tbd...just like our 2023 goals
Renewal > Resolutions, moonlists, & a bunch of things to bookmark
Happy New Year friends! This month, Katie and I are swirling around the idea of renewal instead of resolutions as a way to approach the new year.
In a recent chat, Katie and I questioned, what do we not love about resolutions? At times it feels too hard, too superficial, too ambiguous to confront personal growth, especially post-holiday hangover.
It’s also easy to procrastinate and perfect. To do this work, I start to crave a cozy cabin or beautiful space away from all commitments (work, family, etc) with a groovy playlist and bottomless tea/ coffee/ lattes on tap, fantasizing about the most sublime environment to manifest my year, uninterrupted.
More realistically, personal goals surface in fleeting moments between obligations, captured in iPhone notes or maybe a crisp new journal.
So this year, we’re rebranding resolutions and freeing them from January deadlines. Resolutions are not about resolving (how finite and absolute!). Instead, they’re about evolving - shedding the old, outgrown layers to make space for the new. Or, adding rich, nuanced layers to the parts of our lives we want to expand into.
Either way, self-discovery is an iterative, experimental, persistent adventure with no deadline - it is anything but absolute. Setting personal goals is marking a new place on the map of self-exploration, then figuring out how to get there.
In January, personal goals can feel overwhelming. At the core of every resolution, a bigger question forms: who do I want to become? Even simple goals like wake up earlier stem from an underlying quest to evolve - to become the person who wakes up before dawn to read, write, meditate, workout, stare out the window, or just enjoy the quiet. (PS I am not that person.)
Despite the resistance, I find January is a great time to daydream, using imagination to map out some initial quests of self-discovery.
Here’s how I’m approaching New Years Renewal:
What old stuff do I want to shed?
Everything from physical goods like clothes or items to internal tendencies like certain emotions, habits, rituals, or attitudes.
What do I want to change in my relationships or community - what didn’t feel good or what have I outgrown.
What new stuff do I want to invite in?
Same list, but with the lens of inviting in. For example, cultivate a new attitude of giving less f*cks about what people may say or purposefully rebuilding my wardrobe to better express personal style and moods.
What do I want to grow in my relationships or community - what do I want to give to people I love. What new friendships or partnerships (business, creative, etc) do I want to nourish?
Through shedding the old and inviting in the new, who do I want to become?
There’s no right answer, but being honest with yourself will activate intuition, willpower, and curiosity - all helpful tools to self-discovery.
If you don’t have the capacity to write down personal goals this week or even this month, no sweat. Recalibrating our inner compass is a practice available anytime, anywhere. Here’s to renewal in 2023!
On Our Radar
This week, I wanted to offer a roundup of tools. Do we dare call these manifestation tools? Yes. If that’s too woo for you, I get it. As a former-analyst-turned-creative, I love a spreadsheet as much as a moodboard, but no matter how you log your goals, here are some tools on our radar.
What I love most about Chani is not just the astrology, but how she uses it as a guide for self-discovery and personal growth. I’m fascinated by the connection between all things, so this app is my jam. Plus her paid version is packed with value including weekly journal prompts, meditations, and more. If you’re curious, 100% recommend.
Moonlists will make you think differently. This is my favorite physical journal. There is a printed workbook with 12 months of prompts, including questions you would never think to ask yourself. It’s a scrapbook, catalog, journal, and tool wrapped into one. If you’re more digital than analog, you can download a workbook for $14.
This is so much more than a notebook. If you want to hone your time-bound, goal-setting skills, this is a great tool for personal and professional growth. The analog bullet journals come with an easy guide to get started, outlining a system to supercharge and align productivity to achieve goals. To explore more, tap into their course and app. I also love their instagram for bite-sized tips.
I discovered Sarita Walsh a few years ago thanks to her illustrations which breakdown complex ideas into simple designs and words. She’s one of my favorite follows on instagram, especially when I’m craving prompts or inspiration.
For a 60 second pick-me-up, browse @newhappyco. Founder Stephanie Harrison uses color, shapes, science, and animation as tools to process emotions.
Another instagram follow I often dive into. Open is more specifically attuned to breathwork and mindfulness, but I find their visuals, prompts, and quotes to be super helpful. I regularly bookmark their posts.
Meet our Confidant: Saray Palmisano
As we move into 2023, Katie and I want to explore new ways to spotlight people in the community. This week, we tapped our friend Saray, a holistic life coach and overall incredible human. Here are a few favorite things, including some of her tips for the new year. Meet Saray!
Hi! I’m Saray— a new mom, wandering soul, and life coach. I find the holidays and new year can be a powerful time to slow down and connect: to others, to self, and to our vision for our future. There’s a natural focus the new year presents, which we can tap into to give us clarity about the kind of year we want to create ahead—from where we want to live, to how we want to grow in our career, to the people we want to spend more time with. My faves are all about slowing down, savoring rituals, and connecting to yourself— the only guide you’ll truly ever need.
A tea ritual in my favorite mug is one of the ways I make space to welcome in abundance and for my intentions to take root.
Wisdom in your pocket. I take this book with me everywhere. I pick it up in moments when I need to re-ground myself.
An all-natural body butter inspired by ancient beauty rituals. I discovered this whipped Moroccan argan butter when I cleaned my beauty routine for baby last year and I still use it from head to toe.
A fresh journal for the new year. There’s nothing quite like paper for reflection, goal setting, and daily notes. I like to start each new year with a blank slate and a new pen. I collect these beauties from Muji.
A sweet spiced treat. I’ve been a cult follower of Oaktown Spice Shop for years. My spice rack at home reads like an homage to this tiny shop. My latest fav is their espresso sea salt sprinkled on top of this dairy free vanilla ice cream that’s somehow better than the real thing.
Saray’s Tips for 2023
Make your Instagram feed a bit more inspirational with these three poets:
Rupi Kaur is an inspirational powerhouse for women around the world, Yung Pueblo feeds the soul with graceful wisdom and advice, and Brianna Wiest infuses me with the courage I need to find myself over and over.
Give yourself the gift of more time this year, with a subscription to a virtual assistant. Fancy Hands offers remote assistants who can help you with everything from lightweight research to booking appointments.
Make 2023 the best year yet. Do you feel stuck in your life or career or are you eager to make changes in the new year but don’t know how to start? I offer 1:1 holistic life coaching sessions to help you jumpstart the journey towards a happier and more abundant life. Balancing manifestation and visioning with concrete guidance on goal setting, I help you realize your personal and professional dreams. Learn more and book a free session here.
Discovery
Like always, we love ending our notes with inspiration, so here are some of the people, places, messages, and musings that are inspiring us lately ✨
How to be The Love of Your Life by @pepitasandwich
I’d like to getaway to this eclectic space designed by Leanne Ford
Currently eyeing these stylish Weekend Boots to battle rain, snow, w-e-a-t-h-e-r
Wit and Delight’s 2023 revelation and this month’s Personal Style theme
Freda Salvador released a State of Renew collection and we’re drooling
Waiting for Ty Williams to make this into a print so I can send it to Katie
HYPE WOMAN
We met Abigail Eir serendipitously thanks to our friends Nkechi and Liz. In a word, she is unforgettable. In one afternoon, we bounced from deep life talks to dating advice to intuitive gifts to hilarious stories- she’s a real gem of human.
Don’t miss her January Tarot video, a 20 min reflection on this month and if you’re curious about Tarot, checkout her site and offerings.
Thanks for being here! If you have friends who would love this, please send it on- we’re excited to expand this community. xoxo - Your Confidants, Fenny & Katie