4 Intentions for 2024

Did you take the turn of the new year as an opportunity to reflect on what you hope to see? Here are 4 intentions for 2024 to guide our family into the next year.

Some years, I’m gung ho about setting goals for the new year. I’ve made boards with very specific goals. I’ve written down a list of goals. I appreciate having a vision of the future toward which I hope to move. That often includes measurable goals that I can check off a list once completed.

But this year, I’ve been far less motivated to create new goals, instead choosing to focus on shedding commitments and finding a better balance. I’ve long focused outward on being a changemaker and “do gooder” or building a business and growing things.

This year, it feels important to focus inward more on the health and well-being of my family. So my intentions for the year serve us with a slowness I’m hoping we can find between the busy things we do and love like sports teams, travel adventures, and spending time with friends.

4 Intentions for 2024

The world feels especially crazy and chaotic. I hope a slowness at home and some “white space” on our calendar and to-do list can counter that. With those goals in mind, here are 4 intentions for 2024 I hope can guide us through the year.

Local, Seasonal Eating

We’ve slowly built up a knowledge base about where to find local food and more sustainable food options. We still purchase food from the grocery store each week, but we’ve started to replace certain items with things we can buy from local farmers and food rescue organizations (not local, but limits food waste).

Eating more seasonal and local food requires planning. We’ve done some of these things in the past, but I intend to do them with more consistency in 2024.

• Grow Food Ourselves | We don’t grow much of our food, just a very tiny portion. But growing food reminds us of what’s in season, how long it takes for seeds to serve us on the table, and how much energy and labor goes into producing the food we take for granted on grocery store shelves. Yesterday, I ordered seeds for our garden, and I will start to plan out our garden in the coming weeks.
• Shop at Local Farmer’s Markets | I put two local farmers’ markets on my calendar so I don’t forget to make them a priority for food shopping when I can fit them into our schedule.
• Use a local CSA | I plan to sign up for a local CSA that will serve us over the summer and into fall.
• Meal Plan around Seasonal Ingredients | I’m trying to get back into a routine of sharing weekly dinner meal planning menus on the blog (which holds me accountable for choosing seasonal recipes for our dinner plans each week).

Read 75 books (one food/nutrition book each month)

Last year, I read 56 books. I’d like to add a few more to the list this year, most likely through more active audiobook listening while I’m doing things around the house and driving to and fro.

I typically read mostly non-fiction and would like to read at least one book about food or nutrition each month. This should help me stick to the previous goal of more seasonal and local eating (with regular reminders about why that work matters). Beyond that, I’ll pick books that feel relevant as the year progresses.

Related Reading: Book reviews, tips for reading, library love, and more

Finish 40 Hikes Project

Last year, I started the 40 Hikes Project to celebrate turning 40. With 32 hikes behind me, I will have plenty of time to finish the last 8. We have trips planned to Oregon and Alaska for the summer. Those will surely help me achieve the goal (though a few weeks after I turn 41). But that’s fine. It’s really about getting outside throughout the year and appreciating all the public spaces we have to enjoy nature.

Get outside every day

I’ve not done a perfect job so far this year, but I’m so much better about dressing up for the weather and going outside no matter the season than I used to be. I’ve tried to make this an intention in prior years and didn’t always succeed. Let’s see if I can do better this year. Even though I “failed” in the past, that doesn’t mean I can’t try again.

One of these days, “get chickens” is going to be on this list. But not yet. Maybe 2025… Ha.