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Happy New Year! I hope 2024 is off to a good start for you.
Whether you like or dislike New Year’s resolutions, one fact always seems to remain:
You are more likely to complete your goals if they are small and manageable.
Big goals like “start a business” or “get in shape” are comprised of smaller, easier tasks like “develop your first product” or “find a gym buddy.” To reach the larger goal, you must start small.
This is where many of us seem to lose interest. Yes, all of those small tasks may mean your resolutions are harder to reach than you thought. But now you get to feel that sense of achievement with every small step forward.
To increase my success rate with my New Year’s resolutions and to have some accountability, I’ve broken down my goals for the new year into small steps.
My process for goal setting is to identify why I want to achieve the goal and how I will do so. Knowing why a goal matters to me fuels motivation. Figuring out how to accomplish it helps me break the goal into small steps.
A brief note about accountability
Before diving into my resolutions, I wanted to touch on one more strategy to make resolutions more achievable: accountability.
Last November, I got together with a friend and we wrote down our resolutions. We periodically check in with each other to see how things are coming along.
This fall, we’ll get together again to give points for each of the resolutions we accomplished. And whoever ticks off the most gets to go home with a plate of freshly baked cookies.
It’s a simple tradition, but it ignites a friendly competition that keeps you motivated year-round. We were so eager to start our resolutions that we got a head start on a few before 2024 started.
Accountability coupled with small, manageable tasks is an excellent recipe for success for your goals.
1. Get daily exercise via walking
Why?
I want to decrease the amount of sedentary time I spend each day.
How?
- Buy a walking pad for under my desk at work (I bought this one and love it)
- Walk 30-80 minutes a day while handling urgent emails
2. Grow fresh produce in our garden
Why?
Growing our own produce will increase our sustainability and allow us to eat more vegetables and greens.
How?
- Set up garden plot and lay down fertilizer
- Plan my garden layout
- Get a planting calendar
- Plant crops during each season
- Spend time on the weekends tending to the garden
3. Take supplements 6 days a week
Why?
My partner and I feel more energized and healthy when taking supplements consistently.
How?
- Use pill organizers to plan our supplements weekly
- Place them in an accessible place so we’re more likely to take them
4. Learn how to calm my emotional responses
Why?
I want to respond to difficulties with problem-solving instead of dwelling on the issue.
How?
- Follow more of these ways to relieve stress
- Stick to a meditation practice (a separate resolution of mine)
- Recenter with mindful breathing during stressful situations
5. Take care of my skin, hair, and nails
Why?
I could stand to look more polished by enhancing my natural features.
How?
- Use witch hazel facial toner each morning
- Use tallow face cream each night
- Use a leave-in conditioner to tame hair frizz
- Paint my fingernails once a month
- Have something to fidget with instead of my nails
6. Give gifts more often
Why?
Last year, I missed too many friends and family birthdays. This year, we’re settled and can give more gifts.
How?
- Treat friends to birthday meals or experiences
- When I bake, make a double batch to give half to a loved one
- Make a list of potential gifts for people and buy them ahead of time
- Keep a calendar handy with everyone’s birthdays
- Start handmade gifts 3 months in advance
7. Write letters to loved ones
Why?
More than half of my friends and family live out of state. I want them to know that I’m thinking of them.
How?
- Buy some beautiful stationery
- Send 1-2 letters each quarter, and more during the holidays
8. Learn sign language with my partner
Why?
I want to have secret conversations with him while we’re in group settings.
How?
- Set a reminder to do an ASL lesson Monday and Thursday afternoons
- Practice what we learned throughout the week
9. Host family movie/game nights
Why?
I want to spend more time with my immediate family now that we’re settled in our home.
How?
- Host a monthly movie or game night on a Sunday evening
10. Seek to understand instead of judge
Why?
By approaching people with understanding, I can prevent unnecessary conflicts.
How?
- Notice when I’m feeling riled up
- Pause and take a few deep breaths
- Try to understand the other side of the story
- Have grace when mistakes are made
11. Do more local excursions
Why?
We are surrounded by so much natural beauty in our area. I’d love to see more of it!
How?
- Plan a three-day weekend trip each quarter to travel somewhere local
12. Start a flower garden
Why?
