23 Goals to Set in 2023: Goal Ideas for Personal Growth

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Last Updated on May 13, 2023

Well, 2022 is about to be in the rear view mirror! Time for new beginnings–let’s set the right goals for 2023! 

Entering the new year with a sense of hope and an abundance mindset will really motivate you to identify and achieve the goals you set for 2023. And these 23 goals for 2023 are a great place to start!

I am very fond of goal-setting. As cliche as it is, I always like to take advantage of the motivation that a new year brings. If you’re struggling to determine which goals you should set for 2023, here are some ideas that are certainly attainable and possible to stick to!

This blog post is all about 23 goals for 2023

Why is planning goals for 2023 important?

Planning goals for the new year gives you a sense of direction for how you want the coming months to go.

While you don’t always have to wait for a new year to begin change, it can be helpful to view a new year as a good opportunity for a turning point in your life.

If you didn’t have such a great year this year, reflect on why that was. What can you do better this time around to make 2023 a better year than 2022?

What’s even more important is making sure you set habits that will ultimately drive you toward meeting new goals. Setting the goal is only one piece of the pie. The habits you partake in to reach these goals is where the real work comes in.

Here are 23 powerful and achievable goals for 2023!

These 23 goals for 2023 focus on a few areas for improving your life: self care, health, finances, and creativity. If you’re looking for inspiration to set goals that will change your life next year, keep reading!

2023 Goals for Self Care

1. Staying Consistent

Consistency is a major theme that has been on my mind heavily lately with everything that I do. The reason I mention it first is because consistency is important for any goal you set this year. Motivation can and will fade as the year goes on, and it’s possible you may not stick to all your goals from now until December. 

Finding ways to remind yourself to stay on track will be crucial in preventing yourself from “forgetting” about goals or losing the motivation to work towards them. This is why it’s always best to break down a goal into concrete, executable steps. 

Rather than “get in better shape,” consider how many times you will work out each week, come up with a daily calorie goal, and goal weight.

It’s a good idea to keep a planner, either digital or physical, where you can schedule things like regular workouts, business planning, or whatever small steps are necessary to reach your big goals.

My favorite planner is this undated planner by Clever Fox because in case you DO happen to get off track, all the months/weeks are left blank so you can start in January and pick back up in March without wasting pages!

2. Spend less time on social media

Social media can be such a time suck. I bet if you take a look at the “screen time” feature on your phone, you’ll see what I mean. I’ve mentioned before that it’s not a bad idea to keep social media apps on the last page of your phone so they’re out of sight, out of mind! This is probably one of the best 23 goals for 2023.

RELATED: New Month Journal Prompts for Goal Setting

3. Declutter your home

This task is best left for days you have off so that you don’t feel like you have too much on your plate at once. 

As you declutter, you can also sell your items to make some extra money. I’ve had the most success with Facebook Marketplace. Other than that, I donate everything to Goodwill. 

RELATED: The Monthly Routine You Didn’t Know You Needed to Reset Your Life

4. Spiritual growth/closer connection to spirituality

Whether you’re religious or not, find a way to get in touch with your spiritual side in a way that speaks to you. Whether that’s God, manifesting, positive affirmations, crystals…anything that helps you nurture your spiritual wellness!

5. Practice mindfulness

Taking a few moments each day for mindfulness and meditation can make an impact on your day. There are many great resources out there for this if you are unfamiliar with it. Here is one example.

If you’ve wanted to get into meditation but found it tricky or uncomfortable, you might want to try a guided meditation! Headspace is a meditation app I love and it’s perfect for beginners who struggle with a wandering mind during meditation. They have sooo many meditations for focus, sleep, stress, and more! Try it for 14 days free right here with my link!

RELATED: 45 Mindfulness Affirmations to Immerse Yourself in the Present

6. Strengthen interpersonal relationships

Reach out to old friends you haven’t spoken with in a while. Alternatively, focus on spending more time with the people you communicate with virtually but often don’t see in person. 

GET YOUR FREE GOAL PLANNER RIGHT HERE.

7. Get back into journaling

Journaling is easily one of the most effective practices for managing your mental health and improving your mindset. Ever since I made journaling a priority starting at the beginning of last year, I’ve seen a MAJOR difference in my stress tolerance and self-awareness of my needs.

To get you into the groove of journaling too, grab my printable mental health journal and printable gratitude journal! These are jam-packed with activities and journal prompts for the ultimate self care support.

8. Eliminate limiting beliefs

Sometimes it is our own beliefs that hold us back, such as comparing ourselves to others and thinking “that will never be me.” Why can’t that “never” be you? If you reframe these beliefs to recognize your abilities, you’ll at least be able to potentially take baby steps towards what you want. 

9. Prioritize your happiness

I ultimately believe that we need to put ourselves first. How can we bear the weight of others’ problems (and give to others genuinely) when we don’t have ourselves taken care of first? Doing things that make you happy isn’t selfish, so consider making more time for what fills you with joy. 

