A Guide to Setting Goals for 2024

Welcome to the Moms who Create podcast. I'm your host, kelly Hile, and I am thrilled to share a podcast that celebrates the incredible moms who are pursuing their creative passions. Are you a mom who feels like you just can't balance your creative pursuits with the demands of motherhood? Each week, I'm bringing you interviews with accomplished and talented moms who have made their creative dreams a reality. I talk to writers, artists, musicians and entrepreneurs who have successfully found a way to do what they love while raising the ones they love. Some of the writers I talk to are New York Times bestselling authors, while some are self-published first-time authors. I also share my own insights and resources to help you navigate the unique challenges of being a mom who creates. So, whether you're an early bird or a night owl, a seasoned pro or just starting out, I want you to know that you can pursue your creative passions and be an amazing mom at the same time. Grab a cup of coffee, a notebook and get ready to join our community of like-minded moms who are on a mission to live intentionally and create with purpose. This is the Moms who Create podcast, and I can't wait to share this journey with you. Hi everyone, and welcome back to this week's episode of the Moms who Create podcast. So Christmas is next week. I'm pretty much done Christmas shopping and really my mind is already focused on goal setting for 2024. I've just already skipped ahead. I love a good reset, do you? Mondays are one of my favorite days of the week. The favorites are obviously the weekends, but there's something about a good reset that I love. And the ultimate reset is January 1st. So, as we stand on the edge of a new year, mothers who are creatives find themselves at this unique intersection of responsibilities and passions. The canvas of 2024 is blank and isn't that exciting. It's waiting for your strokes of art and words and intentionality. So in this episode, we'll dive into the art of setting goals that not only harmonize the demands of motherhood with the pursuit of artistic endeavors, but also pave the way for personal growth and honesty fulfillment. So let's start this chat of reflection, planning and renewal. So we're going to start with this first one. That just needs to be said embracing realism in goal setting. The foundation of successful goal setting lies really in realism. It does. It's far from a realist, but this is super important. As a mom, your time and energy are precious resources. Begin by understanding your current circumstances. Consider the age of your children, your support system and the time that you realistically have each day for your creative pursuits. Acknowledge your strengths and limitations, ensuring that the goals are challenging yet achievable. Again, challenging yet achievable. Set specific and measurable objectives, like completing a certain number of creative projects, learning new skills, skills don't you just love my southern accent learning new skills, or dedicating a specific amount of time to your craft each week. The realism will serve as a compass. It'll be a compass guiding you through the year with a clear sense of purpose. Going back to challenging yet achievable. We're busy. We do a lot, you know, if you think well, realistically, I don't have any time to write this book. That's not challenging yourself. Listen to any episode of mine, listen to literally any interview with a mom that I've done. They all say that you have to make time, make time, make time. Challenge yourself realistically. Now let's move on to a fun one. Okay, number two crafting a vision board. I love a good vision board. Visualizing is a potent tool for manifesting your dreams. Consider creating a vision board that serves as a visual representation of your creative and personal goals for 2024. I've started in mind and I'm already so stinking inspired. If you don't really know how to start, okay here, collect images, quotes and just some sort of symbol that resonates with your 2024 aspirations. What do you wanna accomplish next year? What do you wanna accomplish? What do you wanna do? What inspired you to do that? Arrange them on a board or in a digital format, like you know, like Pinterest, creating a visual narrative of the future that you envision. Right, it's pretty simple. Put your vision board in like a prominent location. I encourage you to actually print one out so you can just see it often, wherever you spend the most time, whether it's in your office, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, wherever you spend the most time, you know the bathroom actually might be a good spot, because what else are you gonna do in there? Let's just put it at eye level on the toilet. You never know. It could work. It could work. I'm a visual person and I get inspired hardcore by even the smallest inspirational quote. If you're a visual person, too, try this. It really doesn't take long. If your goals change and pivot throughout the year, then just change your vision board alongside it too. Aim high. Don't forget to aim high. Okay, you got this dude. Number three is the importance of self-care. You know I had to put this in right. A crucial aspect of sustainable, sustainable creativity is self-care Sustainable keyword. Mothers often find themselves juggling like 57,000 responsibilities, leaving little time for personal wellbeing. However, neglecting self-care can lead to burnout and hinder your creative pursuits. If you go all the way back to episode 36, I talk with Jacqueline Kerr about burnout and she has really really wonderful things to say, and she actually has a TEDx talk that we talk about, where she just discusses burnout. I had burnout a few months ago, I'm not gonna lie, and I went back to that episode and just revisited it. Oh, it helped me. She's amazing, but don't let yourself get to that point. Establish a self-care routine that includes like short breaks for mindfulness, moments of relaxation with just like a good book or a different hobby, and also regular exercise. I started walking at least about three times a week with one of my mom friends. We meet after we drop off our kids in the morning and we walk about three miles. We just chit-chat about life. Just walking in a local park feels so good for my body. Getting started is the hard part, but you'll totally think yourself when you're done. I don't like exercise. I mean, I like it when I'm doing it, but it takes a lot for me to get started. I'll just be transparent there. But remember nurturing yourself is not a luxury but a necessity for maintaining balance and sustaining creativity. Self-care is a necessity. I beg you to prioritize that in 2024 or now. Let's start now actually Planning a whole year can just look