2024 Yearly Goals
I am taking a new approach to goal planning this year. Instead of setting all these goals starting January 1, I am going to work backward so they are end-of-the-year goals. For example, one of my goals is to start investing. Instead of jumping right into the stock market, I have created a plan so that by January 1, 2025, I would have invested in the stock market. This approach allows me to slowly develop these goals and hopefully stick to them long-term.
- Invest
Learning to invest has been on my bucket list but to be honest I don’t even know where to start. Working backward from my goal I am committing each month to learning something new about investing by reading books, listening to podcasts, or watching videos. Hopefully, I can learn enough and gain the confidence to be able to invest by mid-year.
- Read 45 books
Forty-five books is a big goal for me but I am trying to limit my screen time as much as possible this year. I came up with this number by multiplying 4 by 12 and I got 48, 45 was some wiggle room. My monthly goal is to read 4 books a month:
1 nonfiction
1 fiction
1 financial book
1 free space.
Changing the genre will prevent me from getting burned out and I am also completing another one of my goals which is learning to invest by reading a financial literacy book.
- Create routines
One of the biggest things I learned in 2023 was that routines were so invaluable to my life. I had very small routines like the same work schedule (I worked as a barista) and the order in which I did my school work. These routines allowed me to set boundaries with myself and other people as I knew what I was supposed to do each day. In 2024, I want to expand my routine building by creating a night routine and morning routine first.
- Move 7 times a week
At the beginning of 2024 I watched Live to 100: The Secrets of the Blue Zone, it’s safe to say that the series inspired me to create goals that promoted longevity. There are three goals on this list that I either changed or added based on this show. When I was making this particular goal, I had “workout 3 times a week” which isn’t horrible, but I feel like the word workout may maybe too harsh. The series described movements as gardening, walking, and doing things by hand. So small repetitive movements throughout the day add up to a workout. Of course, I will still do yoga, Pilates, and light weightlifting but it is a good reminder that movement does not equal the gym.
- Capsule Wardrobe
So now I am a post grad and t-shirts and jeans are not going to cut it most of the time. This year I am on a mission to build a capsule wardrobe as sustainably as possible. I want a wardrobe that will last 5,10 even 15 years with pieces that I love. Thrifting and buying good quality items are something I am willing to invest some money in if it means I will love my wardrobe for a very long time.
- Community
Since moving back to my hometown, I am going to make an effort to get more involved in my community. I used to do a lot of volunteering in high school but since slowed down due to college and grad school. Volunteering is another pillar mentioned in the Live to 100 docuseries and although it is not the reason I am doing it — it’s definitely an added bonus.
- Homemade/Handmade
Last but not least, this year I am going to try my best to learn how to make everything from bread to hats. Not only are these great skills to learn, but they are most likely to more eco-friendly too – a win-win in my book. This is also another one from the Live to 100