6 Simple Goals For 2024: A Wish List For The Year Ahead

Well hello 2024! Yet again, the beginning of a new year feels like it’s come around so quickly but I’m definitely ready for the next 12 months. I’ve been very lucky to have the first week of 2024 off work, a real luxury – it feels quite indulgent using annual leave this early in the year but honestly, it’s just what the doctor ordered. I’m going into the year feeling motivated and refreshed, a feeling I definitely wasn’t feeling come the end of 2023.

2023 was such a good year though, don’t get me wrong. It finally felt like a time when things were a little bit lighter, there was no grief or huge sadness, but instead there were plenty of adventures, and new memories were added to the bank of life.

I really hope 2024 is the same!

As of yet, there are no holidays in the pipeline and no huge life goals on the horizon. But, I’m coming into 2024 feeling a bit more focussed and ready to achieve things that I’ve been procrastinating over (story of my life to be honest).

Read More: My Reverse Bucket List

As well as the usual of spending time with my friends and family, and going on some memorable adventures, here are some goals I want to achieve in 2024. I’m hoping writing them down will keep me accountable!

Be Consistent With Exercise

This was one thing I’d really let go in 2023. I just couldn’t get into a routine and to be honest, I just wasn’t motivated to go to the gym. This year though, I’ve signed up to a new gym that’s closer to home and I’m going to start going to yoga regularly too – something I’d started doing in November 2023 and I really enjoyed having a yoga class scheduled into my week.

So, I’m going to the gym 2x per week and yoga 2x per week. I can do the gym a couple of mornings before work and yoga a couple of evenings after work. If I have time, or need to miss a session, I can slot in a class at a weekend.

I know how good I feel after exercise so I’m hoping I can really get back into it!

Go On 12 Long Walks 

One walk a month was something I set my sights on in 2023 but it didn’t happen. We were busy or the weather wasn’t playing ball…there were many reasons/excuses!

This year though, if we have a day free and the weather is good I’m hoping to explore some more of the Yorkshire Dales, Peak District and Lake District this year.

By long walks, I guess they don’t have to be long. But a walk in the countryside, somewhere where we can enjoy some fresh air.

I’ve already ticked off a walk around Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and Janet’s Foss but other walks I hope to do this year include Mam Tor and Chrome Hill in the Peak District. If you have any recommendations for these areas, I’d love to hear from you!

Write 52 Blog Posts

Again, this was a goal for last year but I’m feeling really motivated to achieve this in 2024. It might be too ambitious but this would be doubling the amount of posts on Paper Planes and Caramel Waffles.

I’m going to block out time to write each month so I can get to this goal. Not every post will be a thorough guide, or comprehensive list of places to visit but I have a huge backlog of posts I want to write so I’m looking forward to seeing what content I create this year!

50k Yearly Blog Views 

I know this isn’t a lot compared to some people, and it’s way off what I need to apply to something like MediaVine but it’s a start. It would also be a huge increase on 2023 blog views!

I’m hoping more consistent blog posts will help with this but I’m also going to dip my toes back into the world of social media to see what effect that has!

Read 12 Books

My TBR pile is getting ridiculous. It just keeps growing and growing as I keep adding new books without really reading any. So, I’m aiming to read 1 per month. Whether that’s one of the many fiction books I have or a self development book where I can highlight the pages.

I’m not saying I won’t buy more new books, I’m just saying I’ll actually read the ones I do get!

Journal Every Day

I guess like a lot of people, I’ve gone through phases of journaling. I have a huge amount of half full notebooks, and empty notebooks waiting to be written in. But, just like exercise, I notice how much it helps when I’m writing. Whether I simply write down 3 good things that have happened during the day, writing about what’s happened in my week, or writing about what I want my future to be like, journaling helps me to work through things and get a clearer view on whatever might be on my mind.

I’ve started to do Sophie Cliff’s “Journal Your Way Home”. I’ve done a couple of Sophie’s courses before and her book “Choose Joy” is just such a good read. With Journal Your Way Home, I get a daily prompt straight into my inbox which I really love and it’s definitely helping to create that routine. 

After a great year of creating so many memories last year I really want to continue that into 2024 but with more of a focus on me and my future. Focus being the key word. I want to keep checking back in with myself and my goals and hopefully in 3-6 months, I can say I’ve maintained that consistency and progressed with my goals for 2024!

What are your goals and wishes for the year ahead? Maybe it’s the little things you want to focus on or there might be a big goal you’re chasing after! Let me know, I can’t wait to hear what your goals for 2024 are!