like this huge mountain you have to tackle right. So let's talk about number four, setting micro goals, and let's say micro goals for macro success. I like that. I type that. I was like. I like that. The journey to achieving larger goals is often made more manageable by breaking them down into smaller, more achievable tasks. Think of your goals as a puzzle. Each micro goal is a piece of that. So each tiny goal you have makes up your whole picture. It takes a bunch of little ones to make like the final piece, the final picture. You know what I'm saying. This approach not only makes your objectives like less daunting, but provides just a continuous sense of accomplishment as you complete each step. So start by outlining the steps required to achieve your larger goals. Small chunks, dude. I look at the whole picture of anything and, admittedly, I just shut down. I don't, I don't do anything. Are you like that too? But if there are many goals, many, mini, many goals along the way, the entire process seems completely doable and absolutely attainable, whether it's like drafting a novel, completing an art series or launching just a creative business. Breaking down the process into smaller tasks allows you to celebrate those incremental victories along the way. Always celebrate Success to yourself can be addicting, and if you break it down, you'll always be completing these goals, so you'll always have a chance to celebrate. Okay, number five reflecting on the past and the learning from it. What is it that? This wasn't in my notes, but do you remember on the Lion King, where Rafiki, like, hits him on the head and says what does he say? He's out on Okay, I just paused and looked it up. Rafiki said oh yes, the past can hurt, but from the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it. That just popped into my head. Before leaping into the future, take a moment to look back at the past year. Reflect on your creative achievements and the challenges you faced and the lessons you've learned, what worked well in your creative process and what could be improved. This introspection serves as a compass for refining your goals for the upcoming year. So let's consider things like journaling, about our experiences capturing you know all the successes and all the setbacks. You got to acknowledge what absolutely sucked, so you know how to improve. Use this reflection to identify patterns, strengths and all your areas for growth. This is important. I say that a lot because this is all important. It really is. But I'm here to tell you this Learning from your past ensures that you approach 2024 with a newfound wisdom and resilience, ready to overcome challenges and seize those opportunities. For example, I hear people love listening and watching podcasts on YouTube. Now Do I record, edit and also put all these episodes on YouTube? It's a ton of work. It's it be a lot more. I'm not gonna lie. It would be a lot more than what I do now and I do a lot now. But will it gain new listeners? Yeah, probably. Okay, let's try it. Someone hold me to this. Really, I think I'm going to try this in 2024. I'm going to also put some of the interviews on YouTube. We'll see. We'll see. Number six should I say this is important? You already know this. Okay, get a supportive network. Motherhood in general can be solitary at times, but the power of community cannot be overstated. Surround yourself with a supportive network of fellow creatives and mothers who understand that unique intersection of mom and creative. Join online groups, attend local meetups, engage with communities that share your passion. I have lots of episodes on this. Dive in, share your goals with your network and you're going to open the door to valuable insights, encouragement and accountability. Accountability is something that I love and I think is so, so, so important in whatever journey you're going through. Collaborate with others on creative projects, exchange ideas and draw inspiration from the diverse experiences within your community. The sense of belonging to a supportive network can be like a catalyst for achieving your goals. Find your people, and I'm here for you too. Side note message me anytime you want. I'll either respond instantly or it'll take about three business days, depending on my time in life that day. But I'm here for you and I got you. I'm rooting you on and I'm always supporting you. Last one, number seven embracing flexibility. Life, especially life as a mother, is totally unpredictable. The creative process too often takes unexpected turns. Embrace flexibility as a guided principle in your goal setting journey. While structure is essential, very essential, being open to like adapting your goals as circumstances change is equally important, and you guys have probably already learned this as being mothers. Consider your goals as a roadmap rather than like a rigid itinerary. Life may present unforeseen challenges or opportunities that require adjustments to all of these plans. So by maintaining flexibility, you can navigate the beautiful chaos of motherhood while staying committed to all of your creative pursuits. View detours as opportunities for growth and exploration rather than obstacles. Adina Reicher, who I've had on the podcast before and also she designed my logos for the podcast. She's amazing. She once said embrace the detours. And I've never forgotten that. I don't have any tattoos, but I would love to get that on me as a reminder. Embrace the detours. All right, ladies, did that help you? I hope I said a few things that resonated and just got you excited to plan for the new year. As you embark on the journey into 2024, envision your goals with a blend of ambition and understanding. The art of setting goals is not just about reaching your destination. It's about really savor in that journey and evolving during the way. By embracing realism, crafting a vision, prioritizing self-care, setting micro goals, reflecting on the past, cultivating a supporting network and embracing flexibility, you can navigate the intricate dance of motherhood and creativity with grace. And don't forget to give yourself a lot of grace along the way. May the coming year be a canvas for new experiences, growth and the realization of your creative dreams. Here's to a fresh start in a very, very fulfilling 2024. Thank you so much for listening. Again, I hope you found this episode helpful, inspirational and gave you a little bit of a push to get started for next year. If you like the episode, please share it on social media. I would be forever grateful if you could do that, but connect with me on social media, at mom's create podcast, on Instagram and Facebook. Thank you so much for listening. So so much for listening. Let's end the year strong and I'll see you next week.