Last year at the end of December I wrote down some goals for myself for 2023. Do you do that? Buy the fancy journal, the expensive pens and all those brightly coloured stickers?
New week, new goal!
Celebrate!
Keep going!
Motivational quote [insert here]
Action steps!
You matter!
Just don’t quit!
You get the idea. And let’s even throw a vision board into the mix.
All sarcasm aside, I DO cherish my journal. I DO love me a good vision board. I DO set goals for myself every year. And for me, I think it’s such a good way to reflect and start some new challenges. This is all a new practice for me over the last few years and I love it. So looking back at what I wrote in December 2022 this morning, I was feeling a bit….
Disappointed?
It wasn’t exactly the year I thought it was going to be. I had a few major heart episodes, which resulted in a worrisome Congenital Heart Defect diagnosis, which I had been carrying around for 50 years and had no idea! But more on that story another time. Also a major fall that resulted in surgery and time off work, that my body and mind is still recovering from (mostly my mind, let’s be real). A little weight gain, some high cholesterol.
Well shoot. Apparently I got a little off course.
And I’m not complaining at all. Not one bit. Because one of my goals for 2023 was letting go of things that no longer serve me. And you know what no longer serves me? Burying disappointment and negative feelings deeper than that tiny little filing cabinet key chucked in the junk drawer and forgotten about. They’re in there somewhere!
So I’ve really been reflecting about that as I sit here with my coffee (and you) and letting myself sit in those feelings.
But wait!
One of my other goals was to get back to writing (check!) and take a risk to submit a freelance pitch or two for consideration. Even submitting is a huge accomplishment because rejection is also something you have to sit with. So here I am with 23 days left in the year and I’m doing it! I am many things but I am not a quitter. Sometimes that’s a detriment, like when I don’t recognize that I need to cut my losses and move on. But in this case, I WILL not quit means that I have 23 days left to meet a goal and end on a high note.
So this past week, I did just that. I submitted 2 pitches that are pretty personal to me. And, if you can picture it for a moment, my fingers hovered over the keyboard for several minutes while I worked up the courage to hit send. And I’m so freaking happy that I did it! Because the goal was to submit NOT to be published (I feel as though one of my 2024 goals is already written for me!?).
Anyhow, I’m just sharing this because I like that it kind of holds me accountable a little bit and keeps me motivated. And I really like this space and how this weekly post has been such a fun thing for me. And please say fun for you?
And speaking of weekly posts, it always includes something I’ve been loving this week. So here you go! Two of the favourites at our house this week. And I should mention, while I’ve got your attention, that I won’t be posting next week so I can hold a holiday baking pop up shop in my community.
Time to head off! I’ve got to go purchase a new journal for 2024!
Have a great week friends.
Renee xo
Last week my daughter and I both had a craving for cinnamon raisin bread. So without each other knowing, I made a cinnamon raisin sourdough bread and she bought a few sliced loaves from Costco. After we had the best drippy buttery raisin toast, we still had a surplus of raisin bread. I made a huge pan of baked french toast with the leftovers and it was deeeeelish. This would be a great brunch recipe!
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