SHAPING 2024 – Time for Those Resolutions

A new year. So many expectations. A blank slate. I love this time of year when all things are possible. It feels rejuvenating and fun and exciting. Shaping 2024 and making all those resolutions, dreaming of goals and activities and future memories. And yet I have to admit that compared to the past couple years I am not as excited and optimistic heading into the new year.

Writing this post today feels a bit daunting. But I have been writing this post ever since starting the blog. And I do not want to break the tradition. So here I am showing up. Doing it anyways. And maybe at the end of this post I feel excited and rejuvenated in shaping 2024 and all things to come.

Before I share my resolutions it is time to share my word of the year. Which is (surprise) SHAPE.

Side note: I have been setting a word for the year for over decade now. Some have been stronger and life changing some have been rippling along like a little brook. But every single one had some sort of impact. I usually follow Susannah Conways workbook. However after so many years I often feel the word without religiously going through it. Here you can read more about my process of choosing a word of the year.

And this happened this year. The first contenders had been jotted down as early as August. And in the following months SHAPE has been materializing. I went through the motions the last days in defining the word and it became clear SHAPE it will be.

Choosing this word feels overwhelming. I had other contenders like “carve” or “tone” but they felt like the save choice. The ones that won’t get me out of my comfort zone. That feel cozy and don’t leave much room for steering of the beaten path. SHAPE is bigger. It is more of a kick-in-the-butt kinda word. It feels more powerful. I like that it is an active word. You need to put in the work.

And there is already something there to shape. I have a foundation a basis to start with. It is about shaping the details, getting to the core, making things visible. I am not starting from nothing. I can use what I have. Knowing this makes it not as overwhelming.

What will SHAPE look like in terms of goals and dreams in 2024:

I have identified five areas for me to shape in 2024. For each one I have some goals, dreams and intentions. Not all will be shared. Some are private.

Shape Life & Happiness

This is the overall intention with my word. All following areas will play in here of course.

• I will travel to new places.
  Traveling shapes life and adds to happiness for me. We are planning a summer vacation in Denmark. And I also have my voucher for the Amsterdam trip (40th b-day present) to cash in. Maybe some more get-aways in between.
• I will create new experiences and memorable moments.
  Life happens while you make plans. True. So I want to make more spontaneous trips, outings, explorations during the weekends. Just hop in the car, on the bike and start living and exploring.
• I will use my boating license. 
  Since the season ended just when I passed the test I want to use it in 2024. Maybe I through my birthday on a boat.

Shape Health & Body

For me this is the key area to focus on in shaping 2024. It has been put of too many times. I have mentioned it here so much it may seem ridiculous to do again. But I feel 2024 could finally be the year where there is time and energy to make things happen. So here is my eager list of things that would cater to shaping my health and my body:

• I will enjoy the magic of one detox week.
  Past experiences have showed me how great it is to detox but with everything going on the past two years I couldn’t fit it in.
• I will eat less sugar.
  November showed me again that less sugar is better for my health. I am trying to come to terms with it as I love candy, cake and chocolate and don’t want to exclude it. But I need better balance. I will try to find sugar free recipes for baking or how to adapt loved recipes. I will also do another sugar free month.
• I will take naps.
  Something I started integrating in 2023 and I want to continue. Usually Tuesdays or Thursdays after lunch I will take 20-30 minutes to lie down.
• I will use no phone before 9am.
  Also something I started incorporated in 2023 and want to continue. It is amazing if you give yourself some time before the world sucks you in.
• I will enjoy Social Media Free Sundays each month.
  With recent news and everything I am having a hard time with Social Media. It is my job to be online so it is extra hard. But I am trying to have at least one day per month I manage to stay off the apps. And one day I might manage to up that number.
• I will walk an average of 6.000 steps each day.
  This was a goal I had for 2023 and which I unfortunately didn’t reach. Here is for trying again.
• I will create a fitness routine.
  This is my core thing I will be working on in 2023 and the one thing I fear I will fail (again). For years I have been putting things on my Pinterest board Getting back in Shape and this year I will look at it. I figured if I do twelve 30-day challenges it could be a method to keep me motivated. And I will be setting those very low (like 30 jumping jacks or 5 min yoga) hoping that once I am doing something I will add a few more things. And I will take the plunge and recap what I have done on a monthly basis in order to keep myself accountable. This is scary for me.
• I will try new things to stay active.
  Last year I gave my husband a golf course for Christmas. We haven’t done that yet. So I hope to do that together. I also want to try paddle boarding. Maybe I come up with other things.
• I will manage to close all my rings at least once a month.
  My settings are high so I rarely manage to do so with my current level of activeness.
• I will be getting a fitted bra.
  So so tired of bras that hurt, pinch and break all the time. I will invest the money and get a fitted bra to see if that is a way forward.

