It’s time for my favorite end of the year activity…

I say that without sarcasm, actually! I enjoy the resolution-making part of the new year, and I like looking back on it, even though I know there are areas in which I will inevitably fall short.

But this year, I know there is at least one big thing I accomplished, so it’s perhaps with less trepidation that I return to my tradition of making this post.

Overall, this year was way better than 2021. I think it’s because I felt more settled — in my house, in my life. I had another baby and while it did upend our world, it was only in a good way. And it’s also because while I know the pandemic’s not over, we were able to do more this year with less fear. I’m hoping that’s a trajectory that only continues on an upward swing.

So without further ado, 2022 — how did I do?

1. Enroll my daughter in preschool. I did this!
2. Find a new therapist. I actually started talking to my old one regularly again!
3. Stop mindlessly scrolling on social media. I definitely did this less, though I cannot say I stopped entirely.
4. Exercise 6 days/week. Definitely didn’t always do this, especially in the later stages of pregnancy, but I did try.
5. Finish the adult thriller. Lol no
6. Finish another WIP. Lol no, but I did make progress on them all
7. Draft something new. If a random notes app idea + a hastily scribbled first page count?
8. Raise my freelance rates. I did do this, but have overall had to take a step back from searching for new work, and that’s fine.
9. Hang things on the walls of my house. I did this! Not all the walls, but some.
10. Text a friend every day. I can’t say I did this every day, but I tried.
11. Don’t waste time arguing with people on the internet. I no longer argue with people on the internet and it is really nice, you should try it.
12. Go outside every day. Mostly did this!
13. Do something fun or surprising every week. We did this!
14. Reacquaint myself with my DSLR. Nope.
15. Post to this blog monthly! Nope.
16. Journal weekly. I started to do this, then stopped again.
17. Do one thing to improve my home every week. I did do this!
18. Drink 10 glasses of water every day. Did this, am still doing it, thanks pregnancy and breastfeeding.
19. Write 20 hours per week, for a goal of 1000 hours per year. I was on track until the newborn came along. Since then I’ve had to drastically reassess my expectations when it came to writing output. I think next year I’ll have to be less ambitious on writing hours if I don’t want to put my son in daycare, which I don’t right now.
20. Do one act of self-care every day. Yeah, nope.
21. Schedule more one on one time with my partner. Did not do this.
22. And while this is out of my control, I’m putting it out there again: get a book deal. DONE 🙂

Not a bad year, overall, especially when you consider that the thing I didn’t put on my list, have a second child, was also a major accomplishment.

So! Good job, me. Now off to make my list for 2023…

Photo by zero take on Unsplash