2023 is here!  The new year always comes with a review and assessment of the previous year – followed by grand plans of what needs to be done in the coming year (and beyond).  Call it “resolutions”, “goals”, or whatever – these are the things you’ve planned for yourself (either publicly or privately) for the next 365 days.

These could be self-care related.  Are you planning on losing some weight, either by diet or exercise?  Have you made some sort of commitment to some other self-improvement steps?  Are you planning on getting more sleep, drinking more water, decreasing your caffeine intake, or starting a healthier eating regimen?  Are you planning on walking more (and counting your steps on some sort of device)?

Perhaps it’s plans for your finances.  Is this the year you get serious about retiring that credit card, car payment, or mortgage debt?  Are you going to set aside an emergency fund?  How about some vacation savings?  How’s that retirement savings coming along?

Maybe it’s something else.  Is this the year you resolve to turn off the TV and read more?  Are you going to finally clear out that attic, shed, or basement?  Are you going to de-clutter your closet or office?  Is this the year you challenge yourself to learn Spanish?  Is a vegetable or flower garden in your plans for the spring?  Are you finally going to take that trip to Myrtle Beach?

Goals (or resolutions) for the new year are just that – goals.  Some you may stick with, others may fall by the wayside (Mrs. Williams, I can already feel the pull of your homemade potato chips like a moth to a flame).  Does it help to write them down?  Absolutely – but then you have to look at the list more than once before the last week of December.  Also, it doesn’t have to be twenty different things with an “all or nothing” mindset.  That’s just setting yourself up for failure.  For goodness sake, you struggled with giving up chocolate for Lent  – do you really think you’ll get to the gym four days a week before work this year?  Choose one that’s reasonable – and achievable – and concentrate on that.  It’s not hard to resolve to go to bed 30 minutes earlier or drink an extra glass of water each day, but knocking out that five-figure car payment this year?  That takes a bit more planning and commitment.

Perhaps you should resolve to not be so hard on yourself in 2023 – that’s a start.  You’re in there punching – and that’s saying something.  Keep at it.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get some steps in.