2022 Reflections. How I planned my year, my biggest wins and challenges, and goals I want to manifest in 2023

I’m so glad you’re here!! AND HAPPY 2023 boos!! How was your New Years? Did you get cute and go out dancing or get cozy and have a relaxing night in?

This year we got tickets to the dance party at Different Wrld (a venue and creative space here in Asheville), Dan and I were on a double date with Emylee and Bailey and had an awesome time! We’ve spent like 3 or 4 NYE’s together and it’s always a great time. BUT I’m glad to be entering into January, a fresh month and a fresh year.

The Winter vibe is all about getting rest and turning inward. I love using this time of year to slow things down, prioritize healing mentally/physically/emotionally, and reflect on how the previous year was and my intentions for the year to come.

That being said - 2022 was a big year for me in terms of feeling balanced and finally feeling like I’m working towards my purpose.. or I actually am living in my purpose now. So I wanted to share with you my 2022 reflections - how I planned my year so I could achieve my goals, my biggest wins and challenges, the the things I learned. My hope is to encourage my friends to go after their goals as well. To find what gets them excited, curious, and inspired. Maybe you have a dream or a goal or person you want to manifest into your life, but you just haven’t had the courage to pursue it… or feel like you don’t have the time, money, or energy… or aren't sure what thing to focus on first … or there are obstacles in the way…

Based on my 2022 experience, I found successful ways to get through these roadblocks, and want to give you the TEA honey! You’re gonna get insight into how I made it through my best year yet. You ain’t gonna wanna miss this!

Which is a great time to mention, that for the month of January only, you can get your first 60 minute life coaching session with me for $FREE$. Sign up below :)

My 2022 reflections

2022 was a really special year for me, with a lot of personal growth and self-discovery. I was brave enough to play outside of my comfort zone with starting my life coach journey, speaking on a women’s panel, and interviewing family members for the memory book I created. I accomplished most if not all that I set out to do this year and I’m really proud of myself. I know the changes and growth that I’ve experienced this year will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Even though 2022 was a positive year for me, I don’t want y’all to think every year is like this. I’d say I had two other years in my life that felt similar in terms of healing and personal growth back in 2012 and 2018. For a while I was so nostalgic towards those years and wished life would be like that again. I actually started to reflect back on what I did differently at those points and incorporated that into my 2022 planning process.

how I planned my year

Planning my year was something new for me, but my 2022 experience was definitely way more intentional and successful because of it. I recommend using Notion which is a DIY project management tool but you can also use excel or word.

1. Brainstorm goals (use categories) and edit them down

2. Choose the #1 priority goal in each category

   1. write down why that goal is a priority for you

3. Create a Theme for the year / month and add it to a doc or Notion

   1. Think of a word to set the tone for the year (I used Magical), and create a focus for each month

   2. For example I wanted to participate in Dry January, so my focus for that month was “HEALTH IS #1”. The idea is that the focus for each month ties back to your goals in some way.

   3. Create a book of the month list based on your monthly theme - my book of the month last January was The Alcohol Experiment. If you like podcasts you may want to save episodes of ones related to your goals (like a podcast on creativity or a budget podcast)

4. Create your Vision Board for inspiration (add to your doc or Notion)

5. Do a yearly tarot spread for extra guidance (add to your doc or Notion)

6. Use iCalendar to create your schedule

   1. I like to create a new calendar called “schedule” so I can turn it off an just see my appointments each day, I just like help in seeing the flow of my day at times

   2. carve out time for your AM and PM routine

   3. 30 minutes of chores in the AM during the week so weekends are free

   4. going to AM gym classes instead of the evening classes

   5. weekly reflection and prepare for next week on Sundays

   6. carve out time weekly for your #1 goals each week (that could mean time to budget so you can save for a trip, time to work on a project like creating a website)

   7. carve out time for to rest and relax each week

7. Create a list of rituals, action steps and milestones for your #1 goal (add to Notion)

   1. If you want to save up to go on a trip maybe the ritual that’s part of your schedule is budgeting each week and maybe you work for a few hours on the weekend at a part-time job. Those are consistent things you’re doing to reach your goal - aka a ritual. Be sure to add these to your schedule since they’re happening consistently.

   2. Then you get into action steps that are more specific and tie back to a specific milestone or goal. An action step at the beginning could be to research the cost of your trip so you’ll have a better idea of how much you need to save.

   3. A milestone could be saving up for half of the total for your tip (meaning this is a great time to celebrate and reflect on all that went well)

8. Reflect on your week and prepare for the following week (do the same with each month)

   1. Think about what is going well, and what you need

   2. did you hit your milestone goals? are you coming across a challenge you need to overcome?

   3. update your priorities as needed

   4. be aware of your energy levels - if you need more rest, you can move your action steps and milestones as needed

   5. key: set boundaries around your time and energy

Of course I had to believe in myself, overcome issues, commit to being serious about my goals, and putting in effort consistently in order to have a successful year - but I think planning it out like this and having something to come back to consistently ultimately was the tool and resource I needed.

