My 2022 turned out pretty well and I am looking forward to what 2023 brings. New Year's Resolutions can be frustrating, but I've found making realistic and fun goals helpful in past years. I've also found that publishing and discussing my goals creates some social pressure, which I respond well to, to keep with them. With that, here is what I am working on and aspiring to do better at this upcoming year…
- Listen to less music
- Take better notes
- Travel
- Invest
- Inspire
- Eat Well & Drink Less
1. Listen to less music
This might seem counterintuitive since I love music, but one of the overarching themes that I want to work on this year is learning. Podcasts and audiobooks have been working their way into my day-to-day routine lately and I want to double down on that trend. As much as I love music, I am hoping to spend more of that time learning and thinking with more diction and purpose.
2. Take better notes
Bi-directional linked notes and tagging recently came across my radar, so I am experimenting with some new note software and techniques. My goto note system was Notational Velocity using SimpleNote for storage. I am currently experimenting with using Roam Research and Obsidian for notes and writing. My hope is to take more notes about things I am reading and learning throughout the year, then use Readwise to remind me of those notes periodically.
3. Travel
It feels like it's been a while since I was on my travel kick and I hope to get the “travel bug” again in 2023. I am off to a good start as I am about to take a trip to Jamaica this week. Also, I am currently planning a trip to Thailand for WordCamp Asia in February. My hope is that it will be an open-ended trip with a loose itinerary and maybe a chance to visit some new places.
4. Invest
Markets and crypto had an awful year in 2022 and, hopefully, they will rebound in 2023. I've been listening to a lot of podcasts on investing and plan to learn more about how to value companies and make more educated investments this year.
5. Inspire
This is a bit of a bizarre one, but I feel like I stopped sharing things about my life with the world during the pandemic. I more or less stopped posting on social media, stopped taking photos, and stopped putting myself out there in a lot of ways. I'm hoping to turn this around in 2023 and put myself out there more.
6. Eat Well & Drink Less
This one is pretty easy. More veggies, less food, less meat, less beer and booze! I've been on a good start so far and have been making an effort not to drink during the week. I've been embracing bubbly water as a beer replacement and trying to be more mindful about what I am putting in my body.