Setting intentions for the new year: 7 goals for 2018

Originally, I decided not to set any goals for 2018. I’ve been doing monthly goals for a while now, and that framework works really well for me. I also had a pretty rough November/December, and looking ahead to next year felt like a bit too much to think about.

But then things started to lighten up a bit. And then the Happiness Podcast talked about writing a list of fun things you want to do in 2018. And then I realised there were things I wanted to write down now, because if I didn’t, they might get lost as the year went on.

So, here we are. I can’t quite come up with 18 goals for 2018 (which was the original plan in the podcast). But I’ve come up with 7, which are all fun things I hope I will actually tick off my list.

Goals for 2018

1) Go paddleboarding. Peter suggested this a couple of weeks ago and I love this idea. I know friends who can actually do headstands on the paddleboard, and although they are very yogicly blessed, surely that suggests it can’t be that hard to just stand up on two feet on one? He’s found a place, so I guess next steps are to book it and actually go!

2) Do an activity with Peter (without kids) at least once per month. BK (Before Kids), we used to go on hikes and walks all the time around London. We’d get a train for a couple of hours, hike to a nice pub, have a great lunch, and then hike to another station to get the train back. We haven’t done that in over three years. That changes in 2018. Our kids are old enough, my parents are close by and willing, so this is kind of a no brainer. We just have to make sure to get it in the diary, because life does have a tendency to run away.

3) Host a dinner party with friends. Our table can fit 10 people around it, but we rarely have that many people over because planning a dinner when you have kids can feel a bit overwhelming. But this year I want to do it. On the one hand I’d love to do it with the same groups of friends I know and love, but on the other hand, those groups are becoming increasingly fragmented – people move away, others are falling out and suing each other (true story), so… I’ll have to think about who to invite pretty carefully, I think!

4) Tick 5 books off my TBR list. I read a lot for work, and tend to just get what’s available in the library, so there are books on my reading list that have literally been sitting there for years. I need to start ticking some of them off. Here’s a novel concept: if they’re not in the library I could just.. buy them! Revolutionary for someone who works in publishing, I know.

5) Start a new job and get a new job. Eek, this is a big one, but has to be done. I’m starting a brand new job in February, which I am really excited about, but it’s only a maternity contract, which means by the end of the 2018, ideally I’ll have another job lined up to start soon after this one ends. Life doesn’t always work out like that, I know, but I’m putting this on the list anyway because maybe it’ll keep me on my toes…

6) Sort out the tote bag situation. Every time I put soap in the washing machine, these tumble down and I stuff them back into the cavity between the machine and the stairs, and they just pop right back out again. We did a rationalisation of tote bags some time ago, but apparently we were not strict enough. We have enough tote bags to carry most of our belongings in, when really, we only probably need a maximum of 10. So, a clear out goal goes on the list.

7) Plan our big holiday for 2019. We’ve told both sets of parents that we won’t be going on a holiday with them in 2019 because we’re planning a Big Trip. We’re currently deciding between Canada and Norway right now, but the intention is to spend some time in the outdoors and go either bear watching or whale watching. Canada wins for me because I think it would be full on family camping, which I would absolutely love to do, but Norway is sneaking in because it would involve whales and kayaks and would possibly just be Peter and I.

I’ve also decided on a word for the year, but I’ll write about that separately in this month’s newsletter. Not signed up? Add your details right here!

What big and small things are on your list for the year?

Also: what are your favourite walks near London to do when the weather isn’t great (ie: which walk should we do in the next month or two?)? WHERE DO ALL THE TOTE BAGS COME FROM? Do they actually multiply when I’m not looking?

Answers in the comments below, or as always you can find me on Twitter or Instagram.