I was able to focus on the main areas of my life in a more balanced way, and how I spent my time was way more intentional and focused.

I’m working on my 2023 goal templates in Notion now so as soon as I get those setup I’ll have them available on my site somehow - so stay tuned!

My biggest wins and challenges

Now on to my wins and challenges this year - My goals for 2022 were :

• Self/Career: Become a certified Life Coach (+ credentials)

  • CHALLENGE - believing in myself and putting myself out there

  • WIN - I am now a Lumia certified life coach, and am preparing for the ICF exam so I can get my official credentials. I absolutely feel more confident in myself after going through the program! I was even able to speak on a women’s panel this year, so getting out of my comfort zone feels somewhat normal now.

• Finances: Become financially stable. Save deposit for life coach classes, budgeting monthly to pay for life coach classes, start building up savings

  • CHALLENGE - unexpected bills, inflation

  • WIN - I am getting there! I am almost done paying for my life coaching classes so then I’ll be able to start building my emergency fund in a more intentional way. Those unexpected bills have really taught me the importance of sticking to my budget and make sure I have plenty saved in an emergency fund.

• Connections: Create a family memory book by Thanksgiving

  • CHALLENGE - seeing generational trauma and connecting with family that I don’t talk to often. It was also hard to fit this into my schedule so it was a little overwhelming.

  • WIN - I got it done and my family really enjoyed it, and I really enjoyed doing it - it made me feel closer with my family. A good lesson to not put too much on my plate when it comes to goals and projects.

• Wellness: Health is a priority - move up to gray at Madabolic

  • CHALLENGE - eating balanced 80% of the time.

  • WIN - I definitely prioritized health more this year than others and went to the gym pretty consistently.

I faced other challenges along the way, inlcluding my aunt passing away unexpectedly at the beginning of the year, maw maw being in the hospital, feeling lonely at times at the first half of the year, and being unmotivated at work, being overwhelmed by my schedule at times, and unexpected bills to pay for at the house. Even your best years will come with some roadblocks, but those are the opportunities for us to show up for ourselves so we can grow.

Wins overall: trip to folly beach, seeing the most epic double rainbow on my birthday, sauna house, read so many good books, creating lasting memories with my loved ones, year ended with some days off to relax and prepare for the new year! The wins are a great reminder that you’re on the right path and you should celebrate how far you’ve come!

Through 2022 I learned

• We can absolutely do hard things to reach our next level

• Money is a resource. Debt will hold us back from being able to have the money we need and saving for the things we love

• Getting out of our comfort zone usually results in something magical

• Time spent with loved ones is priceless

• Your time and energy is precious

• Keep your goals SIMPLE

• Take one baby step at a time

• Show up for yourself in some way, every day

I hope my 2022 experience inspires you to go after your goals as well!

Goals I want to manifest in 2023

And for 2023! I have a few goals that I’m excited to start on. I’m sharing these with you in case they give you ideas of what you might want to work towards this year, plus it will help hold me accountable. I also think knowing people’s goals is a great way to build connection and a deeper understanding of one another (so SHARE YOUR GOALS with someone!!)

My theme for the year is CURIOSITY (pushing the limits, taking interest, making connections being engaged, learning, having fun)

• Self: I’m in my ME era. I have created a consistent weekly spiritual practice that priorities authentic self-expression and exploration.

• Finances: I’ve built a strong financial foundation by paying off my debt, get organized with my business finances, and save 3 months of income in my emergency fund.

• Wellness: My health radiates from the inside, out. I’m healthy mentally (exciting hobbies, learning), physically (strong, going gray at the gym), and emotionally (therapy, intimacy)

• Career: I’m stepping into my power and purpose. I’m building my brand and growing my business. Paying clients and planning to go full-time within the first 1-3 months of 2024.

• Connections: I’m practicing selfless love and creating a more intentional and deep connection with those I love, making memories of a lifetime together. Connecting women and we’re building a badass uplifting community.

I definitely want to be mindful of not overextending and overbooking myself. I want to be booked and busy but still able to breathe… ya know what I mean?

So what does 2023 have in store for you? What is your word of the year?

Peppy’s tarot of the week

This week… we got the 4 of pentacles! hell yeah! This is all about saving money, security, stability, and also…control. What do you need to get in control over this week? What needs your attention? This probably isn’t the week to splurge we’ll just say that, and honestly this card makes a lot of sense post-holidays when our budgets can feel a lil tight. So save ya cash, and take control over what might need your attention.

Announcements + Plugs

Make sure you sign up for your FREE 60 minute life coaching session soon, spaces are limited! I can’t wait to see you <3

Here’s to a fresh new year together, I can’t wait to see all that we create together in 2023! I hope y’all have a FANTASTIC and restful week - I love you guys!! xx

If you want to hear this on my podcast, Pep Talks with Mal, check it out here.