find the balance
what i'm doing to set myself up for a successful 2023 + reads & vibes for your new year.
Well friend, we’ve come to the end of the road for 2022! This is the last newsletter of the year, and I’m thankful that you’ve chosen to come with me on this journey. It’s my hope that you’ve learned something, found something in these letters that excited you, or sparked something creatively. More of this in 2023! Let’s jump into this week:
thoughts at large.
as a note, some of the things linked in this email might earn me a small commission if you choose to purchase.
I’m looking at goals differently for 2023. This time between Christmas and the new year is normally when a lot of introspection happens, which is true for me this year. When I took a look at what I did this year I was very proud of myself. The primary things I said I wanted to do got accomplished. Some smaller things along the way fell by the wayside though, and it’s mostly because I gave myself too long of a deadline to complete it, or didn’t think through the steps to attain it. With that in mind, I want to get more done in 2023 and set out to find ways to make that happen for me.
A book that helped me to shift my perspective on this process is “The 12 Week Year” by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington. The concept behind this book is simple. Essentially, annualized thinking is hard for most people - it creates the illusion of having a long time. When you set deadlines too far out, you run the risk of overestimating the time you have to get things done. Instead, the authors suggest that most goals can be accomplished in a 3-month time frame and that you should treat that period like your year. In this setting each week is treated like a month, and each day is treated like a week. At the end of each “Year”, you can assess what you’ve completed and move or adjust the goals for the next quarter. It’s smart, right?
If you’re a visual learner, you should check out this YouTube video by Montelle Bee for further explanation. She also has a free Notion template that can help you get started.
If you want even more, my friend Erin writes a really dope newsletter called Notes From Erin and this week’s edition is full of resources for new year goal setting. Get into it here.
One thing I’ve learned over time about myself is that I’m a “let’s get it” kind of girl when it comes to a goal. I’ll go full throttle into something - go super hard and find myself burnt out relatively quickly. It’s not sustainable - and by moving like this there’s a higher probability that you’ll quit before it gets done. You have to find some balance in your life. I had to remind myself of that this week. I’ve been on a mission to become a gym girlie, and last week I was in the gym 6 out of 7 days. I needed to kick-start myself on this new journey, right? The truth is - it’s just not healthy to do that. Your body needs to rest and recover to actually do what you want it to do. So I’ve had a few workouts this week, but - instead of going so crazy, this week I’m prioritizing REST, and planning out my fitness journey from here on out to ensure that rest is prioritized on the way.
This year, I read “BALANCE” by Toure Roberts, one of my favorite business minds who just also happens to be a pastor - and husband to Sarah Jakes Roberts. The book is all about finding balance to get more accomplished in a healthy way. If you’re an achiever like me, you might want to add this to your reading list.
In general, I just want to get better as a person. Here are a few things I’m planning to do in the new year to help me make that happen.
I’m going to be reading 1 book per week. Reading makes you a better writer, and in general, opens you up to new perspectives. I’m starting off the year with “More Than Enough” by Elaine Welteroth. I picked it up at my local library. Let me know if you’d like to see the rest of my January reads in the next newsletter.
I’m working out consistently with a goal of losing fat & gaining muscle. Because who doesn’t want to look and feel healthy?
I’m setting solid boundaries between work and personal life. I work from home now, so there are times when I’ll find myself working way beyond the time that I should. No more of that.
The truth is, the groundwork for all of these I’ve already started in 2022 - so none of this is new, I’m just setting myself up to make these habits a part of my daily lifestyle.
What are you working toward in the new year? If you’re reading from your inbox, hit reply. Otherwise - drop me a comment below.
reads + vibes
Do you think that Kendrick Lamar is the greatest rapper of his generation? 👀 NYT Magazine does. They profiled him, and his frequent collaborator, filmmaker Dave Free and talked about their creative approach. Read here.
People often talk about the legacy of NBA players, but there are a new crop of players popping up in the NBA who learned the game from their WNBA player moms. ESPN profiled a few players and their moms, exploring the impact that the WNBA will ultimately have on their brother league. Read here.
Have you watched The Best Man: The Final Chapters? Do you think the limited series lives up to the previously released films? Refinery29 asks and answers. I say yes, but what say you?
I’m all for an “it girl” story - which is why I love that ESSENCE chose to profile Lori Harvey for their Black love issue. At the moment, she’s completely unattached to a man, so the cover story highlights her journey to self love. I enjoyed reading this, because it seems like we’ve never really heard from her, and that the internet has created narratives about her without her input. Now? She’s speaking up. I love that for her! Read here.
That’s all for this YEAR! We made it friend! I trust that you’ll have a great time celebrating… and I’ll see you next week, which is also next month, and next year. With love - Andrea
Loved this issue! Thank you for the shoutout and definitely agree on the "let's get it girl" mindset, but ready to take a chill pill on that too.