I want to make hand-picked bouquets for our home and friends. I also want to attract pollinators to our garden.
How?
- Choose a location
- Make a list of flowers I want to plant and when they’re in season
- Buy seeds
- Plant them each season
13. Take naps more often
Why?
Naps give me my second wind on sleepy afternoons so I can get more done in the evenings.
How?
- No caffeine consumption after 1 pm
- If I need an energy boost, I’ll lie down for 30 minutes
14. Improve at art and oil painting
Why?
Painting is such a meditative hobby. I would love to devote more time to it.
How?
- Make one painting each quarter
- Replicate a famous painting to learn more technique
- Watch painting videos on YouTube
15. Remodel our bedroom
Why?
It’s the only room in our house we have yet to personalize.
How?
- Paint the room a dark, cool color
- Purchase linen bedsheets
- Purchase a headboard
- Make wall art
16. Finish three knitting projects
Why?
Knitting is a wonderfully relaxing way to spend a winter evening.
How?
- Finish my knit rabbit stuffed animal
- Select another project to give as a gift
17. Finish 15 sewing projects
Why?
…I have too much fabric.
How?
- Fill out my sewing project planner
- Devote one evening a week for sewing plus time on the weekends
- Take my time on projects to avoid burning out!
- If I reach my goal, I’ll buy more fabric during 2024’s holiday sales
18. Start Pinterest marketing for this blog
Why?
I’ve laid down the foundation of content for this blog. Now it’s time to spread the word.
How?
- Start a business Pinterest account
- Download Adobe Illustrator
- Design a few templates for graphics
- Pin my posts as I release them
- Pin consistently on my business account
19. Develop and sell my first sewing pattern
Why?
Sewing has become my favorite hobby within the last year. I want to share my beginner-friendly sewing projects so that others can enjoy them too.
How?
- Take PatternLab’s free course on pattern drafting in Adobe Illustrator
- Successfully make a bodice block/sloper (this is the foundation of further patterns in my size)
- Select a design for my first pattern
- Draft three prototypes for myself
- Write the sewing instructions
- Commission 3-5 people to test my pattern before I release it
- Start an online shop to sell my patterns
20. Stick to a daily meditation practice
Why?
I want my days to be filled with less stress and more mental clarity.
How?
- Read Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, which talks extensively about the benefits of meditation
- Follow the four-week course in the book to develop a meditation practice
21. Do weekly artist dates (from The Artist’s Way)
Why?
Committing to artist dates helps me prioritize my creative development in my busy schedule.
How?
- Reserve 3 hours on Tuesday evenings for focused, creative time
- Meal prep in advance to minimize cooking that evening
22. Start tithing
Why?
I want to share my abundance to a cause that matters to me.
How?
- Research causes I want to contribute to
- Start contributing a percentage of my income to the causes I choose
23. Focus on using my gifts instead of dwelling on my faults
Why?
I want to appreciate myself more and dwell on what is good instead of what needs improvement.
How?
- Set goals for my favorite hobbies ✅
- Focus mainly on blogging and sewing
- Prioritize leisure and rest just as much as creativity
- Create a focused and relaxing environment for creating
- Work through creative blocks one step at a time
- Take time to appreciate small wins
24. Try new things outside of my comfort zone
Why?
I discovered some of my favorite hobbies in 2023 by looking outside of my comfort zone. Being unafraid to try new things (even if I start out being bad at them) is a strength I want to continue developing this year.
How?
- Start my first garden
- Make my first pattern
- Try Airsoft
- Try 10 new tabletop games with my partner
- Commit to playing 2 of them often
Final Thoughts
I’m a firm believer that resolutions should improve your satisfaction in life, not take away from it. If a goal is making you miserable, simplifying it may be the answer.
Something else to be noted is the importance of giving yourself grace.
Instead of beating yourself up over an uncompleted resolution, seek to understand and see the good. What has held you back from completing this goal? What has your focus been on instead? How can you alter your goal to make it more realistic?
Realism and understanding will help you go far with your resolutions.
I would love to hear your resolutions and how you plan to accomplish them in the comments. Pick one small step and do it this week, or better yet, today!
Until next time,
O&K
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