It’s 2023! Another year of opportunity and possibility. Happy New Year to all of you. Brian and I hope you enjoyed your holidays. Ours were a whirlwind of fun, food, and hugs abound. We are completely unrested, but looking forward to the year ahead.
52 Weeks
January 1st mostly felt like any other day. There was a slight hint of curious optimism in the air. We let it rest with us as we kicked off the morning with a round of P90X Doubles. It remained as Brian and I spent the day relaxing and watching movies. As night fell, we realized the feeling had evolved into a clear intention of ambition.
Fifty-two weeks of opportunity and possibility. We aren’t ones for traditional New Year’s resolutions, though it sure is fun to create a list of dreamy to-dos and aspirations. My Type-A personality prefers to modify lofty, impractical goals into attainable, bite-sized feats. Rather than let fluffy daydreams drive our year, Brian and I are choosing to be specific.
We have defined 52 experiences we are excited to dive into over the next 52 weeks. In no particular order, we share our list with you:
Travel
1. Road trip through at least 2 never-visited states
2. Visit Brian’s favorite brewery (Founders Brewing Co.) in Grand Rapids, Michigan
3. Make our way into Canada
4. Book an out-of-town Mid-Century Modern Architectural Tour
5. Experience Lunar New Year celebrations outside of the USA
6. Head up north to spend a weekend hiking through fall foliage
7. Cozy up overnight in a quiet and secluded cabin
Food
8. Make Coq au Vin
9. Create an Eastern European meal
10. Make our own bahn mis
11. Enjoy an omakase experience
12. Indulge in a buffet
13. Try new-to-us food
Finance
14. Research and find a financial podcast
15. Add another investment to our portfolios
16. Reduce our taxable income
Intellectual
17. Read and apply strategies from self-help books (at least 2)
18. Attend well-being webinars
19. Complete a free online course together
20. Brush up on my Italian
21. Watch more foreign films
22. Read more during my downtime
23. Commit to a 30-Day writing challenge
24. Research and attend local seminars
Health
25. Have “nothing to do” days
26. Create a nighttime skincare routine
27. Do a little light exercise after dinner time
28. Stick to a consistent vitamin routine
29. Journal stream-of-consciousness style before bed
30. Limit screentime before sleep
31. Limit and/or remove social interactions that drain us
32. Go alcohol-free for one month
Home
33. Install a new ceiling fan
34. Seal up our bedroom return vent
35. Complete a creative woodworking project
36. Rebuild our deck
37. Keep plants alive
38. Repair basement drywall
39. Have breakfast on our balcony
Community
40. Dine & shop locally
41. Donate to local causes
42. Explore more free community events
43. Venture to international night markets
44. Check out local artists and musicians
Connection
45. Mail handwritten letters
46. Pick up the phone more
47. Spend time with old friends
48. Visit out-of-town family
49. Build something together
50. Take walks together
51. Hike with a friend
52. Discover new music and create personal playlists
Ready, Set, Go
Daydreaming, talking things out, and writing lists will only get you so far. Don’t get me wrong; these steps are essential to figuring out what you really want. However, plans must be set in motion to effectively do the things you want. Make it happen. Be open to possibility, opportunity, and change.
It’s a new year. Yesterday was then, today is now. None of us can possibly know whether or not we will be able to make any of our goals actually happen, but we can always put our best foot forward and just TRY.
Experience
Brian and I created bite-sized moments we can’t wait to achieve throughout the year. Our list of intended experiences motivates us. Specifying our intentions helps us take a general goal and focus it on a granular level through concentrated and achievable experiences.
For example, rather than stating that we should spend time in our community, we listed out the ways we would like to support our neighborhood. This method breaks down why and how we want to accomplish a goal. It creates excitement and anticipation as we look forward to experiencing these moments and events.
So – what plans do you have this year? Is there something you can’t wait to experience?
