2022 Wrap Up and Dreams for 2023

I know I have been missing from the blogging world since mid last year. I thought about blogging almost every day – I had so much to share and catch up with old friends, but this job I started last year has turned out to be a time sucking monster and I haven’t had much time to do anything else.

However, I’m hoping that I will get better at managing my work and time this year and be able to blog at least once a month 🙂

I was looking for my 2022 Goals post on my blog and I found it here! Looks like I had some kind of divine premonition about the upcoming work because I didn’t set any goals for 2022 for myself! But as per my post, I had wishes. Here were my wishes for 2022 and updates on whether they were fulfilled or not 🙂

2022 Wish: I still want to read a lot – > Jan 2023 Update: I didn’t fulfil my Goodreads goal of reading 72 books in 2022 but I did read around 50 books, some of them really good. So I’m happy with my reading life.

2022 Wish: I want to travel locally and internationally (and visit my sister) – Jan 2023 Update: Yes!! This was fulfilled! I visited my sister in London twice last year and both times were probably the highlight of my year in 2022!

2022 Wish: I want to see Coldplay’s Concert – Jan 2023 Update: I did!! I did see their concert in London for my 40th Bday and I tell you, it was life changing.

2022 Wish: I want to write more – Jan 2023 Update: This is one place I did badly. I mean, I got this awesome news that one of the short stories I had submitted was published in an anthology available on Amazon, but that was March. I had wanted to jump on the high of that news and write more but alas, after spending 8-9 non stop hours on my computer as part of y day job, I was left with little energy to be able to write. Hopefully, this is something I will change in 2023.

2022 Wish: I want to take care of my physical health – Jan 2023 Update: Actually this one had started quite well in the start of the year. I was continuing with my morning run-in group, was cycling, running 10Ks, successfully completing the 100 Days of Running Challenge, doing strength training. But then my daughter started school in April and her school started earlier. I also started a new job which started early too. So the morning group workouts had to go. Then in the second half of the year, I was struggling with physical and mental issues which impacted my workout routine as well. That is another thing I’d like to improve in 2023.

2022 Wish: I want to quit my job and do something that I like – like open a bookshop – Jan 2023 Update: Oh gosh, this one still remains a dream. Sigh. And an even further dream right now because I am drowning in home loans and education expenses and there is no additional funds available to start a bookshop. I guess this one will need to be postponed by a few years, at least until the home loan is sorted. I do still want to quit my job because IT corporate is sucking my soul and life away, but I don’t see many alternate options. Maybe I need to keep looking out for jobs until I land in the right one?

2022 Wish: I want to take care of my mental health – Jan 203 Update: I did have my lows. Then I had a week long period of extreme darkness in November. I couldn’t stop crying every day and was finding it hard to be happy or positive or smile, even for my loved ones. It was an ordeal – that one week. But I’m glad I’m out of that dark phase now. I tried a therapist too but I didn’t like my therapist in the first session. Books and journalling are definitely helping, along with chatting with my inner circle. But there is still work that needs to be done here, so this will continue into 2023 as well.

2022 Wish: I want to take care of my family – Jan 2023 Update: Well, I am taking care of my daughter and home. And I was able to visit my sister a couple of times in 2022. But I think I wasn’t able to help my mom and bring her as much joy and comfort as I would’ve liked to. My mom is an exceptional woman, so kind and so sacrificing that the world just takes from her and gives nothing in return. I wish I lived closed to her so I could be there for her more often. I don’t know how to help her more. Maybe I will get some ideas as the year progresses.

2022 Wish: I want to be there more for my friends – Jan 2023 Update: I don’t think I did well in this one either. I had struggling so much between work and my own issues that I don’t think I did justice in keeping up with my friendships. Another thing that needs to be carried forward to 2023 again 🙂 But kudos to my friends and inner circle, they made me feel special and loved every time I met them this year – not to forget the extended turning-40 birthday celebrations!

2022 Wish: I don’t want to be too active on social media – and by that I mean Instagram, considering that’s the only social media I’m on. But then, how do I promote my reading or book cafe or blogs? – Jan 2023 Update: Yep, I definitely wasn’t very active on Instagram because I didn’t have much content to post! hahahah!

Now that I’ve covered last year, let’s talk about looking forward? 2023 – what are my dreams for you? I don’t want to use the words Goals or Visions or Aspirations. They stress me out. I have to listen to these words enough during my day job anyway. Here are my dreams and wishes for 2023:

• I wish that my health gets better and that if I get a surgery then it goes well and makes me healthier rather that the other way round.
• I wish that I am able to read some really good and impressionable books this year.
• I dream of having a role or a job where I will be satisfied and which will give me money to sustain as well as time to enjoy a proper work-life balance.
• I dream of traveling to at least one new destination in India in 2023.
• I dream of traveling to at least one new destination abroad in 2023.
• I wish I can spend more time with my mom and sister and my best friend and be able to bring them joy and comfort, than I did last time.
• I dream of a slow life and to be able to enjoy a slow life. A life where my days are spent in nature, with long walks, long talks, good books, good music, food and drinks.
• I don’t want to run a half marathon or achieve any of those fitness milestones anymore, but I do want to be able to run consistently and cycle and yoga and walk. I definitely would like to not become unhealthier this year. I hope my body and mind are both able to cope better this year.
• I dream that I complete my Artist’s Way course and develop a writing habit, where I am able to journal daily, blog frequently, publish a few short stories here and there and complete a draft of my novel – at least one of them this year.
• I wish and pray that everyone has a good or better health in 2023 – my family, friends and people in the world.
• I dream of taking one relaxed solo trip this year to rejuvenate and connect with myself – even if its just for a day or a weekend.
• I wish I can go on a mother-daughter trip with my daughter, but this one might be difficult since we have only three possible holidays available in a year and most of them will be booked with family trips I guess 🙂
• I wish I can join the sisterhood at our choice of destination to end 2023, just like we did in Goa in 2022 🙂

Whew, this post took me an entire day to write, with me taking 5 minute chunks in the day to put everything together here from the whole of last year. In hindsight, when you put together all your ups and downs you realise that you had more ups than downs and that the downs were bearable because of all the other things and people who made it so and through your own strength and resilience to be better and happier.

How was your year and what dreams and wishes do you have for yourself in 2023? 🙂