lead by example and infuse our home with more joy and flexibility and less complaining. 

• Find light-hearted moments
• Enjoy story-telling from others 
• Actually laugh when I’m watching a comedy and I think something is funny

Verses: Proverbs 17:22, Philippians 2:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Ephesians 4:29, Romans 12:2, Exodus 6:8

Possible roadblocks & how to combat them:

• Health feeling off – It doesn’t have to be high-octane fun. It can just be restful if I’m having an off day. 
• Whiny girls that break me down – To say I’ll never feel overwhelmed by their whines isn’t realistic, but when it happens, I can let my words be few and not add to it. 

How I will delight in the process: 

• Give grace to myself when I don’t do this well. Shame isn’t helpful. 
• Make space for more whimsy. We’re already doing this in small ways and I’m already laughing more!

GOAL 8. Pivot Val Marie Paper

The last two years have been a lot of coasting. I hate saying that, but after 2020, writing over 150,000 words in one year, and a shipping season from hell, I burnt out and got myself sick. Those health issues have kept me down and distracted since then, and when it was finally letting up, I took over the shipping. Needless to say, I’m excited for 2023 and have felt so re-inspired for the work I do and what we can do through VMP in the future.  

• Experiment with marketing 
• Work on writing as a craft 
• Connect with influencers that align with our mission
• Host a Led, Not Driven bookclub
• Experiment with new offerings and products
• Expand our team (This might sound strange but I’m very open to bringing on new skills to our team. If you do something that you think could be a good fit, email us!) 

Verses: Proverbs 23:4, Proverbs 14:15, Proverbs 28:19, Luke 16:10, Psalm 127:2, Proverbs 16:9

Possible roadblocks & how to combat them:

• Phone distractions during work time – Put in Aro Box
• Not planning weeks ahead – Have batch days, so even if I can’t plan, I know what to focus on for that day.  

How I will delight in the process: 

• Give fun names to different types of work sessions 
• Call things experiments. It takes the pressure off something to perform perfectly. We’re testing things out this year!

There you have it! My goals for 2023! I’d love to hear in the comments what a goal you have for next year is! And if you share a blog post with your goals, definitely leave a link for us goal nerds to go check out! 🙂

COMING UP NEXT: 50 Books in 2023

MISSED THESE?:

My 2023 Word: Delight (in the process)
2022 Life Changers
What I read in 2022
2022 Goals Recap
2022 Answered Prayers