Join me as I look back on last year’s highlights and goals, and set a few simple, doable intentions for 2023.
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One of my favorite moments each year is the quiet time between Christmas and New Year’s when I pause to review the past twelve months. It’s a chance to celebrate what moved us closer to a simple, homemade life and to choose a few focused, realistic goals for the year ahead.
You can do this reflection at any time, of course, but for me that week feels especially right. I often hear people say they hesitate to set goals because they don’t want to “set themselves up for failure.” I get that. I don’t accomplish every goal I write down either.
But, my perspective shifted when I realized goal-setting is about steady forward progress, not perfection. Once I stopped treating goals as pass/fail tests and started viewing them as markers of progress, annual planning became energizing instead of intimidating.
Without a little intentionality, it’s easy to lose track of what we actually did over a year. Sure, the basics—food on the table, laundry done—still happen, but what meaningful things moved forward for us as a family or as individuals? Writing a few simple goals in key areas gives me a record to celebrate and a map for the coming year.
This is what I call being intentional with our time.
If we want family vacations, reading habits, or savings to happen, they need to be planned. A monetary target helps prioritize spending. A specific reading goal encourages daily learning. Planning nudges the things we value from wishful thinking into reality.
Why do I share yearly goals? Two reasons:
- To show the practical process of planning and how it ties to living a simple, homemade life.
- To inspire you to see how intentional use of time can help you move toward the life you want.
You can view past years’ goals to see how they tied into our lives and the site.
2022 Year Review
I used the “year in review” page from my Flexible Planner to reflect, but any notebook or pad will do. Ask simple questions: What was the best thing? What would you change? Which goals were accomplished? What should you carry forward, and what should you retire?
HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2022
January–March:
- Office makeover: A project that stretched a month into three as unexpected discoveries led to extra work and better results.
- Farmhouse before-and-after videos: Compiling renovation posts and videos for the first-floor rooms gave a satisfying overview of what we accomplished with mostly DIY skills.
April–May:
- I spent most of May traveling around Ireland—visiting castles, staying with welcoming people, and enjoying the scenery and culture.
June–July:
- We began a large outdoor concrete project to replace failing areas and improve access to the sunken garden. Costs and logistics stretched the timeline, but progress was made with community help.
- Family kayaking and paddleboarding in the Cascades kicked off summer with a refreshing break.
- Health challenges for close family members required time and care; thankfully both recovered.
August–September:
- I consolidated all the farmhouse renovation posts onto one page, making the history and progress easier to explore.
- A coastal kayaking trip was a highlight, and our dog finally enjoyed the water with a new vest.
- An Otter Rock surf trip in late September blessed us with warm weather and ocean views.
October:
- After months of work, the cement landscaping and gravel paths were completed, including functional steps into the sunken garden and a new retaining wall.
- We added a fire pit area that is shaping up to be a favorite outdoor gathering spot.
November–December:
- Hawaii provided warm beaches, snorkeling with sea turtles, and quality time with family—an energizing end to the year.
- Holiday baking was plentiful, with pies, cinnamon rolls, cookies, and more bringing family together.
- The 2023 Flexible Planner and a free printable 12-month calendar were released, updated with seasonal fruit artwork.
2022 GOALS RECAP
Personal: I met the personal goals I set. Many were habits already forming, which shows it’s fine to continue or deepen what’s working.
Home/Financial: About half of the home and financial goals were completed. The upstairs bathroom didn’t get finished—so it’s my top priority for 2023.
Business: This area lagged. I added a few small ebooks to the shop and improved some email content, but I didn’t launch major new products and fell short on bookkeeping. I created new recipes and completed renovation videos, though, so there were wins amidst the misses.
2023 Goals
We’re keeping our five-year goals as a north star and using them to shape the 12 goals I chose across three categories: personal, home/financial, and business. These goals blend ongoing habits, projects in progress, and necessary tasks—like the second bathroom.
If this feels like too much, pick one goal in a single area or one overall goal. The point is to be intentional and take steady steps toward what you want.
Personal Goals
- Continue the Line-a-Day journal with a focus on gratitude so I can compare days year to year.
- Read or listen to a Christian living book each morning and record insights in my Book Journal, lining up the next book in advance.
- Maintain fitness habits: three workouts per week, daily walks as weather allows, and standing/moving every 45–60 minutes.
- Lower the food budget to $125/week by planning meals, using pantry items, and pausing on impulse purchases.
Home/Financial Goals
- Finish the upstairs renovation, prioritizing the second bath and completing the stairway.
- Complete stage one of the kitchen patio (patio and stairs), with stage two envisioned as a covered porch-like addition.
- Continue to max out retirement contributions—this remains an automatic and important goal.
- Plan several short family trips and one larger trip, then follow through with bookings and a savings plan.
Business Goals
- Grow the email list to 20,000 subscribers—a concrete target to focus marketing efforts.
- Add new products to the shop and launch a new Etsy store to expand reach and revenue streams.
- Hold a monthly financial hour to track income and expenses consistently.
- Plan quarterly using wall calendars to keep a big-picture view; I’ll use printable monthly calendars on clipboards behind my desk.
On the site in 2023 expect more easy, tasty recipes, practical garden tips, and products that support a simpler, more intentional life.
I’ll celebrate 14 years of writing on this little corner of the internet in February, and I’m deeply grateful to you for making this work possible. Thank you for visiting, commenting, reviewing, and writing heartfelt emails—I read and appreciate every one.
Here’s to a thoughtful and beautiful 2023!
xoxo, Jami
Curious about past goals? You can browse them to see how our focus has evolved over time.
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