As I’m sure you’ll know, each year I write my list of goals in January and post them here on the blog.
Since we’re now halfway through 2023, I thought this would be a good time to sit down and assess how those goals are progressing and think if I need to move the goal posts a little, or if I’m on track to achieving them.
If you’re curious and haven’t already seen my list of goals for 2023, you can read them here.
But for now, let’s see how we’re doing for each one.
1. Less is more
I wanted to focus on less social media accounts this year, and I can say I have definitely done that, stripping it back to focus on one Instagram account, one TikTok account, two Twitter accounts and every other app that I’m on.
However, like I said in my goals blog post, I somehow probably still won’t be able to post as much as I would like on those accounts and I was very much correct.
But I have since stripped it back even further where I’m mainly focused on YouTube and my blog at the moment, hoping I’ll eventually make way for content on Instagram and TikTok in the future.
2. Put more energy into YouTube
YouTube is without a doubt, my favourite social media platform. I have definitely been putting more effort into it this year, having already passed the number of videos that I posted in 2022, however I would still like to be spending more time on it.
My videos from this year aren’t performing as well as videos from 2022, but as long as I’m still posting on there at least once per month, I don’t mind.
I have a few exciting videos to come this year with my Amsterdam vlog and USA East Coast road trip still to come, but after this I’ll have to get to the drawing board or start posting videos about my life in London – stay tuned!
I also find it more enticing to spend time editing YouTube videos since I’ve started to receive payment from ads on my videos. In the last two months I’ve made £120 for views, so I’m excited to see where this can go.
You can find my YouTube channel here!
3. Read 50 books
I’m definitely on track to hit this goal as I’ve read 42 books this year already and we still have over five months to go.
I set myself a smaller target this year as I wanted to put less pressure on my reading, and didn’t want to read anywhere near as many as 100 books this year.
Plus, I wanted to focus a lot on YouTube this year and knew I would be travelling quite a bit and wouldn’t have as much time.
I recently posted my favourite five books of 2023 so far, which you can find here: I’ve Read 42 Books This Year So Far, Here Are My Top Five.
4. Keep learning Italian
I’m very proud to say that this is a goal that I have stuck to every single day of this year.
My Duolingo streak is on 266 days (including when I started at the end of last year) and I don’t think I’ve ever committed to something on a daily basis like this before in my life.
Since it’s only two minutes (minimum) of my time each day, I don’t find it a chore and always manage to make time for it.
I can definitely say that I know more Italian than when I first started, but I’m not at a stage where I can hold a conversation just yet. It does also help working for an Italian fashion brand, and also that I have a few Italian work colleagues. Allora, I will get there.
5. Go to the gym
We were going so well with this mid-year check-in that I almost thought all of my goals were on track to being achieved. But here we are.
Every year I add something like this to my list of goals, and every year it’s the same story that I never stick to it.
It’s definitely something that I need to fix, given that the gym is one floor below me in my building. However, I don’t have any motivation to go, hate it when I’m there, and want to spend my time doing other things.
So how do I make it a priority and convince myself to go?
I think I also find it hard because I’m never in a routine in London. My days in the office change most weeks, I’ll have dinners or breakfast meetings during the week, or I’ll be on holiday or away somewhere at different points of the month and just can’t get into a rhythm of making the gym a habit I can stick to.
Once I get back from my US trip and my Ireland trip in August, I have absolutely nothing planned for the rest of 2023. Maybe then I’ll finally get my routine in order and include the gym somewhere in there.
6. Move out of London
Well. I’m still here. So shall we leave it at that?
What I will say is, that it’s not for a lack of trying and that I’m praying to every God that’s out there that this goal will be achieved before the end of this year.
Watch this space!
7. Travel somewhere new in America
If you follow my YouTube channel or follow me on Instagram, then you’ll know I started 2023 in New York City (the best place on earth) and then in March, flew to Las Vegas for my 25th birthday.
Las Vegas Vlog: Four Days in Las Vegas, Grand Canyon & Arizona
While we were in Las Vegas, we rented a car and drove to Arizona and visited the Grand Canyon, stopping at the Seven Magic Mountains on the way there. These have always been bucket list items of mine and I’m so thrilled we got to see both.
So I can say that yes, I travelled somewhere new in America this year visiting Kingman, Arizona and the Grand Canyon.
New York City Vlog: New Year’s Eve 2022 in NYC
I’m also about to head off to the states again this week on a road trip around the East Coast, hitting states like Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont. Some places I have been to before, like Boston, Salem and The Hamptons, but I’m beyond excited to see Maine and drive through Vermont for the first time (and also go back to New York for 24 hours).
I’ll be vlogging and posting on my Instagram when I’m out there, but I’ll be going whale-watching in Bar Harbour, Maine which is another bucket list item I’m hoping to tick off this year!
8. Network, network, network
I don’t think I have too much to update on this one, but I have definitely increased my network of influencers, agents and press at work this year.
My work goal was to stay at my current job and I am still here one year and three months later and still loving every second of it. I’d say I’ve made more connections in work for sure, but not as many as I would like. It really is a lot harder not being in the office four-five days a week.
So, how am I doing?
I’d say I’m very much on track to achieving all of my goals this year, yes all (even the gym goal).
You’ll have to stick around on here or on Instagram/YouTube to see if I keep myself accountable and actually achieve all eight but I am determined.
Let me know if you have any goals for this year and how you feel you’re getting along!
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