6 Goals I Want To Achieve
- Attend a minimum of 1 yoga or pilates class per week. To goal is primarily to make exercise a priority in my life. Low-intensity exercises, such as yoga and pilates, make me feel like the best version of myself. In 2023, I tried to change my exercise schedule to include more cardiovascular exercises (mainly spin classes) and increase my strength training. I hate to say it, but cutting down the yoga and pilates decreased my love for exercise, and I’m determined to find it again.
- Read 15 books. In 2022, I read 10 books. In 2023, I read 12 books. Like many others, I go through ebbs and flows when it comes to reading and it tends to depend what else I have going on in my life. However, I’ve come to realise that nothing quite beats the joy of being truly sucked into the story of a fiction book, and the excitement that comes with getting an opportunity to read another chapter. I want to utilise my 1 hour commute to work on the tubes by reading a book, rather than increasing my screen-time playing sudoku on my phone.
- Be able to hold full conversations using British Sign Language. I have been attempting to learn BSL for 3 years, which I initially began using the Level 1 BSL course. I found this to be incredibly difficult to learn on top of studying and working, and I would often forget the signs before I had a chance to practice them. As I am currently studying at University College London, I have joined the BSL Student Union Society, and I have set myself the goal to attend some BSL classes throughout the year – without putting too much pressure on myself.
- Consistently have 7 hours sleep per night. Since I was a child, I have always been a ‘night owl’ – I think there are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, I hate bright artificial lights and I would choose lamps and candles at anytime of any day. Secondly, my thoughts can be quite frantic throughout the day. When everyone is asleep and the world is quieter, I feel calmer and I am able to think more clearly. This often means that I go to bed after midnight. In 2024, I want to develop a consistent bedtime routine to ensure I am allowing myself to function at my best.
- Consistently walk 10,000 steps a day. Living in London, this goal is easily achievable. During the Summer it’s easy to walk 12,000 – 15,000 steps per day without even realising! During these Winter months, my current average steps per week is 7000. There is definitely some room for improvement!
- Publish 1 blog post every 2 weeks, at a minimum. Charl Notes is currently a new venture for me, and writing a blog is something that I have dreamt of for many years. I am determined to stay consistent and organised enough to plan regular posts, once the excitement has worn off! More of a reason to be booking more trips! 😀
6 Things I Want To Do
I have separated this list from my ‘goals’ as these are essential things to do. Think of it as a Life ‘To Do’ List.
- Schedule in time (in advance) during my weeks for studying and self-care. I have always been a ‘pen and paper’ kind of girl over vir calendars, and having a physical diary is what works best for me to organise my time. In 2024, I plan to block out days specifically for studying. When I finish studying on these days, I will dedicate the rest of my day to self-care. This may be doing a hair or face mask, putting on some fake tan or cooking myself a hearty dinner.
- Meal prep my lunches for the week ahead every weekend. In 2023, I felt very unorganised and rushed during my working week as I rarely prepared my lunches in advance. I usually settled for a Tesco Meal Deal, which never really hits the spot. Meal prepping lunches will not only save me some cash, but there is something exciting about knowing that you have something delicious waiting for you for lunch!
- Have a fruit smoothie every morning. I got pretty good at this in the Summer of 2023 but when the Winter months kicked in, it’s a habit that gradually decreased. Ensuring that I get some fruit into my diet first thing in the morning is a great way to start the day, but also helps with the morning energy levels – decreasing the need for so much caffeine! The Pret frozen berry smoothie mix is my favourite!
- Do more ‘date night’ activities! Despite being a sucker for a dinner and drinks date night, my favourite evenings are the ones playing games and partaking in activities. This is something that slipped in 2023, and the last minute organising often led to the same kind of ‘dinner and drinks’ dates. In 2024, I want to go bouldering, go bowling, play darts, do a painting class. I want to be intentional about scheduling in quality time through booking activities that are going to wholesome and fulfilling.
- Staying hydrated. Another thing that I am great at in the Summer, but terrible at during Winter. Does this happen to anyone else?? In 2023, I discovered a love for sparkling water (despite despising the stuff before 2023?) and this made drinking water feel so much more enjoyable for me, as well as being a great way to stay hydrated whilst reducing fizzy drinks filled with sugar/chemicals!
- Gratitude Journalling. This is something that I started to do at the beginning of 2024, when I was motivated by Francesca Ambers ‘Grateful as F*ck’ book. She recommends to write down 3 things that you are grateful for every morning, as soon as you wake up. It’s great to make these things relative to your day to try and create a positive mindset from the beginning of the day.
6 Places I Want To Visit
- Sri Lanka.
- Turkey.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Krakow, Poland.
- Dubai.
- Bergamo, Italy.
6 Things I Want To Let Go Of
- The expectation to drink alcoholic drinks when I go out with friends. I would like to reduce my intake of alcohol in 2024, and to have more sober nights out with friends. As much as I love a glass of wine or an Aperol Spritz, I want to enjoy my evenings with friends just as much without the hangxiety the following day!
- Impulsive spending. Writing down a “wish list” in my diary each month helps me to stay organised, and only buy what is necessary.
- Saying “yes” to plans that don’t fit in my budget. This is so important for me when the main priorities in my life are savings and travelling.
- Snoozing. Snoozing is the devil – and it often leaves me feeling so much groggier than if I’d have just gotten out of bed when I woke up.
- Burnout. In 2024, I am going to schedule time to simply do nothing. Journalling and reflective activities have helped me to identify my triggers for burnout, and in 2024 (and the years onwards) I want to be in control of how burnt out I feel, rather than letting the burnout take control of me (and my emotions).
Happy 2024! We’re already a month in by the time that I am posting this, and I hope the goals and plans that you have made for yourself for this year will make you feel happy – as this is the main goal that we should all be working towards!