10. Listen to motivational podcasts

These can be on a variety of different topics such as career path, personal development, or interpersonal relationships. Motivational podcasts help me adjust my mindset and outlook on life. 

11. Practice self-love

Implement more positive self-talk when you catch yourself thinking negatively about yourself. Even if it feels fake, you’ll get into the habit of thinking more positively about yourself and you’ll start to believe it. Make time for yourself. Go easy on yourself. 

RELATED: The Perfect (and Do-able!) Self Love Bucket List

12. Make balance a priority

One of the biggest preventative measures you can take in 2023 to avoid burnout is to practice balance. Life can’t be ALL productivity 24/7, but it also shouldn’t mean losing sight of what matters to you. There is a way to stay on track while still indulging in the joys and leisure of life. See where you can find the perfect “balance” of rest and progress!

2023 Goals for Health

13. Create a regular exercise routine

Working out every day is honestly pretty hard to stick to. I say something like working out every other day is a good place to start. That way, you can leave days in between for other things you need to get done, like cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, etc. 

Decide what you want to do when you work out, for example, 30 minutes of running, 20 minutes of strength training, and 10 minutes of stretching. Remember to write it in your planner or calendar so you have an active reminder to stick to it!

RELATED: The Best Exercises for Mental Health and Mood Boosting

14. Change your diet

I am not a diet or fitness expert. But for me, the main thing that trips me up or sets me back is, again, not being consistent with sticking to my calorie goal. If your goal is weight loss, that is. 

I will sometimes have two “cheat days” a week and wonder why the scale won’t budge. It’s not until I make myself stick strictly to my calorie budget for a few weeks that I finally notice the progress to resume.

15. Stress-management

If you haven’t found the right coping techniques for dealing with stress, seek out new information and introduce yourself to different emotion regulation strategies. Prioritizing your mental health is super important out of these 23 goals for 2023!

Financial Goals for 2023

16. Reduce monthly spending by $X

If you aim to make your paycheck stretch further and further each month, it will soon become a habit and can positively impact your overall financial health. 

Here are some ways to get started:

• Shop for what you can at the Dollar Tree/99 Cent Only Store (organization bins, soap, cups and utensils, snacks, greeting cards, the list goes on!)
• Make Starbucks a treat and brew coffee at home regularly 
• Evaluate which subscription services you can cut down on
• Work out at home instead of the gym
• Cut grocery bill by something like $50 a week or month

GET YOUR FREE GOAL PLANNER RIGHT HERE.

17. Pay off some debt

Determine which debt is the smallest, then work towards making extra payments or paying off a loan early, if you are financially able to. 

I just paid off my car loan a little early, and I am ecstatic! I bought my car when I was eighteen, made the down payment, and have made every single payment on it for almost four years, so this is one of my first major financial accomplishments. 

18. Invest in your retirement fund

If you haven’t already set up a Roth IRA or something similar, you absolutely should as early as you can. Or better yet, something I have is a CD (Certificate of Deposit) that yields a higher interest rate. I do not touch what goes into my CD and it counts towards my retirement. 

19. Aim not to impulse buy

Create a budget, always think back to it, and shop around for deals and comparisons before you make big purchases. 

Creative Goals for 2023

20. Learn a new skill

This could be something leisurely or even something that helps you build your resume, such as certificate courses through something like Coursera.com. 

As a dancer, I have found many great opportunities for online classes, some free (or on YouTube), as well as subscription services that allow you access to hundreds of classes on demand. 

With the internet, there are so many ways to learn new skills completely remotely. This is fantastic considering many in-person learning opportunities are limited right now. 

21. Write more or read more

I love both writing and reading. I love gaining knowledge and also sharing that knowledge with others through writing, or even just journaling to myself to make sense of my thoughts. 

RELATED: 40 New Year Journal Prompts to Make 2023 The Best Year Yet

22. After each month passes, reflect on it

What were your high points and low points? How did you feel and what can you do to change the negative?

RELATED: 65 New Year Affirmations for a Successful But Balanced 2023

23. Create the habits necessary to achieve your goals

This is the most important takeaway of these 23 goals for 2023. In order to follow through to achieve your goals, you have to put in the work. Where does the work come from? Your habits!

I highly recommend reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. It honestly changed my life and has been the most effective approach to habit change I’ve read about.

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Don’t forget your FREE Goal Planner! Grab it below!

If any of these 23 goals for 2023 spoke to you or helped you identify what you’d like to aim for this year, let me know in the comments! 

Wishing you great blessings and many memorable experiences this upcoming year!

More Goal Inspiration in 2023

New Month Journal Prompts for Goal Setting

This PDF Goal Setting Worksheet Will Help You KILL Your Goals

The Monthly Routine You Didn’t Know You Needed to Reset Your Life

80 Motivating Self Improvement Journal Prompts

DID YOU LIKE THESE 23 GOALS FOR 2023? PIN THEM FOR LATER!