Will 2024 be your year to shine?
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We’re already a couple of weeks into the new year – how’s it going so far? Have you kept all your New Year’s Resolutions?
Even if you don’t make resolutions, setting goals and creating a plan to achieve them definitely gives you a sense of direction.
My own process is fairly simple these days, consisting of three steps.
- Review my goals for the previous year and evaluate how I made out with each one. Sometimes I download Year Compass, but usually I use pen and paper.
- For every important piece of my life, ask myself if I want more, less, or the same.
- Use this information to create goals and choose my “one word” for the new year.
2023 in Recap
Last year, I chose the word CONNECTING, and described how I’d apply it to three specific areas of my life. You can read about them in 2023, I’m ready for you!
Here’s how I made out:
- I’m happy with the amount and quality of time I’ve spent in both my business and my personal life.
- I’ve used my own photos on my blogs when possible but haven’t often had something that fit. Keeping upcoming blog topics in mind may help when I’m looking for photo ideas. In the meantime, I’ve used two of my photos in this post.
- I didn’t focus on growing my network of service providers but was able to connect my clients with existing contacts whenever a need arose.
I worked on some exciting websites (here’s one of them), read lots of good books, and continued with my photography.
My enjoyment of all of that was dampened by watching my beloved dog, Carly, grow old and eventually saying goodbye.
What’s next for me?
My word for 2024 is SIMPLICITY.
I still love my work, but I’ll continue fine-tuning my tasks and activities to make the most of my personal and work time. My mission is to deliver the best possible service to my Website Care Plan clients, whether they’ve been with me for 10+ years or are working with me for the first time.
I’m in the process of redesigning my own website so it better reflects who I am as a businesswoman and a person. I think you’ll like it!
What’s next for you?
If you have business or personal goals that you’re comfortable sharing, feel free to post them in the Comments. We usually feel more accountable to get things done when we share them with someone else!
Janet Barclay
I eliminate stress for my clients by hosting, monitoring, and maintaining their WordPress sites so they don’t have to worry about security, downtime or performance issues. When I’m away from my desk, I enjoy reading, photography, cooking, watching movies, drinking tea, and spending time with my family.
Good luck with your new website! Creating an updated website has given me more focus and direction on where I want to be in the future.
My goal for this year is to connect and help as many small business owners and solopreneurs as possible, from one-on-one consultations to online experiences, while staying balanced and not overly stressed through the process.
I’m sure you will rock it!
I’m chewing on a new idea for next year. I’m not sure if I’m ready to invest yet, but I think I’m moving in that direction. It’s fun to challenge myself to keep growing and trying new things.
Simplicity can be a powerful word, so I’m excited for you, and look forward to YOUR newly redesigned website. 🙂
My condolences on your sweet Carly. That is hard. Been there myself.
Thank you for your condolences, Seana – it means a lot.
I will be eagerly awaiting news about your new idea! I have to be very careful about pursuing any that pop into my mind, in keeping with my “simplicity” theme.
I love looking at my old goals, seeing how I did, and then coming up with new goals. I always do this in the last couple of weeks of December. My word of the year is “Alignment” and it’s a litmus test for how I spend my time and what I put down as my goals. Now when I set aside time to help my daughter who is graduating this year and is planning her future, I can remind myself to be present since this is where my time is well spent.
What a beautiful photo of your dog. I am so sorry for your loss.
That’s awesome, Jill – thanks for sharing! And thank you for your kind words. That is my calendar picture for this month. I will be sad to turn the page, but next month she will be one year younger, and so on to the end of the year.
What a sweet photo of your beloved Carly. My heart goes out to you. How lucky she was to have you as her family.
I love your 2024 word, “Simplicity.” I’m sure it will guide you well as you choose where and how you want to spend your time. I also love the idea of asking what you want more or less of. It’s a great way to take inventory of where you are.
The word and motto selection, reviewing the previous year, future-thinking, and goal-setting are a process for me. While I’d love to have it complete by the end of December with a clear vision for the new year, I rarely get it done by then. It takes me more time to percolate, decide, and commit.
This year, my word is embrace. It will guide me forward in all areas with passion, focus, love, and presence. My motto is “You got this.” It’s my shortcut to eliminating the doubt. And in the first few weeks of the year, my word and motto have tested me. They’ve both helped, especially when I was stressing over a decision or needed to refocus my energy.
I’m excited about 2024 and what will unfold.
Thank you for sharing your word and your motto. I’m sorry they’ve both tested you already, but not surprised that you got through it and I know you’ll continue to shine this year. Thanks also for your kind words about Carly. We still miss her terribly, but take comfort in our memories and the knowledge that we gave her a good life – and that she did the same for us.
I’m looking forward to seeing your refined web site, and I hope you achieve the simplicity you are seeking. Thank you for sharing what you’ve accomplished and where you’re heading in 2024. And I hope warm memories of Carly will comfort you.
s you know from my blog, my word for the year is “upgrade” (which I’m hoping implies improvement and not merely spending more money to replace current versions of things, though I’ve already “upgraded” to a new router (which works great) and a new DVR (which is maddening). My theme song for the year is “Pronoia” by Carly Pearl, basing my assumptions that everything is out to make things easier/better for me. Technology has been giving me a run for money money since just before the start of the new year, but I’m hopeful that this positive outlook will undergird all my efforts for the year. As for goals, I’m still working on figuring out what I want.
Pronoia – what a concept! This is new to me, but I like it!
My goal this year is to Re-introduce Myself.
I started my organizing business in Shreveport Louisiana in 2009. I had organizing jobs pretty consistently over the years,with down times through out the year here and there.
Two years ago I made the move to Chattanooga Tennessee. I took a year and a half off work so I could settle in and learn my way around,meet people,etc.
I recently started my business back up here. It’s slow going right now as I’m trying to get my name out there. So far this year I’ve done two organizing jobs. That’s encouraging.
I’m still in the process of changing my information on search engines to my new contact information.Its a time consuming project!
I’m hoping once I finish updating I will get more business and be as successful as I once was.
Fingers crossed.
So I have two words for this year.. re-introducing myself.
Good luck to you, Angel! Perhaps some day you can write a guest post for Your Organizing Business about how you successfully re-established yourself in a new state!