A few years ago, I got caught up resolutions and words for the year. I was all about “New year, new me” kinda stuff.

But, and if I’m being honest, the big sweeping changes I was declaring would never truly last. I mean some things kinda stuck in small ways- I tried to eat better, exercise more, spend time with my family, read as many books as I could.

But…

Then the last 2-3 years, I really didn’t make resolutions. I didn’t pick a word of the year. I was just focused on working, dating Keith (then getting engaged, then getting married). Changing jobs. Changing bosses in my current job (on my 3rd boss now!) Making Keith’s house feel like “my” house. Moving stuff from my parent’s house to my house.

The other day, well a few weeks ago, I was listening to my Pandora app and a commercial came on about therapy. And just to kinda paraphrase the ad, it was like “why new year, new you- why not work on bettering yourself in smaller ways. Focus on the things you’ve incorporated in your life and make those small habits a bigger part of your life.”

That got me thinking. So I sat down and started thinking about some things. And I decided that out of all the things I could think of- I wanted to be gentle with myself. Gentle with my plans. No sweeping statements. No this is my year, this is THE year proclamations. Just to have some fun. Read some books. Get my house organized. Spend time with my husband. Spend time with my parents. Spend time with my cat. Spend time with my nieces.

Read 24 books: There was a time I set huge Goodreads reading goals. Over 100 books a year. And each year, I would set it just a touch higher. And I would meet the goal. BUT, it would be hard some years. It didn’t allow me much time for re-reading fave books. Or to have book slumps. Or to really think much about the book.  So I started lowering it. I set it at 75 for some years. Then 55. And then one year, I decided 24. It was a goal I could reach but still provided a bit of a challenge. Especially when my job changed from a less than 5 minute commute to a 45 minute one way commute.

Get more sleep: I have a lack of respect for the sleep I need. I can stay up late at night reading. I burn the candle at both ends and sometimes late night is the only time I have to settle down. I like to stream shows and get sucked into series. On and on. But I need to make sleep a priority. It’s good for my brain. Good for my skin. Good for my diabetes. I’m aiming for 7.5-8 hours a night.

Self-Care (Facials, Massage, Relaxing): In 2023, I discovered I loved a good facial. It’s relaxing and feels SO good. I have known for many years that I adore a great massage. So I plan on incorporating more of those things in my life- I work hard at my 2 jobs and if these 2 things provide me some joy, then I am going to start making time for them. Relaxing, on the other hand, is something that does not come easy always for me. Now it comes easy when I’m being massaged or getting a facial; but normal day relaxing- well some days I get too worked up over something and it’s hard to relax. To put the work stuff behind me. To put personal things behind me. I’m working on ways to relax.

Making Working Out a Priority: After my diabetes diagnosis, I made working out a priority. I ate better. I made my goal to get healthy. Then I started working a job that had a commute of 45 minutes one way. I started dealing with work stress (working for a micromanager!) and working out became less a priority. Then I changed jobs and the stress changed, it was still there but it was different. Then it became wedding stress. And finding time to work out after I got married and I was trying to merge lives, do my work, etc. But I feel better when I work out. I sleep better. My body works better. I need to get back to a regular working out routine- making time for me.

Spending less time worrying about my social media numbers, more time being authentic:  I started blogging in a time when you could tweet about a book and you would hear from a publisher. Then it slowly became about numbers: having X amount of followers and reach. Then everyone started running to Instagram to aesthetically pleasing photos. Now it’s all Reels and TikTokers and you know what? I can’t join another social media platform. This hamster on a wheel is getting off the wheel. Now I’m not giving up blogging. Or posting to Instagram, Facebook, or X (what is formerly known as Twitter). What I am saying is that this content creating machine is going to have to slow down. My life is evolving., When I started blogging back in 2011, I started it to fill something in my life. I was single, about to embark on a decade of not dating anyone, not meeting anyone. I wasn’t an aunt yet and sadly I did not have many local friends (honestly, I still don’t have many local friends). Blogging, making connections with other bloggers and readers, filled something in me that needed to be filled. I still get enjoyment from blogging, I still get enjoyment from talking with my true blogging friends, but I have no interest in making a ton of Reels or joining TikTok. I do have interest in meeting people at a book event. Of meeting with book buds somewhere. Of finding an event like Book Expo to attend. Of sending 100 memes to a blog/’gram friend because even though we’ve only seen each other like 10 times in life, we know each other.

But even more- I’m interested in being authentic. Of telling people why I don’t like certain books. Or not doing a trend just because everyone and their mama is doing it. I am interested in sharing the slices of my life that are not book related. Remember, I said my life was evolving. I’m a wife now. I’m focusing on being a great aunt. I don’t want to have 2 Instagram accounts- one for books and one for my real life. All that is part of me and there is no room for me to add more social media accounts.

As far as books and blogging- I’m still interested in keeping up with my contacts. I have worked hard make the contacts. But the feeling like I’m failing when my numbers are not as high as people who are in engagement groups and spend their days liking and commenting on hundreds of posts- I’m done. And so my numbers may not be as impressive as others.

Again, for the people in the back, I am truly only interested in being authentic.

 

*What are your plans for 2024?*

 

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T