Shape Mind & Soul

In this area it is all the things that make me feel balanced and centered and give me energy. That lets me explore my creative side.

• I will participate in 100 Day Project.
  This is always such a great experience for me as I allow myself to spend time being creative. Until I find a way to do it without guilt on a daily basis this challenge is my ticket.
• I will take walks in nature and appreciate my surroundings.
  Last year I started to dedicate Wednesday mornings to take a walk in nature before anything else happens. My goal is 30-60 minutes. Just me. No audiobook, no errands just being outside. It is very soothing for my soul and I want to continue that.
• I will shape my mind by reading.
  Reading is my escapism when the world is too much for me. When people in general are insufferable. I will share my reading plans in a separate post.
• I will take more photos.
  Last year I have only taken 230 images for myself (I took a gazillion for work). Seeing the world through my lens always calms me down. I plan to take at least one photo walk and I also want to snap all the images of shapes that I come a cross. Picking up the camera with intention is the goal.
• I will collect quotes that incorporate the word “shape”.
  This will be a bit tougher I assume but it will be interesting what I come across. Also keeps me open minded.
• I will shape a piece of wood.
  In recent years I have made sweaters or a book mark. This year I feel it will be some sort of keychain or a necklace or a decorating piece.

Shape Relationships

Here I see three areas: my marriage, my family members and my friends.

• I will celebrate our 10th anniversary in February.
  Our plans of spending it in Finland where we had our honeymoon have unfortunately not panned out. I would love to go somewhere but plans need to be made.
• I will be kinder when I am in a bad mood.
  Unfortunately I tend to have my mood influence my behavior and the people around me. This I need to work on.
• I will visit my sister and her family.
  Last year I have only been at her place once and then not even for long. They are usually busy on weekends as they both work as pastors so it is always a bit tough to find a good time but that shouldn’t make me not go.
• I will enjoy the family reunion.
  As always we will have a family reunion the first weekend of May and I am looking forward to it. Last year I was in charge of organizing but somehow we haven’t defined who will do it this year. I need to check.
• I will organize a cousins reunion.
  This is something we have been talking about for almost a decade and never done it. I know two or three people who would support me here. I guess someone needs to make the first step and get the ball rolling. Let’s do it this year.
• I will make time to call family more often. 
  There are phases we talk regularly and then there are times I rarely speak to my parents or siblings. I want to stay connected more and be part of what is going on in their lives.
• I will meet at least one friend in real life per month.
  As a home body and introvert and then also working from home in a now remote place I need to make an effort to see people. It will take more time and planning if I want to have a lunch date or a some after work drinks with friends. So I want to put this as something regular in the calendar.
• I will participate in NaBloPoMo and stay connected to my online friends.
  This space and this community is giving me so much. I want to make time for it as I would with other friends in reading and commenting and sharing.

Shape Home

I am hoping to settle in more into this apartment. I don’t feel like moving in the next years. But to really make it a home there needs to be done a few things.

• I will create cozy and relaxing outdoor space.
  We have a huge outdoor space that we have not at all furnished or any plans with yet. We need some ideas here and then spend some money to make it cozy. Our plan was to have one season pass to get a feel of the space and then decide. So this would be something I like to do in the first 4-5 month this year and then do all the living.
• I will continue to declutter.
  I want to look through all my recipe books and digitalize the recipes I like and get rid of a few of those books where only a couple recipes speak to me. I also have about three moving boxes of things that need selling. Time to tackle that.
• I will create a picture wall with art pieces and photos.
  It has been a long dream of mine to have a wall of (my) art and some of my photos. It is time to make that happen.
• I will explore the neighborhood.
  To feel more settled and familiar with this neighborhood and the options I want to further explore the area that I can reach by foot and bike and maybe public transport. I need to know where to go when I want to shop certain things, find a few cozy spaces/coffee shops to go work if I don’t feel like sitting all day alone in my home office. Things like that.

This list looks a lot. Overambitious. Overwhelming. Not all things will happen. Not all things will happen every single month. But I am trying. Here is to shaping 2024 and making it a joyful, happy, energetic and exciting new year.

Did you choose a word of the year? Do you make plans and set intentions? Tell me one thing you are excited for in 2024! What association do you have with the word shape? Anything I need to add to my list?