Resolve to Make 2023 Great

Instead of traditional New Year’s resolutions, give 1 of these 3 goal-setting methods a try.

By the time you read this, you may already have abandoned the new year’s resolutions you optimistically set before turning the calendar to 2023.

That’s OK. You’re in good company.

But that doesn’t mean it’s too late to set some goals for the year for your retail operation, your mattress department or your professional life.

Here are a few interesting strategies that can help you to make this year fulfilling and successful.

Pick a word. What do you want to be the overarching theme of your year? Choosing a word or phrase gives you a broad framework for making improvements or changes. Spend a few quiet moments over the course of a day or two to let words come to you. Maybe this will be the year for you to “move forward,” “say ‘yes’ ” or “invest in myself.” Or maybe in 2023, you’ll focus on “growth,” “resiliency” or even “people.” Write down the word or phrase and put it somewhere you’ll see it often, perhaps on a note card on the bathroom mirror or in your wallet. You might even incorporate it into a password you use frequently. Then look for ways you can use your broad ideas to shift your priorities and take on new challenges.

Go month to month. If there are several improvements you’d like to make over the course of the year, you might want to pick 12 different, smaller goals to tackle, one each month. Maybe in February, you want to arrive at work 30 minutes early to get a sense of the day and not feel rushed when you arrive. In March, you might vow to set up a more efficient system for handling email — your own or the store’s. Tackling something new every 30 days or so can give you a feeling of accomplishment and motivate you to take on the next challenge. Just remember to keep the monthly goals manageable. 

Build on your successes. Instead of saying the typical “I’m going to lose weight” or “I’m going to get healthy,” author Charlotte Lieberman suggests embracing recent successes or changes you’ve made and build upon them. If you’ve been able to sell five adjustable bases a week, challenge yourself to sell six. Or, to use an example from a 2021 Harvard Business Review article she wrote, if you previously set a goal of reading a book before bed and have created that habit, now challenge yourself to read two books a month.

Whatever method you choose, we wish you well in your efforts to make 2023 a great year.

Julie A. Palm is chief wordsmith at Palm Ink LLC and is a past editor in chief of BedTimes and Sleep Savvy magazines. You can contact her at japalm623@gmail.com.