Progress Update: 23 for 2023

Accountability check in for my 2023 goals

👋🏻 Hi - Helen here with our weekly newsletter installment. Summer is rushing by and I can’t believe back-to-school prep is already here. I am getting swept up in planning after-school classes, fall shopping, and childcare details for the academic year as I am the primary owner of our house for these jobs. As this set of activities arrives, it’s a good time for me to look back on how the year is going based on the goals I set out in my 23 for 2023 post in January.

As a reminder, two years ago, I began following Gretchen Rubin’s practice of setting goals for the year. This year, in addition to me making a list of things I’d like to accomplish, I added things that we brainstormed as a family to do. Also, Adam posted his 23 for 23 for the first time and updated on what of his list was giving him joy earlier in the summer.

I do think of this list as a guidepost for the year and not a must-do. So am I getting 7k steps every day no matter what - no. But because I have a goal, I am more mindful of it and am getting there most of the time. There are definitely things on this list that will not get done because life happens. And that’s ok.

So how am I doing?

1. 🚶🏼‍♀️7k+ steps a day walked and be outside for at least 23 minutes daily - On track

2. ✈️ Take a trip with each of my daughters - On track (my oldest and I did a trip to NYC earlier and we have a trip planned with my youngest one to San Francisco)

3. 🍳🧀🍙10-day food challenge as a family - Done - I ate blue cheese for 10 days straight. It’s still not my favorite but it was interesting to try to hide it in various foods (dips, under honey, and in figs)

4. 🍽 Kids make parents’ dinner - Started (Kids made Adam dinner but not me, so hopefully we will finish the swing before the year ends)

5. 🎂 Celebrate my 40th birthday - Done! It was an epic party that Adam and my sister threw for me with a memorable cake (ala Is It Cake?)

   

   

6. 👩🏼‍💼 Get a product leader mentor - Not started

7. 😊 Get a regular facial - Done - I have already had 3 facials (which was the goal) and I have a spa membership now which is a great forcing function for self-care

8. 🍾 Host a mom’s party - Done - I hosted a tea at St. Edwards Lodge with fellow moms in our neighborhood. I hope to make this a tradition.

   

   

9. 👗Re-establish a personal weekly night out - On track - Between work travel and self-care regiments, I do feel like I leave the house most weeks for at least one evening. But I’d like to make this be more focused on connecting with friends.

10. 🎭 Foster the love of art with the kids - On track - Musicals in NYC, a day at the Louvre, Taylor Swift concert, and a modern art exhibit in Seattle in the spring were the activities in this category so far and I think we are doing pretty well here. Originally I had in mind more ballets and art museums, but I like this evolution.

    

11. 👩🏻‍🍳Take a baking class and use it to make a new cake - Not started

12. ⛷Take a ski lesson to get back to loving skiing - Done - I had a wonderful lesson this year after which I actually had fun skiing for the first time in a long time

13. ✍🏻 Continue to contribute memories to the Memory jar - On track - It’s already much fuller at this time of year than it was last year

14. 👩‍❤️‍👨Have a monthly night out with Adam - On track

15. 👏🏻Volunteer as a family - Not started

16. ⚕️Get a mammogram - Not started. I did get a complete physical including a brain map done this year. I haven’t met yet with my doctor to over his analysis but it was really interesting

17. 🩸Donate blood - Done! I’m very proud of this one as it was a fear of mine that I overcame

    

18. 🚤Do a boat day as a family - Done

19. 🐻 Get more chainsaw art for our cabin backyard - Done! We got 4 of these and one firepit at a cool art stand near Ocean Shores, WA

    

20. 🍫 Redo pantry cabinets in our cabin - Done (this was a family one and Adam completed it and it looks amazing)

21. 💡Learning time at least once a week with the girls - Not started

22. 🥾Do a new hike as a family - Done

23. 📚Read 75 books as a family - On track

By the numbers, I’m 69% complete with items that are either On track or Done, but lots of these need to get finished. I’m excited to keep the on-track ones going as well as tackle getting an external product leader mentor and do more arts with the kids.

Thanks for reading and being part of my accountability crew. If you are interested in other topics that Adam and I write about, please check out our top three posts of all time:

✨ Hidden Gems for PM's Inside Taylor Swift Lyrics

💎 Advancing from Product Manager to Product Leader

🎂 Celebrating 17 years at Microsoft