Every December I end the year with a review of the past twelve months. I also then lay out my vision for the coming new year. Basically trying to start January with a New year, New me thing. After all, this whole website is about setting and achieving goals. Now that I have passed the halfway point for my list, it s time to buckle done and get tasks completed.
But this year I have come furnished with facts and figures.
After playing around with an online pie chart maker, I calculated that I have completed 24% of my Kettle List,. Even more impressive is that a whopping 10% of that was achieved in 2022.
How am I going to top that in 2023?
Setting my New Year goals
Each year I select a few goals from my Kettle List, my 40 x 40, and the Bristol Bucket List. Not too many as to be unachievable, and not so few as to be of no challenge. at all.
For 2023, I have chosen 10.
Some of these are to be worked towards, rather than completed, but every step in the right direction gets you closer to where you need to be.
Plus, there may also be opportunities to tick off some goals without even planning too much, so everything to play for in 2023!
From the Kettle List
I am going to apply for my Japanese N5 exam
This is something I have been intending to do for a while. However, ‘Covid stopped play’, as it were, and the exams had been cancelled for a few years. Last year, as so many people are obviously trying to get in their certification, I didn’t get a place in the exam. Hopefully, this December I will get in.
Then I just need to pass it…
While many people sign up for the gym in January and then drop off as the year progresses, I have managed to attend weekly since joining. I don’t really have the time at the moment to attend more often, but once the days become lighter, I won’t mind being out a bit later.
This task links in with a few others on the list. Getting flexible is a task in and of itself, but I also want to get fit as I need to complete my virtual channel swim, get cycling (perhaps at the gym on their bikes?) and lose the stone I originally wanted to lose back in 2016 when I started this.
Fitness will also be helpful as I have once again signed up for the Tough Mudder – and this year Ethan is joining me.
Complete my TEFL
Why have I not completed this yet! I have, once again, paid for an extension and only need to complete the coursework. All I need to do is sit down and get it done. Perhaps my issues with procrastination are a subject for a future post.
Work on my book
My January task was to specifically create a chapter plan for my new book. Now I need to write one chapter per month. I have pencilled writing time into my diary – which seems unnaturally full this year, for February – and I will be getting on with making my book take shape.
Other posts you may like
Get your life on track with these 4 easy tips
The Power of Lists
Motivating yourself – 5 tips to get your started
Start work on the Thompson Quilt
While I have planned this one a number of times, I have yet to put needle to cloth, as it were. The plan had originally been to create squares which each represented a year in the life of the family Thompson. This task seems a little strange now that I’m single, but I still think it will be a nice heritage piece.
Perhaps I will rename it. Not sure that there is a synonym for quilt beginning with P, but Harri used to call her blanket a bolly when she was little. Perhaps it can become the ‘Polly Bolly’?
I have also accepted a craft sub-quest this year, as I volunteered to make the fabric air balloon for my Women’s Institute table covering. So that should keep me crafting for a while.
Coffees and coasts
As always, I will be continuing to drink my ’50 coffees in 50 cities’ – particularly as I am hoping to add Himeji to my list of places to drink when I visit with Yumi in April.
As there are a few counties to still tick off on my 40×40 task of ‘Visit every ceremonial county‘, I am hoping to be able to add a few scenic shots of coastlines in 2023.
Talking of counties…
From the 40 x 40 List
Visit every Ceremonial County in England
Last year was a good year, with a number of counties being ticked off the list. This was particularly good, as I had not been able to visit anywhere for the previous 2 years. With our trip to Liverpool and the stops included in our drive up to the Lake District, we were able to make great headway on this task. Only 28 to go…
This task is one that should definitely get finished this year. I have completed the body and just need some arms. The top is a woolly chain mail vest for Ethan to wear when we finally get to attend a ‘Road to Ruin’ festival (Sadly cancelled for 2023, but next year..)
As already mentioned, I am planning on losing a stone (14 lbs or 6.4 kilos in new money) and have been diligently snapping away at my ‘365 photos’ task.
2023 – the year of getting things done
Being so organised with my goals this early in the year, together with a trip to Japan planned in April 2023 is shaping up to be a great year.
I’m looking forward to sharing it with you all – and flexing my ‘April in Osaka’ photos on Instagram. It’s not too late to plan the rest of your year, so grab your pad and start making a list of what you can get done in the coming months.