Happy New Year! I’ll say what we are all thinking…I can’t believe it’s 2024! On TikTok and Instagram, a fun trend was going around where people were sharing their “ins and outs” for the new year. People shared their “bad” habits and things that are “out” for them, along with positive, good habits that they want to incorporate in the new year. For me, my 2024 Ins and Outs are as follows:
2024 Ins and Outs
Ins:
- prioritizing Bible reading – I’ll be using this devotional which I love!
- waking up early
- movement every day – I’ve been loving pilates and I recently purchased a walking treadmill!
- sitting down & actually enjoying meals (aka no more standing and eating/eating in a rush)
- date night – Aaron and I really stepped up our date night game toward the end of 2023. It’s helped in our marriage so much, just being able to get away for a few hours once a month. Thanks, Mom for watching the kids! š
- making more sourdough bread – I started dabbling in sourdough bread making this year and have enjoyed it. It’s better for us, and a more affordable option. I just need to get into the habit of making it regularly.
- house cleaning schedule – part of my goal here is to be better at time management and home organization. Right now, I clean often, but it feels sporadic. I want to do a little bit each day so I’m not overwhelmed. I think I’ll start doing the FlyLady method! I’ve wanted to do it for years now just haven’t committed. Now is the time!
- reading before bed – from the time I put the kids to bed and when I go to bed is the most wasted part of my day. Granted, I’m exhausted from being with the kids all day (not complaining, it’s just a fact!). But, I want to be better about using that time wisely and not aimlessly scrolling social media. And it’s always been my goal to read more. I’m not a big reader by nature so it’s something I want to work on.
- needlepoint – This Christmas, I did some crafting with Teddy and enjoyed it. It was relaxing and I got to use a side of my brain I don’t always get to use. I’ve wanted to get more into needlepoint and I think this year would be a good time to do it! An ambitious goal I have is to needlepoint Christmas stockings for the kids!
- mom friends/community – The older I get, the more introverted I get. I’m also a home buddy. Like, I’m pretty content to be at home all day, every day. And having small kids has made me even more of a hermit. Packing everyone and everything up into the car, and planning around naptimes, it’s a lot. And frankly, it’s just easier for me to stay put. But, I’ve been feeling the consequences of that lately and have been craving some community and more friendships. So it’s a goal for me to put myself out there and step out of my comfort zone a little bit.
- blogging more – My creativity ebbs and flows. Well in 2023, it ebbed a lot. I think it’s part of postpartum maybe? When Kit turned six months, I finally started to feel in the mood to blog more and create content. I’ve been feeling so guilty about not doing it more. But it’s supposed to be fun! Not stressful. So this year, I’m feeling more creative and want to create the content I want to create and not worry about whether it will get likes/comments or if it will be “on trend.”
Outs:
- drinking coffee on an empty stomach – need I say more??
- stressing about small things – motherhood has taught me that I’m way too uptight. Like I need to just be chill. It’s okay if your three-year-old is having a meltdown over something, dumb. HE’S 3! That’s all he knows.
- never responding to texts – do any other moms have this problem? I feel like I’ve gotten so bad at responding to texts. Going to make it a goal to respond sooner.
- not doing fun things because it’s too much with small things – I touched on this earlier with mom friends/community.
- mindless scrolling
- snacking after dinner
- watching too much TV – I want to replace watching TV with reading!
- going to bed late – I love sleep. And if I go to bed at 11pm, it makes the mornings soooo hard for me.
My 2024 Ins and Outs are lengthy but necessary. I’m going to be 29 (!!!) in three weeks. And I’ve been wanting to make a lot of the changes on this list for years now. Part of this blog post is a little accountability for me too!
And I of course want to share some highlights from this year.
But as we ring in the New Year, it’s important to take a moment to reflect on the past year and all that we have to be grateful for. For me, one of the biggest sources of gratitude is my faith and my family. But I’m also so thankful for this blog community. Especially my followers over on Instagram. This year was a low-performance blogging year due to life with two small children. However, I am so fortunate to have a group of readers and fellow bloggers who support and encourage me in this little creative space. So if you’ve read my blog posts, liked my Instagram posts, shopped my links, or have just followed along, THANK YOU.Ā It truly means the world to me!
Looking ahead to 2024, I am excited to continue sharing and growing this space. I have so many ideas and projects in the works, and I can’t wait to see them come to fruition. But most of all, I am excited to continue connecting with all of you!
Thank you for being a part of this community, and here’s to another year of growth and connection!
Iām new to your blog. I love your preppy style . I also plan to prioritize bible reading this year and to practice daily gratitude for my blessings. I look forward to your posts this 2024!
Thank you so much for following along! So grateful to have you here! š
I was in a similar situation ( needing friend connections) with small children and found that our library had kids programs during the week. The kids went to the program and the moms connected while watching. I developed long lasting friendships from those connections years ago.