So 2023 hasn’t gone quite to plan yet for me, I’ve been in a bit of a funk and it sounds like it’s that way for a lot of people! However, it’s okay to admit that life happens and sometimes, you want your plans to change. For me, I had planned on lots of UK travel this year. Now we’re in March, I’ve decided that everything is just too expensive and I’d rather save that money for now. That’s why I’ve set up my 2023 goals 2.0 list. There’s nothing wrong with adjusting, removing, and resetting your goals!
BUSINESS
Reach my income goal
I’ve edited it from the beginning of the year because the first three months of 2023 haven’t gone so well in my freelance business. However, it could be because the end of the tax year is coming up meaning new budgets. I’m willing to try a few different things to see if I can get my income levels up!
Pay tax bills early
Whilst I doubt I’ll be paying for them on the very first day, I’d like to at least pay them earlier than the deadline. I usually file on the first day you can, just so I’ve got it out of the way though!
Get a new client every month
This is a big goal but one I really want to push myself with. I’d love to get to a point where I need to outsource when I have too much work! However, 2023 is all about my business as I want to make sure it’s fully sustainable and can keep me afloat.
Update biz website
This goal stays because I’ve not completed it yet! An updated website should mean more business or at least, another way to get more business!
Post consistently to blog and social media
Again, if it helps me to get more clients, I need to do it. I guess I’ve just been a bit uninspired lately when it comes to my own content, that I just haven’t posted anything. If I sit down and have a brainstorming session, I should get some ideas!
Work out of the house once a month
One thing about self-employment that I love is being at home. However, it’s also made me into a hermit. That’s why I need to work from a coffee shop at least once a month, ideally twice (once a fortnight). I wish I could do it weekly but living in the countryside means having to travel to get to somewhere to work from.
BLOGS
Post 3x a week to TEE
Since writing blog posts for clients for a living, I’ve let my own blogs take a back seat. Sometimes, when you’ve been writing all day, the last thing you want to do is write for yourself! With that being said, I want to post more consistently on this blog. Three times a week seems doable for the most part and having a blog day once a week should give me time to write up three posts! With monthly planning and writing some drafts up, it should make it a lot easier!
Update old posts
This was a goal of mine in 2022 but I sort of half-arsed it. I want to get a complete spreadsheet set up with each post and where I’ve updated it. I’ve done bits for the SEO and readability before but I want to head back in and update the text, photos, and links.
Design media kit
Again, another goal that I had last year but I want to up my blog game this year. I don’t know if media kits are still a thing in the blogging world anymore but I’d still like to make one. If I want to start getting more work from my blog, this is one step to taking it seriously again. If you have any recommendations of what to include in a media kit, please let me know!
Work out strategy and schedules for TRM/SWS
This is something that I’m torn about. I want to have more blogs but it requires a lot of time and energy. I’d love to just be able to write up my ideas and have someone else format them for me! If I can increase my client base and income, maybe I can make that a reality! You can check out my other two blogs here: The Realistic Minimalist and Saving with Sian.
Get back to writing eBook
Again, this is a project that I’ve put on the back burner but I’d like to start it back up again. I enjoyed writing it originally so I’d love to get that love for it back. It’s all about minimalism and decluttering so it’s a topic I’m passionate about. I’m not setting any goals in particular, such as word or chapter count, so I’d just like to get something done!
MONEY
Save £5,000
I’ve decided that I still want to save a lot of money but I might not be able to reach £10k. In order to keep me accountable, I’ve decided to break down where I want this money to go:
- £3k Lifetime ISA
- £1k pension
- £1k travel sinking funds (this will increase and decrease throughout the year though)
Make £1,000 in side hustles
In order to have £1k in my travel fund, I want to make more from side hustles. Here, we’re mostly talking online surveys, cashback, receipt apps, and selling stuff on Vinted. £100 a month is a lot but it can be doable if I use my relaxation time wisely. I can do surveys on my breaks!
Stop needlessly spending
We’re talking less Kindle books, planning clothes/beauty spends, and deleting my card details off most websites. Some months, I’m excellent at doing a low-spend (such as last month) but then obviously, when I travel, that month has a higher spend. It definitely works in swings and roundabouts but overall, I’d just like to spend less!
