Happy what-day-is-it week! It’s time for my annual tradition of goal-setting and looking back on my goals for this year, so let’s go.

Goals for 2023

  • Progress to the fifth year of my PhD
    • I did this!
  • Pass probation in my new job
    • I did this! I’ve been in my job as Patient and Public Involvement Manager at Bowel Research UK for almost a year now.
  • Speak regularly on the Wisdom app
    • I did a bit of this but I abandoned it recently. The app changed so that only people with Top Member (or whatever they call it) badges can do talks. I am one of those people but I’d rather just do my own talks than have guests, and we’re encouraged to have guests on now since not everyone can start their own talk. So I’m less fussed about this at the moment.
  • Increase my confidence travelling alone
    • I did this! I feel like a pro at getting the train to London now and I’m getting to know different parts of the city through walking to different meetings and getting the tube.
  • Continue to write and be published
    • I’ve definitely continued to write for my PhD, and I wrote and self-published the CMMRD book! I didn’t have poems published in any literary magazines as I’ve been concentrating on my studies.
  • Blog here more regularly
    • Didn’t do this so much!
  • Take some trips
    • We went to Florida, the zoo, Gordon Ramsay’s Street Pizza place in London, Great Yarmouth and Center Parcs.
  • Work on accepting my genetic condition and the tests and risks that brings, and use mindfulness to find peace instead of hopelessness
    • Last year I said “This is a biggie, and I know I’ll be cursing myself this time next year because it’s immeasurable!” And yes, this is a bit of a vague goal. I think writing the CMMRD book really helped, though, so I’m counting it as a win.

Goals for 2024

Here’s what I would like to do in 2024:

  • Register my intent to submit my PhD (by the end of the calendar year to actually submit in 2025 at the latest)
  • Continue to expand my comfort zone (e.g. speaking at a conference, networking)
  • Advocate for myself in the healthcare system ( since my local hospital is currently doing a terrible job at communicating with me – I can’t let my screening slide)
  • Spend regular me-time out of the house, e.g. doing PhD work, having lunch and shopping on Friday afternoons as part of my routine

I can’t think of anything else I want to do this year, so it’s a much smaller list. But the main thing I want to concentrate on is my PhD, so I’m not setting goals around other publications at the moment. If I think of other things, I’ll add them later!