Happy New Year everyone! I cannot believe we’re already in 2024! It feels like 2023 completely flew by – I honestly can’t believe how fast the year has flown by.
I’m excited for 2024! I had a huge 2023 filled with progress and exciting family events (namely having my 2nd child). I’m looking forward to what 2024 will bring. I’m going to focus on my studies this year and I’m hoping to get closer to finishing my masters! I’m also planning on continuing my writing and I’m hoping to keep at it and get more writing/editing done this year. I don’t really do ‘resolutions’ but I have set out some goals for myself this year:
1. Post At Least 1 Blog A Week
I have several blog post ideas planned for this year. I’m excited to write them and put them out into the world! I’m dedicated to continuing my blog and I really want to be consistent with my posting. I’m setting the goal of posting at least 1 blog a week, and hopefully being able to scatter more blog posts throughout the year as well!
2. Enter More Writing Competitions
I’m also planning on entering more competitions and writing more short stories and poems while working on my bigger projects this year. I like the smaller projects to break up the large ones – sometimes the bigger novels get overwhelming and I need a break, which is where the short stories and poems come into play!
I really want to be intentional with my short stories and poems and I will look at entering competitions with these writings. It gives me a purpose to write (beyond just enjoying it) and I’m looking forward to entering some more competitions this year.
3. Enter A Manuscript Competition
This one is a doozy. There are two large manuscript competitions that close for entries at the beginning of Decemeber. I’m aiming to enter both competitions, but I have to have two different novels for each competition (you can’t enter the same manuscript into both). It means that I have to really focus and write more in order to enter both of these competitions. My goal is to be a published author, and these competitions are a fantastic way to get my manuscripts out there and possibly get published from it!
I may not win, but having my manuscript in publishers hands gives me the opportunity to get published anyway, even if I don’t win. I really want to prioritise this goal and I’m going to knuckle down and focus this year!
4. Read More Books
I absolutely love reading but I found myself reading less and less this year. I definitely read several books but nowhere near the amount I truly enjoy. I want to read more this year. I will have to spend my time intentionally, especially nap time and after the kids are in bed. I will be writing and doing University but I really want to spend more time reading and not scrolling my phone aimlessly.
I find myself quite burnt out at the end of the day but I end up mindlessly scrolling most nights which isn’t productive rest at all. I want to be intentional with my rest and grab a book to read when I need some rest rather than scrolling Instagram or blogs. It will be good to get through more of my reading list and actually get back into reading again.
5. Spend More Intentional Time With My Kids
I definitely want to prioritise this goal. I love my writing and reading, but my family comes first. I want to be able to spend more intentional time with my kids. Overcome my anxieties and actually take them out more, enjoy time at the beach and at parks. I want to include them into my chores more. My eldest loves to be in the kitchen with me and I want to include him more in my cooking and baking and have him involved, spending more fun time together.
It can be difficult to have that intentional time when the house needs cleaning, groceries need to be done and chores have to happen. It’s an added difficulty having two kids as well, as I need to spend time with them both. I think I did a pretty good job this year, but I want to prioritise more intentional time with them this year. Taking one out on a ‘date day’ each week, playing with them inside the house, getting in the pool and swimming with them. It’s the small things that they’ll remember later in life and I want to spend more intentional time showing them how much they’re loved and cared for.
6. Cook More Things From Scratch
I’ve wanted to do this more for ages. I finally got my hands on a stand mixer and I’m excited to make more bread and pasta and sweets from scratch. I love cooking, but we have a very small kitchen so it’s been something I haven’t enjoyed as much. I have recently reorganised the kitchen to have a proper preparation space and I’m going to really focus on cooking more items from scratch and cooking more fun meals.
I want to expand my knowledge base on cooking and cook more fun meals while also baking bread, cookies, muffins, etc. It’s going to be one of the easier goals this year, as we always need to eat, but I’m looking forward to being more intentional with this.
7. Focus On My Social Media Platform More / Create More Content
I find it difficult to focus on content creation (outside of my blog), but I really do want to focus on my social media platform and grow my following more. I love my Instagram and I love sharing my books and life on that platform. I’m planning on expanding from bookstagram and including things from my daily life, like cooking and organisation content. It’s a bit ambitious when I have so much going on but I really do enjoy the social media platforms and I want to be present on there more.
I’m also looking into opening a YouTube. I’m not 100% sure on this one yet, but I’m looking into it and might start posting on YouTube. I do love cooking and organisation so I’d love to post that kind of content onto YouTube. BUT, this is very up in the air! I’m not a great filmer or editor so we’ll see how that goes down.
8. Finishing The University Year Strong
I’m almost finished my Masters which is insane! I’ve decided to drop down to part-time next year and spend an extra year completing the course. It means it’ll drag on longer, but it also means that I can actually spend good time on each subject and complete the assessments as strong as possible.
I’m really looking forward to graduating from my degree. It’s a bit of a downer that it’s going to take me longer, but I really want to focus on my family and other goals so something just had to give! I really want to finish the academic year strong and dropping down to part-time Uni was the best way to accomplish this.
Emilie Turner 