2024 Intentions & Goals
2024 has arrived. I am entering into 2024 with intention and hoping it will help calm a mind that misses the trail.
On the Winter Solstice, December 21, 2023 I had my tarot cards read. As someone who is logical and more left-brained than right, I sometimes question tarot cards. While the logical side of me questions them, my more creative, right-brain is fascinated by them and the way they seemingly tell you things you need to hear. Mine had a few things to tell me, but the ones that stuck out were: that I had achieved everything I wanted (for me this meant hiking the AT which has been a focus for years), I was feeling wholly confident in myself and the things I can do, and that I knew when to take a step back and let the universe take control but also when to grab life by the horns and lead it myself.
It felt like the cards knew me, knew the things that I had in some ways been questioning in myself since I had gotten off the trail and confirmed for me that the space I am in was okay. I was on the right path. But as the cards said, I know when it’s time to grab life by the horns and start writing my own story again. 2024 is here and it’s time. It’s time to set new intentions and manifest that they lead me on my next life-changing adventure.
I love setting goals, writing checklists, making sure I get all the things done. But what I’ve learned over the last few years is that sometimes when setting lofty goals for myself I can set myself up for disappointment if I don’t reach those specific goals. Instead, I’ve found that I like to create intentions for the year. If you are unfamiliar with the difference between the two, goals are “a destination or specific achievement” while intentions are meant “to be lived each day, independent of achieving a goal”. Intentions are more about your relationships with yourself and others and I believe that by focusing on those instead of goals, you can achieve any goals you may set for yourself. Because of this, I try to focus on the intentions so below is a mixture of my intentions and goals for 2024. I believe that writing both goals and intentions down can help them feel more real, more meaningful, like a vision board. And that by writing both, my intentions can help me reach my goals. I’m putting them out into the universe. Now it’s time to work towards them and make them happen.
2024 Intentions
To spend more time with my favorite people
To go on more adventures and create a life where I can adventure more
Spend less time scrolling and more time creating, learning, bettering
Be present and live life
To continue to push myself to be the best version of myself
To get back to spending more time outside (post-trail)
Tangible goals that I hope these intentions lead to:
Complete my first trail ultra run
Enjoy more fun runs in my area
A remote job I can do from anywhere
Read 15 books (hopefully more, but I like to start reasonably as I am just getting back in to reading)
To create more content that I find fun, to paint more, to illustrate more, to write more (I have a special project I want to work on related to this one, but I’m keeping it secret for now)
When I make lists of adventures, I’m much more specific, unlike with intentions. I have a bad habit of intending to plan something and then life gets in the way. This year I am striving to plan ahead a bit better so I don’t miss out on the adventures and the opportunities that life is presenting me with. I know that I most likely won’t check off all of these adventures - there just never seems to be enough time (or money), but creating this list gives me something to work toward and plan for.
2024 BIG Adventures I Hope to Go On
Thru-Hike the Foothills Trail
Thru-Hike the Trans-Catalina Trail
Christmas Markets in Germany
Disney Cruise (I have a friend that performs that I’d love to see)
RunDisney Race with my sister (Halloween at Disneyland or Wine & Dine)
But if we don’t love the themes, we’ll probably do another big, fun, non-Disney race
Van Adventure with my mom
Go somewhere internationally to explore (I have so many on my list, I’m not sure specifically where I’d like to go)
New River Gorge National Park
Red River Gorge Adventure
2024 Weekend Adventures
North Carolina State Parks
Crowders Mountain State Park
Gorges State Park
Hanging Rock State Park
Mount Mitchell State Park (I’ve been but I’d like to backpack and explore more)
Honestly, I’d love to do all NC State Parks, but these are ones I really want to explore
Linville Gorge Backpacking Loop
Dolly Sods Wilderness
Doughton Recreation Area (I have done this one before but it ended with trip to the hospital (unavoidable and unrelated to the hike) and I need a redo)
Art Loeb Trail Thru-Hike
Mount Leconte Loop
2024 Small Town Adventures (most of these are trips I could do in a weekend)
Salem, Massachusetts in October
Helvetia, West Virginia
Hillsborough, NC
High Point, NC
Mebane, NC
Bakersville, NC
Spruce Pine, NC
Carborro, NC
Mount Airy, NC
Cashiers, NC
Bentonville, AR
Since most of my postings up until now have been adventure related, these below might seem a bit odd. To keep all my intentions and goals in one place, I am including both my art goals and my goals for PineconeWanderings in this post as well. I want to be able to look back on all my hopeful plans in 2024 in one place.
