Preparation. It’s not my word of 2020. But, it’s a word that I never realized was important for making sure your goals stick. I have not once prepared before the start of the year to attack any of my goals. I’ve always said “these are the things” I’ll focus on this year. I realize now that preparation is the missing piece of my equation for making lifestyle changes. I’d always show up to class having read the syllabus with the assigned textbooks and pre-class assignment in hand. Why have I never approached the new year with my usual fine attention to detail?
Consistency
My word of the year is consistency. If you read my 2019 Word of the Year post, this probably seems like deja vu. And yes, I’m taking my word for a second spin around the sun. I didn’t put enough focus on what the word meant for me. While 2019 was a great year, I didn’t get that personal internal growth that I’d like to see. I didn’t walk away from 2019 on December 31st any different from when I stepped into 2019 on January 1st. But, maybe 2019 wasn’t the year I needed to be consistent. Maybe, it was the year that I needed to shake things up. 2019 was my wildcard year. I needed to figure out who I was, what I wanted to say, and where I wanted to go.
I would love to hear from you! Tell me what your goals are down below. How do you plan on devoting more real attention to them this year? Also, I would love if you took a moment to fill out my 2020 Reader Survey! I love hearing from all of you each year.
My 2020 Goals
I am an anxious, fiery planner. It took a journey across the Atlantic Ocean for me to realize just how deep my need to plan actually went. I always say don’t fight your nature. Lean into it. It’s why my approach to the new year is a little different this year. So, how am I planning to be consistent this year? I think my goals will set that up much more clearly. It’s not an abstract concept. Having a plan and the materials to execute it is the game-changer.
Goal #1
My first goal of 2020 is to cook more and to challenge myself on a culinary level. I love food. We ALL know I love brunch. But, I love it so much because it’s this universal time where you’re expected to enjoy great food and connect with people. So, in 2020, I’d like to challenge myself in the culinary wonderland that is my apartment. This is my number one goal and one that will receive the most attention and resources.
Don’t you feel wonderful when you’re eating clean and getting all the proper vitamins and nutrients from your food? Doesn’t it feel good when you don’t waste groceries? One of my favorite things in the world is making a recipe from scratch and having everything come together in a beautiful and delicious meal.
Goal #1: To become more skilled and more knowledgeable about food and its preparation. There’s nothing better than a made-from-scratch masterpiece. Also, I want to be able to make meals from home because it’s healthier [most of the time], wallet-friendly, and more environmentally conscious. I’ve already prepared to tackle this goal by investing in some beginner cookbooks and cooking utensils, purchasing a cute new lunch box, and following some new food bloggers/YouTubers. In short, I want to rebuild a healthy relationship with food.
Goal #2
My second goal for 2020 is to do more enjoyable and efficient workouts. Everyone deserves to find that work out class that they would brave thunderstorms for. I absolutely adore my Hip Hop class that I take every Wednesday. It’s a major goal for me to find more classes that speak to me in this way. I feel so .. powerful(?) after a great workout class and I want to feel that more than once a week. I’m tired of mindless cardio and boring strength training.
Goal #2: To find exercise classes that attack diverse components of overall physical fitness. I’m prepared to do this because I’m already a member of a really phenomenal gym that has built-in unlimited classes each month. I would like to try one new class each week until I’m familiar with each of the instructors so that I can figure out what I like. I’d love to find a good spin and yoga class in early 2020.
Goal #3
Lastly, my third goal for 2020 is to read for fun. I blew through two books during my week-long vacation to Jamaica. It’s crazy that I forgot how much I craved a good book. I swear I was a chubby kid because I must have held the record for most free Pizza Hut personal pan pizzas for completing your reading list. I love it because it’s a different way to flex your imagination and creativity. There’s very little in this world that’s better than getting lost in a book.
Goal #3: To escape to a literary world every night in 2020. It’s obvious to me now that part of my problem was that I stopped reading for fun when I was primed for young adult books. Now that I feel like a more mature human, I have no idea where to even begin when it comes to finding enjoyable novels to read. I’m prepared for this goal because I’ve already figured out which 12 books[at a minimum] I’d like to read this year. My plan is to mix in fiction and non-fiction for a wholesome and well-rounded booklover’s education. I’m also very excited to have selected some books by women of color and they look REAL good.
My 2020 Book List
- January: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
- February: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
- March: The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
- April: Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
- May: American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson
- June: The Defining Decade by Meg Jay
- July: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
- August: How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- September: Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
- October: Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
- November: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
- December: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
- Other Books I’d Like to Read: When’s Happy Hour by Betches, The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
I have other things on my mind for 2020. No doubt about that. I’d like to post twice a week to the blog and once to YouTube. I’ve already got Q1 and Q2 brainstormed. I’d like to make GOOD vlogs each week that don’t feel repetitive and have changing foci. I want to date more and meet more cool people in NYC. 2020 is going to be the year of mini weekend trips. I’d like to dig into the wonderful cities of the Northeast [Philadelphia, Boston, Montreal, The Hamptons, Greenwich… I’m coming for you.]
This is going to be a year of internal personal growth and the only way to achieve that is being consistent and persistent. Journaling more and judging less. 2019 was a year for award and acclaim; 2020 is my year to build. I’m really excited about what this decade has in store. More importantly, I’m so ready to get after it.
Keep on keepin’ on,