Reflecting on 2023 and Looking Ahead to 2024
2023 Recap, Focus Words, and What's In/Out for 2024
Happy New Year, friends! This week I’m giving a recap of our 2023 and sharing my 2024 focus words and what’s in/out for 2024.
2023 Recap
2023 was the year we started dreaming of what we want our rich life to be (inspired by Ramit Sethi’s book and Netflix show). We celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary and started planning for our celebratory getaway, which had to be postponed to 2024 because of crazy work schedules. We traveled to New Orleans and the Outer Banks. We spent time with friends and family.
Thanks to our new coffee machine, our coffee snobbery reached new heights, and we’re having fun trying different beans from our favorite roasters. Bryan started working out with a personal trainer. I wrote a lot (both for this newsletter and dabbling in copywriting), started reading more fiction, got back into DIY projects, and found other fun ways to get creative. We enjoyed frequent visits from our bunny friend, Gilbert. We got new, friendly neighbors with a sweet dog named Appa who desperately wants to be Della’s friend. She’s still a bit overwhelmed by his big puppy energy, but we’re making progress. :)
What were your highlights this year? Tell me in the comments!
My Focus Words for 2024
Connection, Health, Love, Purpose. You know those word jumble memes that you see on Instagram that say, “The first 4 words you see will be your mantra for 2024”? Yep, that’s where I got my words, and I’m not ashamed to say it. At first I resisted and wanted to come up with something of my own, but my intuition knew immediately that those words resonated for how I want my year to look. So there it is! I’m always learning that my intuition speaks to me in unexpected ways, and this is no exception. It’s a reminder to let things be fun and easy sometimes.
Do you have focus words, intentions, or resolutions?
In/Out for 2024
In: Wholeness / Out: Compartmentalizing
This year I experimented with different formats for 13 Things Thursday, with separate sections for personal/life stuff and tarot/spirituality. I’ve decided to combine everything into one big post again, but may occasionally have 13 Things Themes on the same topic. Since those things are all very much a part of who I am, it seems silly to separate them. Plus, the formatting was a pain in the butt, and I’m all about incorporating more ease where I can.
In: Feng Shui / Out: Energy-Draining Chaos
Since my (in) my sanctuary reading with Kate last year, I’ve been learning about how energy flows in our spaces and using Feng Shui principles to bring balance. While some things feel very intuitive to me, I was surprised to learn about others. For example, I now close my toilet lids after every use so I’m not flushing away my energy/dreams. It’s more sanitary, too, so there’s that. :) I recently rearranged my home office to put my desk in the “command position” rather than having my back facing the door, and it feels so much better! I’m having fun experimenting and incorporating little changes as I go to make our home feel more peaceful and better reflect us and our style.
In: Regular Decluttering / Out: Keeping Stuff “Just In Case”
On a similar note, I’d like to re-commit to a regular decluttering practice. Back in 2020/2021 when we were stuck at home a lot and in a smaller space, I went on a massive spree. I could just feel the chaotic energy of our stuff, and it stressed me out because we were around it all the time. Clearing and organizing really helped with the moving process, and I know how much better I feel when I have less inventory to manage. Now that we’re in a bigger home, it’s easy to accumulate more without realizing it. I’m always reminding myself that just because I have the space doesn’t mean I have to fill it. Here are some questions I keep in mind when deciding whether to keep something:
Is there a specific use that I see needing this for, even if it’s more than a year from now?
If I did need this thing, would I know where to find it, or would I go out and buy another one not knowing I already had it?
Can it be easily or inexpensively replaced if I happened to get rid of it and did need it years from now?
Is it more stressful to keep this thing and have more inventory to manage, or get rid of it knowing I might need it later?
In: Personal Style / Out: Trends
In keeping with the above theme, I already have garbage bags full of clothes that I don’t wear anymore that I literally just need to throw in the car and take to Goodwill. I’m gradually making more space for clothing that makes me feel good and fits my body and personal style. While I might incorporate a few trendy pieces here and there, my style is pretty consistent, with a lot of bold colors, funky prints, and some classic neutrals thrown in for balance.
I’m keeping this in mind with home decor and Feng Shui, too. While there’s lots of pictures out there of what dream homes look like, I’m learning what our style is and leaning into that vs. what you see in all the home improvement magazines.
In: Mindful Consumption / Out: Buying All New All the Time
I definitely struggle with this, but it’s a habit I’d like to start building. It’s so easy to go straight to Amazon and buy everything new, but I want to experiment with curbing that initial impulse. Before I purchase something, I’ll start by asking myself: Can I get this secondhand instead? Then I’ll search local thrift stores and other online sources for gently used items that meet my needs. I’m hoping this will be better for the environment and my wallet.
In: Directing Money to What I Love / Out: Mindless Spending
I recently read an article from the Skimm Money newsletter called 5 Ways to Save Money (That Have Nothing to Do With Money), and it was super helpful. A couple stood out to me:
Decluttering, because there’s nothing like seeing how much crap you already have to make you not want to buy more
Going to bed earlier and putting your phone away sooner so you’re not making frivolous purchases late at night when your impulse control is low
There are lots of other great tips, but it’s so helpful to recognize our triggers that contribute to making mindless, less-than-ideal decisions. With less mindless purchases, we can spend more on other things we want, like travel, experiences, and home improvements.
In: Listening to My Intuition / Out: Following Everyone Else’s Advice
This applies for a lot of things: wellness advice, career, life choices. While I think it’s great to seek wise counsel and hear different perspectives, ultimately the final decision is mine. My challenge is resisting the urge to “go along to get along” and do the things I “should” do to make everyone happy or not rock the boat.
What’s your in/out for 2024? Do any of these resonate with you?
All great goals to aspire to in the New Year!
I make take some of your great ideas & try them myself❤️