Work on a more positive money mindset
I’ve always had a weird relationship with money. Growing up, I was very privileged but learned the value of money, I’ve worked since I was 16, and I saved up where I could. Freelancing has meant a lower income for now but then I feel dreadful spending it. I have to learn that I’m entitled to earn money and I can also spend it freely. However, if I want my own place, I do have to cut back!
Diversify income
This ties in with every money goal but I need to increase my income, simple as. That means diversifying what I earn, such as finally completing my eBook, and looking into selling digital products. This is something I have to do a lot more research on but it’s something that needs to happen in 2023!
ORGANISATION
Set up all routines + apply them
I’m still 100% into routines and resets but now, it’s just about finalising them all. As I said at the start of the year, the routines/resets that I want to implement are:
- My weekday morning routine
- My weekend morning routine
- My evening routine
- Monday CEO/CBS routine
- Friday planning/blogs routine
- Sunday/weekly reset
- Monthly reset (done in the last few days of the month)
Stick with bullet journalling
It’s something I’ve found to be really fun yet practical so far in 2023. I did a lot of research before the new year but I decided that I’d keep my layouts simple. I’ve been doing something similar for quarter one so now it’s time to review what I’ve been doing so far and make any changes. Every Friday afternoon, I sit down and plan out the following week.
Set up Notion
Whilst I love paper planning, it’s a lot easier to do it digitally. For one, you don’t have to worry about spoiling your pages with Tippex! I really love the simplistic design of Notion but having had a little play around on it, it’s harder than I thought. However, I have added a few templates so I’ll start with personalising those first.
Keep up with weekly + monthly reviews
This is something that I’ve really enjoyed doing and want to keep doing! It doesn’t take as long as I originally thought it would, around 15 minutes for a weekly review and 30 minutes monthly. Reviewing the week and month allows me to track all progress, no matter how big or small. You’ll soon realise you’ve achieved far more than you thought!
HEALTH + FITNESS
Track healthy habits daily
Because I’m trying to focus on myself more, it’s easy to set humongous goals and not track the progress to get there. That’s why I’m so big on daily habits as I try to improve my life one day at a time. I’ve still got the Habit app, which makes it easier to tick off which habits I’ve done during that day.
Workout 3x a week
This is something that I’ve been iffy with so far in 2023 but now is the time to focus on it. I always feel good after moving my body but for me, it’s psyching myself up to actually work out. As usual, I’ll be sticking to at-home workouts because they bring me the most enjoyment, such as dance, HIIT, and light dumbbell exercises. Coming from a former gym bunny, I do not miss that aspect at all, I simply miss how active I was!
Get outside 3x a week
Another goal that seems daft but working from home has turned me into even more of a hermit. The only times I leave the house are for nail appointments and the weekly food shop. However, I know that I need to start walking more, it’s just the motivation that I lack! If you could buy my stuff off Vinted, I’d at least be able to have a reason to walk around the village!
Complete a fitness challenge
It’s been a long time since I took part in a fitness challenge. Back in the day, I used to be a TIU girl and do their challenges a couple of times a year. In fact, I still own all the videos and workout plans so maybe I’ll try one of them again. They were always pretty fun as Katrina and Karena are really engaging and motivational.
SELF-CARE + WELLBEING
Meet 4 internet friends IRL
When you work from home and rarely leave your house, your social life suffers. With that being said, when I travel out of town, I’d love to make an effort to meet some of the internet friends I’ve made from years of blogging/running a business. I’ve already met one (Holly) in Manchester as we decided to meet up before the Kelsea Ballerini concert!
Use up 40 Project Pan toiletries
Anyone else hoard toiletries? I have this panic that my favourites will be discontinued so I stock up on them. It rarely happens, which means I have baskets of beauty products to use up. I’ve decluttered my stash so I don’t have as much as I used to. However, it’s still a lot. Let’s see if I can start getting through them before purchasing new items.
Take myself on a date every month
To many of you, this might seem silly. I’m someone who’s always enjoyed my own company, probably because I’m an only child. However, I spend a lot of time alone at home. I’d like to get out and about a little more. Taking myself on a date will mean heading into town, doing a bit of work, and just exploring the city. This month, I went to the cinema for the first time in ages (the last film I saw was West Side Story) and I really enjoyed it. Here’s to my April date!
