To goal or not to goal...That is the question!

Plus some journaling advice for the new year

It will likely not surprise you to hear that I love goal-setting.

And while I know I can set a goal any time, there’s magic in setting goals for a January start!

December kept be busy with my end of the year reflection process -

I reviewed 2023 with its good, its bad, its ugly.
I considered how I want to feel in 2024.
I finalized my word of the year.
And I labored over my goals.

This year I actually have two words:

IMPLEMENT and INTEGRATE.

I’ve had a busy and full couple of years, full of learning and growing. And now it’s time for me to put all the pieces together. I’m so excited to see where IMPLEMENT and INTEGRATE take me!

But my goals for 2024 stymied me.

I always align my goals with both my word of the year and how I want to feel. This year, though, I kept hitting block after block. On day 3 of considering my goals, I was still stuck.

I thought about all the usual suspects:

• Yes, I need to get on board with nutrition and movement.

• Yes, I do need to get more sleep on the regular.

• Yes, I do need time to myself on the regular to do things that bring me joy.

These, however, are all things I’m going to work on even without having them as a clearly defined goal. So to choose them as such felt like cheating.

Last Friday I took a time-out and went for an anti-gravity float: 90 minutes in a sensory deprivation tank. Once I figured out what was happening, I had the best experience!

Afterwards, I sat in the relaxation lounge with my journal. And here’s what came out:

What if this year I create a set of guidelines for myself? What if instead of goals, I choose tenets? What if I identified the guideposts that help me feel most like me?

Maybe I’m having a hard time identifying goals because there’s only one goal - to become the truest version of myself.

Who would I be if I didn’t set a boatload of goals?

What if every day I ask myself what the truest version of Amanda Stern looks like?Maybe that’s the ultimate question.

That explained so much. I was having a hard time deciding on goals because this year doesn’t need me to have a bunch of goals. Just this one focus.

So in 2024, I’ll be using IMPLEMENT and INTEGRATE as my guideposts to put all the pieces of me together. To create and reinforce the habits that will help me become the truest version of me. To take what I learn and integrate it into me and my life.

And you know I’ll be using my journaling to support me!

I’m looking forward to adapting my journaling practice and my one-pager to ask the right questions this year so I can find the answers I need.

Whether you are a goal-setter or not, I hope you will give some serious consideration to what you need in 2024. And I hope you will love yourself enough to give yourself what you need.

Sending you so much positive energy and love as we start 2024 strong!

The truest version of me probably can be found planning my garden for next summer!

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Journal Prompts

Use these prompts as written or as inspiration to uncover what you need in your life this week. And know that I’m always here to support you and answer questions you have along the way!

• How do you want to feel in 2024?

• What word can serve as your theme for the year?

• What goals are you setting for 2024?

• What habits are no longer serving you? Which ones can be replaced?

• What new habits do you need to implement so you can achieve your goals?

• How will you hold yourself accountable?

• How will you mark your progress?

• How will you reward yourself for your growth and progress?

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New Year, New Journal?

The new year can be a perfect excuse to start a new journal. There’s magic in opening a brand new book in a brand new year. I’d like to offer a few words of advice:

Leave perfectionism at the door. So often I hear people tell me that they love finding the perfect journal, but they’re afraid to use it because they don’t want to ruin it. Get rid of your expectations. Your journal isn’t judging you. It’s not judging how often you write, how you write, or what you write. That includes your ideas, your words, your spelling, your grammar, your handwriting, how straight your margins are! So don’t judge yourself either!

And if you miss a day, as happens to all of us, there’s no need to beat yourself up for it. There’s no need to start your next journal entry by confessing how long it’s been since you’ve last written. Your journal doesn’t care. It just wants you back!

Just jump right back in. You can go back and fill in the gaps later if you wish. But the most important thing is to simply restart. You can restart as many times as you need to to build a consistent journal practice.

And remember that YOU get to decide what consistent means. Sure, consistent could look like a daily journaling practice. But it can also look like:

• Journaling on weekdays

• Journaling on weekends

• Journaling every three days

• Journaling on the full moons

• Journaling every time you clip your fingernails

• Journaling once a year on your birthday.

YOU get to decide what your journaling looks like. So play around. Figure out what feels good to you! And have fun!

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Journaling Fun and Support

• My weekly livestream is back! Join me on Tuesdays at 8pm Eastern as I welcome a series of guests who do interesting, fun things that tie into journaling! This week, I talk tarot-based coaching with Jesse Janelle. Tune in on LinkedIn, YouTube, or Facebook (if you’re my mom!).

• I’m hosting a Journaling Mini-Retreat on Wednesday, January 17 at 7:30pm Eastern. Gift yourself an hour of self-care and connection. Register for this free group session HERE.

• Have questions about journaling? Need some support, encouragement, or accountability? Let’s have a conversation and explore how I can help! Book time on my calendar here. Be sure to bring your journal to our session!

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Happy Journaling!