2023 started off full of promise, projects, and possibilities. The first six months of the year flowed smoothly. Then, I hit a speed bump in July, thus beginning my season of sorrow and the reason I have not posted anything in the last six months. That story will be told another day.
Today is the day to reflect on my 23 for 2023 list! I chose CREATE as my word for 2023, and for the most part, it worked well with the aims I accomplished on my 23 for 2023 List. I completed nine items and started three items on my list this year.
- Schedule dental appointment (implant crown). YES (February; implant process complete)
- Buy myself flowers quarterly. YES (last quarter flowers in picture above)
- Buy a new vacuum cleaner. YES (Dyson…I love it!)
- Buy two white bookcases for office. YES (I bought four.)
- Buy a book cart. NO (suffering from decision fatigue)
- Deal with digital clutter. (email, photos, documents). STARTED (still have lots to declutter)
- Organize home office. YES
- Organize home library. NO (need more bookcases; bought one for livingroom)
- Write my personal manifesto. NO (never thought about it)
- Write a will. NO (dragging my feet)
- Scrapbook monthly. NO (only at annual June event with girlfriends)
- Complete Year of Gratitude scrapbook. NO (sadly)
- Learn StreamYard to host sprints on my YouTube channel. YES (now host weekly sprints on Wednesdays)
- Host two Readathons on my YouTube channel (February/May). YES (Folklore February – February and Zombiethon – May)
- Read 23 Books that I did not get to in 2022. STARTED (only read 9 books and 1 novella from my 23 Books in 2023 List)
- Have a Year of Christie (Agatha Christie). YES (love reading Agatha Christie stories)
- Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. NO (attempted in June, but too overwhelmed)
- Read The Galveston Diet by Mary Claire Haver, M.D. NO (on hold after seeing new cardiologist)
- Revisit Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin. NO (no time)
- Read Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam. YES (really enjoyed it and participated in project)
- Complete Becky Higgins Classroom: Photo Tips + Work Flow. STARTED (need to finish in 2024)
- Complete the WordPress Blogging course. NO (disappointed; maybe try again in 2024)
- Update theme (layout) for blog. NO (still suffering from decision fatigue; disappointed; maybe try again in 2024 )
In addition, I participated in two reading projects which I am still participating in one of them (Goodreads) until the end of today because I am hoping I can finish the book I am currently reading by bedtime. I joined the Goodreads Challenge again and set my goal to read 75 books in 2023. I reached my Goodreads goal back in September and hope to complete 95 books this year. I also read 6 terrific books with members of my Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club. Sadly, the book club has been on hiatus since the fall, and I am not sure what its future will be in the upcoming year.
I participated in three book clubs on a regular basis throughout 2023. They are the FOMO Book Club, the Middle Grade March Book Club, and the Cozy Cottage Book Club. I read some fantastic books and attended some enjoyable meetings with wonderful discussions. I plan to continue participating in these book clubs in 2024.
I participated in Collabs with Kelsi, participated in Frugal February, and created birthday videos for most of my family/friends for my Birthday Message Project. Circumstances out of my control prevented me from creating videos for everyone this year, so I may consider creating birthday videos for those peeps I missed in 2024. Finally, I did not keep a TA-DA list for 2023. If I can wrangle up some time to create one in the near future, I will do it and publish it in January. I would like to acknowledge my wins this year. The only other extra project, where I was not consistent, was #Outside23in23. I am disappointed that I did not do better with this project, but I did not make it a priority.
Overall, I think I did okay with my 23 for 2023 list considering the turmoil that entered my life in the second half of this year. I could never have predicted that I would be ending the year in a season of sorrow. Sadly, I will still be in this season starting 2024.
Currently, I am thinking about my one-word theme for 2024. As soon as I settle on one, I will start creating my 24 for 2024 List. January will be a month of wrapping up loose ends from 2023 and planning for 2024 since I did not have the time I usually have in December to wrap up the current year and plan for the upcoming year. How did you do with your goals in 2023, dear reader? Happiness!
“When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. When life is bitter, say thank you and grow.” ~ Shauna Niequist
The Kat Files 