It’s time for new beginnings and to have a fresh start!
I want to go into 2023 with a positive mindset, healthy habits, and a healthier lifestyle all in. To hold myself accountable, I have made this blog post where I will be sharing with you all my goals and aspirations for 2023 and why I would like to achieve each goal.
Read More
At the beginning of 2022, I fell back in love with reading books. In particular, I loved to read whilst on holiday such as on the plane or by the pool, I found it a great way to fill time. When I returned from my holiday I continued my reading habits reading before bed and into the night. Since the year has gone on, I have gotten a bit lazy with reading and started listening to ebooks instead of physically sitting down to read.
Read More
In 2023, I want to fall back in love with reading, I have a long list of books that I can't wait to get into so going into the new year is the perfect excuse to do so. There is one book in particular that I think would be a great read to get into the 'new year new me' mindset, and it is Atomic Habits by James Clear which is a book about building good habits and breaking bad ones.
Healthier Eating
2022 consisted of a whole lot of takeaways and eating out sessions, which I for one am definitely not complaining about- but maybe my body is? In 2023 I want to cut down on takeaways and in return make homemade meals instead. I really want to set myself a goal of trying at least one new recipe a month- so if anyone has any recommendations please let me know.
My boyfriend and I have set a goal of no takeaways the whole of January, which hopefully we can stick to, and then in the months following we can make something a bit more realistic! such as one a week or one every two weeks, which is a huge improvement from before.
2023 will consist of healthier eating and a whole lot less Mcdonald's! (whether I like it or not).
Affirmations
This year I really want to implement affirmations into my daily life. If you are unsure of what an affirmation is, an affirmation is basically a positive statement that can help with achieving target goals and breaking free from the harsh reality of things. Here are a few simple examples-
"I am worthy"
"I find something to love about myself every single day"
"I expect good news today"
"Confidence flows through me"
In other words, affirmations are statements that you manifest to come true, and in 2023 I would like to start using these a lot more frequently. I am going to use a random affirmation generator, and use whatever it generates as my affirmation of the week. I will write this down on my weekly to-do list, on my planner, on a sticky note on my dresser, and even set it as my lock screen to remind myself of that daily. This helps put things into perspective and helps me practice positivity and self-worth.
Gym More
If you have a desk job like mine, which requires you to sit for hours, getting movement throughout the day can be difficult, but it is essential to move your body as much as possible!
In the months August-November, I was doing so well with the gym and working out, but as December crept in and the cold dark nights, I have since fallen away from it. In 2023 I want to get back into the gym and work out twice a week. In August, I started a BootCamp class which really made me stick to working out 3 times a week, so I think it would be good for me to rejoin the class again for 6 weeks to get back into the swing of things and then start going back to my local gym twice a week.
I have a friend from work who is really big on the gym and training, so she is a great motivation for me. In 2023 I will tag along with her a bunch more and try to tone my body up and gain more strength while she helps me with workouts and using the equipment properly.
Continue blogging
An obvious goal that I hope I do not stray away from this year, is of course blogging! Blogging helps me relax and gives me a sense of escape from reality. It helps me put my mind at ease as I can get all of my thoughts out of my head and down onto paper for others to read and relate to.
In 2023 I can't wait to keep blogging and writing, I'm sure I will have lots of new and exciting posts planned for you next year and I hope to keep growing my blog to new viewers and followers on my Instagram.
Spend less. Save More
It is no secret that I am a big spender when it comes to treating myself and buying myself what I want. If I see something I like, 9 times out of 10 I will go buy myself it as I think life is too short to worry and stress about money. Whilst this is a great mindset to have, and is great that I can do this- I do have to be mindful of saving for my future.
In 2023 my biggest goal is for me and my boyfriend to buy our first home together, don't get me wrong I have been saving for this and have money put by and so does he, but when I think of silly little impulse buys that I sometimes do I do think that that money could have been put into my savings instead of spent on something I will wear once.
Since October, I have actually made a money tracking spreadsheet on my laptop which allows me to see what I spent most y money on that month and allows me to track every bank transaction I make- which is actually super useful for tracking my spending and seeing where my biggest downfalls are- (food!!!).
In 2023 I want to be a lot more mindful of my spending, and anything I buy for myself I will ask myself if I really need it, if is it worth the money, and if I can I get it cheaper elsewhere.
Daily Journaling
In 2023 I would really like to keep daily notes of what I was grateful for each day, my low of the day, and my high of the day. I am not quite sure yet how I can go about this, I may just buy a journal that I can write in every night, or maybe an app on my phone. I have still to decide- but I know this is something that I can benefit from.
This can be useful as it allows you to practice gratitude and shows that you should always be grateful no matter what. This will also allow you to see little things that made your day each day that you can look back on and remind yourself of, as well as the silly little things that put a downer on your day that may have seemed huge then, but looking back this will put it into perspective that it was no big deal and there are bigger issues in the world.
Be more productive
In 2023 I want to be a lot more productive. Like everyone else in the world, I am addicted to TikTok to the point I can scroll for hours on end, and before I know it almost a whole day has passed. Although I know I will never give up TikTok altogether, I definitely want to limit my screen time and the amount of time I spend on my phone.
My boyfriend and I love to go walks around my local park, and I would definitely like to do a lot more walks in 2023 as it really does make you feel a lot more productive and fresh being outdoors. Instead of meeting friends for lunch or dinner, I am going to try instead going out for walks with friends and finding new walking routes that I can go on inevitably saving money and being more productive in one. I can't guarantee I won't have to buy a coffee to walk around the park with though!!
Take Daily Vitamins
One thing my gran always lectures me about is taking my daily vitamins, which I can go through phases of being really good at and then phases forgetting all about taking them. I like to take vitamin C, Vitamin D, and a hair-burst vitamin every morning before heading out... If I remember that is.
In 2023 I want to be fully consistent with taking my vitamins in order to optimize my health the best I can. Vitamins have so many benefits, such as keeping your skin clear, hair and nails healthy, and keeping everything in working order- as well as lowering your chance of catching viruses!
I am going to invest in a new little pill container that is easily compactable for when I go on overnights and stay with my boyfriend at the weekends, so I have no excuse to forget to take my vitamins and never forget a day.
Develop a Skin Care Routine
One thing I would say I am not very good at, or have never been very good at is having a proper ritual skincare routine. I have all the fancy products that I see recommended and advertised everywhere, but I am just not very good at using them consistently!
Every night I just find myself reaching for the first moisturizer I find in my drawer and calling it a night- which is absolutely fine and to be fair has seemed to work for me as my skin actually is absolutely fine and I am lucky that I barely get any breakouts- but I would love to have a proper routine that I can stick to throughout the year, I will let you know how I get on with that!