22 for 2022 List
For the past few years now, I’ve made a list for the year, as inspired by my favorite podcast, Happier. I find this practice to be incredibly helpful. Have I ever finished all of the items? If you’ve read my annual accountability updates, you know the answer is no… in fact, this past year I didn’t even come close. So why continue to do it? Because you’re 45 days away from making a change. Even if something doesn’t happen in the year it’s intended, it’s still there, top of mind. I wanted to learn to knit in 2018, but didn’t get around to it until the end of 2019. I wanted family photos for years and finally got it done in 2020. I went from reading 0 books a year to more than 40. When we commit to ourselves, we find a way, even if it’s not exactly on our initial timeline.
To help shape the list and to stay focused, I pick a one-word theme every year. In the past my words have been: positivity, more/less, and open. After deeply reflecting how the past few years of life have been and what’s drifted out of my immediate focus, the one-word theme for this year came through loud and clear:
Essentially since the pandemic started, I’ve found myself drifting further and further from taking care of my overall health. I’ve been caught up in surviving the here and the now, or straight up ignoring what my body and soul tell me. As you’ll see below, my main focus this year is to rejuvenate my whole health—mind, body and spirit.
With that in mind, here are the 22 for 2022…
STRETCH GOAL: run 2 miles a day or 14 cumulative miles per week
I just feel better about myself when I consistently run. Since the start of the pandemic and zero races on the horizon, my miles have taken a nose-dive. This may be overly ambitious since it‘s more cumulative miles than I‘ve ever ran in a year, but I‘m willing to strive for it and see where it lands.Get a 90 day streak on Headspace
Last year my dear friend sent me a Headspace referral and my longest streak is 30 consecutive days. The next badge in the app is for 90 days, so that‘s my new goal.Strength train 2 times a week
After reading Exercised last year (great read by the way—totally recommend), I realized I really needed to get strength training permanently back in my routine.Closet review & secondhand first
Ugh, the never-ending battle of feeling like I don‘t have what I need in my closet (and too much of what I don‘t). After living in warm climates for the past five years, it‘s time to come to terms with the need for an actual winter wardrobe. And to be more environmentally-friendly, I want to challenge myself to shop secondhand first before buying new when it makes sense.Read 52 books
I have a feeling this one may become a permanent fixture on the list. I came up short last year, but I‘m committed to doing better this year. For those wondering, yes, audiobooks count.Learn how to crochet
As a solid intermediate knitter, I‘m ready to get bi-stitchual. There are some projects that are better suited for crochet, so I‘d like to be competent in both so I have all of the options available.Get a 22 day yoga streak
As I get older and older, my body gets tighter and tighter. I‘m hoping achieving a streak will help me once and for all get yoga to be a daily part of my life.Drive 2 times a month
This one may seem a little odd, but the truth is that I‘ve become a bit of a fearful driver. In Las Vegas, I drove so much for my job that I was filling up the tank every four days. Now, I never drive thanks to a string of work from home gigs, living in cities with mass transit and the pandemic. I want to be more comfortable behind the wheel again.Try Evernote
I‘m a to-do list queen and I‘m wanting to streamline my various lists and random thoughts into a single point that I always have with me. I‘m hoping this app holds the answer.Do a stride analysis
I run often and it’s a stretch goal for this year, but Mark is convinced my form is goofy. I honestly don‘t know; I can‘t see myself after all. My running buddy here found a place that does run analysis so if I‘m putting in all these miles and doing all of the yoga, I want to make sure I‘m running in a way that doesn‘t lead to injury.Go on 22 solo adventures
My ideal self dreamed of going on little day trips and adventures once we moved to Europe, (I mean I was unemployed, how would I not have time?!) and I haven‘t done it once. Here‘s to 22 little trips during the week while the rest of the world works!Use the DSLR camera 22 times
This is a carryover from last year with more concrete parameters to help get it going. I have my very own camera and gear, so there are really no excuses.Edit and print photos for empty frames
If you‘ve been to our house in the past decade, you know that our walls are adorned with our own photography from around the world. We have so many photos waiting to be edited and empty frames to put them in, so it‘s high time to get that project underway.Note 2 items of gratitude per day
Gratitude has shown up on the list multiple times over the years and those years are always the best years. How can we love and enjoy life if we don‘t pause once and a while to marvel at how truly wonderful it is?Make 22 new recipes
If you read the accountability update for last year, you know that I‘ve gotten more into cooking now that I don‘t have a full-time job. I can‘t wait to try all of the recipes I have saved (and all of the ones Mark has sent me over the last year).Finish German Duolingo course
I‘m about 75% done with the course, so I‘d like to finish in Duolingo and then move on to a more advance method of learning German so I get a little bit better with conversations.Try Gua Sha
This is partially influenced by my brother as he was mentioning how he now has an adult skincare routine. I‘ve also seen multiple people swear by Gua Sha so I want to try it out.Eat at 22 new restaurants in Stuttgart
Every time we move to a new city, we get into a bit of a rut when it comes to dining out. We find about 10 solid restaurants and then never go anywhere else. We have a ton saved in our Google Maps, so I want to make a special date night each week to try a new place.Rest for 22 minutes in 2022 [#Rest22]
This is the yearly challenge from the podcast and I. AM. HERE. FOR. IT. I‘m not quite sure what form this will take, but so far it‘s meant naps.Participate in NaNoWriMo
For those that don’t know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and it takes place in November. Essentially it breaks down the number of words you need to write every day for a month to produce a novel. I think every person has a story inside of them and I want to find mine. I‘m hopeful this gives me the accountability and structure I need to see it through.Visit 2 new countries
We visited a lot of Europe once we arrived, and I want to make sure we continue to capitalize on the unique experience we have of living overseas.FREE SPACE!
I did this in 2020 and it was so awesome to highlight a random achievement (that year it was reading 52 books in a year for the first time). Here‘s to the unknown!
Whew! It’s a pretty aggressive list this year, but I’ve already started on several of these so I’m excited to see where the year takes us. Did you make any goals for the year? Share with me in the comments! I would love to support you.