Long ago I discovered that doing my resolutions, and planning goals for the upcoming year works best for me in the fall? Hello friends - May Flaum of Craft With May here and today I want to share with you the process I went through evaluating my 2024, and looking ahead and setting myself up for success in 2025 and how notebooks play a big part in all of that.

In the fall?

November and December fly by so fast, that yes in October I start reviewing myself, and September and October I set up plans, make choices, and generally decide on any new habits, hobbies, or activities I want to focus on as well as goals I want to achieve and get started. I take all of the pressure off of my New Year and January and instead start building early. I am also a mid-year new planner person - so it all fits! That planner gets started and I get thinking.

Step 1: What went right (and wrong!) last year?

This one can be hard because the first thing you have to do is self evaluate, and do so in a way that doesn’t want to make you just give up and go hide from your goals! My approach this year was extremely gentle, and a lot of props to what I did get done, what I do feel good about. I’m really proud of my articles for Archer & Olive - and I love putting days and days of time into them (for example!) Often though - I will be critical and step outside my journaling habit thinking. How was I spending my free time? Am I refocusing on another interest? Am I drinking enough water? Walking enough steps? What was I doing that I know was not a great idea or use of my resources? 

And of course all importantly - how can I use my notebooks and my journaling habits and goals to help me achieve more next year?

Step 2: What do I NEED next year?

All caps on the need - because these are the item(s) that you really feel are vital to your health, happiness, and success. For me I need no pressure, no stress, and pure joy. I also need to resume my daily journal entries both art and words, and I need to keep going with my “things I’d love to manifest” journal because oh does that make me happy to dream big! There is no wrong answer to this - but it should be “if all else failed, I really feel I need _____” sort of thing. I like to close my eyes and think about what helped me the most this year, what is helping me with my notebooks and journaling now - and bring those forward. Also if there’s a gap, if something I need is missing it goes here.

Step 3: What would I like to see if possible?

Now here is where I get a bit dreamy and ambitious. For example, I’d like to wrap up 2 country guidebooks (see previous article) and see those full and fantastic. I’d also like to work on documentation of plans, goals, and detailed steps for things I want to accomplish. These are things I really want to see - but if they didn’t happen it would be alright.

Step 4: How am I going to make this viable, and am I being realistic?

I am 100% for big dreams, goals, and aiming high! But only if it will uplift and support me to do so. Right now I’m a bit fragile, and honestly my works in progress pile is so much bigger than my successes. For me looking ahead- I want to see things continued, finished, or wrapped up and cleared off my desk. I want things to be both simple, and feel good! 

Step 5: Let’s go!

Go ahead and start ahead of the new year if you’d like - in fact you can evaluate and do these around your birthday, or any other time of year that feels good to you! The idea is to step back and see what is (or isn’t) serving you, and where you most want to put your energy.

I am always here to support you! Please feel free to reach out to me @craftwithmay on social media like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok! I love chatting and am always happy to root for you and cheer you on as well as help you troubleshoot. If you try any ideas from this article and post to social media I encourage you to tag @archerandolive, @archerandolive.community and use hashtags #AOShare and #archerandolive so that the community can see your work as well.