For those who don’t know, besides my love for hiking and adventuring I am also an illustrator and watercolor artist with a passion for creating art based on nature and my favorite places. I hope to continue and grow my art practice in 2024 and that these intentions/goals will help to get me there. If you’re curious about my art practice you can explore more here.
2024 Art Intentions
To create more for me and not necessarily with a product in mind
To expand my product offerings beyond stickers (i realize this is somewhat contradictory to above)
To experiment with new mediums and just play without expectation of how it should turn out
Spend more time creating in plein air and in the moment
Dedicate more time in general to creating
2024 Art Goals
Reach 600 sales on Etsy by the end of the year (if you want to help me with this, shop here)
Release 3 products that are not stickers or prints
Revive and rejuvenate my in-person market display
Finish Appalachian Trail Watercolor Sketchbook - starting with the #100dayproject to get it flowing
Reach 2,000 followers on Instagram (follow my artwork here)
Reach 500 followers on TikTok (follow my art TikTok here)
Participate in 4 in person art markets
Offer my work for wholesale and continue to work towards being available in more shops
I never considered myself a writer until I got a D on my first newspaper article in high school. That moment was a turning point - it made me learn to write… and not just in a way that would pass school papers. And although it took me a while past high school to discover I liked writing, writing has helped me share my stories and write about my favorite moments. I hope to write more and create more content in 2024 with PineconeWanderings. I know it will take work and dedication, but my passion for sharing nature and places spans from my artwork to my writing and I hope these goals will help PineconeWanderings grow as well.
2024 PineconeWanderings Intentions
To continue to write and share what I’m feeling passionate about, not just what will get me views, attention, or readership
To continue to foster a community of hikers, outdoor adventurers, weekend warriors, foodies, and small town lovers
To share my passions, stories, and hope that it will inspire others to go on their own adventures
2024 PineconeWanderings Goals
To reach 300 subscribers on Substack
To reach 10K followers on Instagram (follow me here)
To have 2,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel (subscribe here)
To find more fellow adventurers, foodies, and hikers to share my adventures with
To explore and share the best adventures, hidden gem food spots, cutest small towns, and adventure tips to help inspire others to get outside
All over social media, as the 1st of the New Year has come and passed. I have watched lists go up, goals be written, people’s only goal to enjoy the year, 2023 recaps, words of the year, 2024 bingo cards (love this idea), and ins & outs for 2024. All of these different methods and intentions of starting out the new year can be a great way to feel ready for a “fresh slate”. But at the same time, if you haven’t felt the call to write a list, if it feels overwhelming, then don’t do it.
The New Year is frenzied with resolutions and lists and ways to make yourself better. And sometimes the best way to make yourself better is to let yourself rest and not stress over making a list. Nature is still in winter resting mode, and you can be too. My brain is too busy when in the real world to not make lists. But for you, reader, if my list inspired you to make one, please do and write it down, check it off as you go (or reward yourself with a treat). But if my list overwhelmed you, then do whatever you feel you need to start this New Year, refreshed (and also treat yourself).
2023 was my best year yet. I feel the most content with myself I have in years. I fulfilled my dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail. But that just means it’s time for some new dreams.
I’m also never one to sit still for too long and I can’t wait to see what I accomplish (and maybe that means resting more) in 2024.
I can’t wait to take you down new paths and PineconeWanderings. Happy New Year friends.