Sunday self-care sessions
Once again, in order to take better care of myself, I want to start implementing more self-care into my routines. Sunday evenings are the perfect time to do some extra skincare, pop on a face mask, and just unwind before bedtime.
TRAVEL
Travel 1st class on the train
It’s a small goal of mine but I just want to see what the difference is to standard class! I really hope it’s much quieter because loud trains stress me out too much. However, considering the price of train travel right now, this probably won’t happen until I’m 70.
Try 18 new eateries
I love food, especially eating out. Since the pandemic, we’ve eaten out much less, preferring to cook at home, which I really enjoy. However, Hull’s independent eateries are closing at a rapid rate so I’d like to try some of them before they inevitably close. I’m always on the lookout for new places to try in York, Leeds, Sheffield, and London too so please send me suggestions! Just make sure they’re reasonably priced because this Northern lass ain’t paying £15+ for a sandwich.
Visit 10 cities/towns
Ideally, I’d like to go to 10 new places to me. However, UK travel is just so expensive right now. I’ve got day trips to Leeds, Sheffield, and York scheduled, as well as spending a week in the Lake District in September with my parents. I’d love to explore more of the UK but with hotels and train travel costing so much, I’ve changed this goal a little.
PERSONAL
Set up 4 capsule wardrobes
As I get older, I’m all about simple. classic, and comfortable style. I want a wardrobe filled with items that fit well and that I love. A capsule wardrobe is the perfect venture into dressing like that. My capsules aren’t minimal as I do like choice, but they’re much smaller than my previous entire wardrobes! Gone are the days when I had 50 pairs of shoes and a jean collection I could sell in a shop. Winter is just about finished so I’ll be setting up my spring wardrobe this weekend.
Read 50 books
Previously, I was aiming for 100. However, it’s only in the last couple of weeks that I’ve started to enjoy reading once again. I’m trying to read a mixture of chick lit and non-fiction stuff so I don’t get bored. Reading before bed is definitely helping me to get a better night’s sleep too!
See 30 theatre shows
So far, I’ve seen one (Jersey Boys in London) so this is a stretch. As I said earlier, UK travel is so expensive, especially if you have to stay overnight. This will mostly be Hull press nights with a sprinkling of Yorkshire/London productions. I’ve already cancelled two London trips this year but I am scheduled to go in May.
Start my theatre scrapbook
This is staying on my list, simply because I haven’t even added my 2022 shows or even started the scrapbook yet! I’m not very arty so it’ll probably be very simple, with tickets, the odd photo or leaflet, and some washi tape. However, I’d like to capture my theatre experiences in one place, other than my blog!
Watch a musical every Sunday night
I’ve decided that I want to make this new tradition, simply because I don’t watch a lot of films anymore. Ideally, I’d like to make my way through C4’s 100 Greatest Musicals but I’m still petitioning for an updated one! I have a large musicals DVD collection so it’s about time I put it to use!
Bake once a month
During the pandemic and beforehand, I was obsessed with baking. Now, I don’t think I’ve baked since summer 2022! I’ve got a tonne of baking ingredients that need using so I just need to find some recipes. I mostly use Jane’s Patisserie ones because they’re delicious and very easy to follow!
Get to an Arsenal women’s match
My final goal for 2023 is to get myself to the Emirates or Boreham Wood to watch my Arsenal women play in a match. I was meant to be there last year but I had to cancel my trip at the last minute. I’m a big sports nut but especially for women’s sports right now! Women’s football is on the rise and will continue to do so!
Did you enjoy my 2023 goals 2.0? I just thought that I’d look back now we’re at the end of quarter one and decided that I wanted to change some of my original goals. As I said at the beginning, there’s nothing wrong with editing your goals. Life happens and priorities change! Originally, 2023 was going to be a year of exploring. Now, it’s focusing on my business, finances, and health.
If you enjoyed my 2023 goals 2.0 blog post, you can read my other goals posts right here. I do a monthly post with smaller goals, which I love doing! Why not follow me on Twitter or Instagram whilst you’re here and follow my journey?
