As I sit here and start planning 2023 and think about the goals that I want to achieve, I look back at 2022 and see how the goals I set at the beginning of the year did.

This blog is going to break down what went well, what didn’t go so well, and everything in between. Stay tuned for the next blog post as I am going to share what my goals for 2023 are.

If you want to read all about my goals for 2022, you can check that blog post out here.

A REVIEW OF 2022: WHAT WORKED AND WHAT DIDN’T

At the end of 2021, I updated my business services on the advice of a small business group that I was a part of. They recommended that I add social media content creation services because I am good at it. I listened to their advice and I added it.

Going into January 2022, things were going really well. I had 1 full-time social media client, I was writing an ebook for another client, and I felt like everything was falling into place.

And then it all seemed to fall apart.

The ebook went so incredibly well and I pushed myself to do something that I never thought of doing. It was challenging but totally worth it.

The client that I had signed for 12 months had ghosted me. She gave me a couple of days notice of possibly not needing my services and then I never heard from her again. She left me high and dry for money that was owed. But it was even more than that.

I considered her a friend and she stopped replying to me and talking to me. I eventually had to stop reaching out a couple of months after she ghosted me. I wish that things would have ended differently.

From there everything felt like an uphill battle.

I did eventually sign another client who wanted to try my services for 30 days. We instantly connected and I absolutely love who they were as a business and as people. After 30 days, they decided to sign a 12-month contract with me, and again, everything was falling into place.

It was going wonderful and then they decided to break their contract due to making changes to their branding. Everything ended on a positive note and I can’t wait to work with them again in the future.

At one point, I had two full-time social media content creation clients and a freelance blogging membership client. It was consistent income and everything was going really well.

I no longer have the two monthly clients but I do have the one monthly social media client and the one freelance blogging membership client and things are going well.

A few of the things that went well…

• • I was approved for a business loan that helped me purchase a new laptop

• • Growing my FB group

• • Signing clients that I love

• • Writing again on my mental health blog

A few of the things that didn’t go well…

• • Losing clients that I love

• • Doubting my abilities as a content creator

• • Losing a bit of DA on my blog (Currently building it back up)

THE GOALS I DIDN’T REACH

I am doing a five-day goal workshop in a FB group and for day one, they had us review the goals that we had in 2022 to see if we had reached any of them. It made me realize that I set monthly goals but NEVER checked in on my big yearly goals for 2022. I got so caught up in the goals for the month that I forgot all about my big ones.

Here is a breakdown of the goals that I set for myself last year. We are just going to look at my blogging goals and my business goals. If you want to read the rest, you can do so here.

Finish my memoir

This did not happen. Honestly, I have been putting it off because it is so hard to write. The emotions that it brings up and the darkness that I have to work through have been exhausting. That is really no excuse but I didn’t reach this goal.

Make $15,000 in my business

I don’t yet have my exact number but I am somewhere between $6,000-$8,000 for the year!!! I am so excited about that so even though I didn’t reach this goal, I made great progress towards it and I am so excited to see what 2023 brings.

Sign 5 social media clients per month

The most clients that I had for a bit were two social media clients. I am glad that I didn’t have five clients at once. I think that number is too high only because of the work that I want to do with each client.

Host my blog coaching programs and fill them up

I didn’t really offer my blog coaching programs in 2022. There were a few times that I had workshops that I did. In 2023, I am excited about what my blog coaching programs are going to be. They won’t be with Creative Purpose as they are going to be with my other brand, Empoword Blogging.

Create a Creative Summit for small businesses

I still want to do this but I really have no idea what it is supposed to be.

Get consistent with posting on my blog

I am getting consistent. I am not doing two times per week but I am doing once per week on each blog. My consistency is paying off!

Get blog views up to 10,000

This was very, very ambitious and honestly probably was way beyond my reach but hey, I did reach and surpass the other goal that I set for November and I am continuing to build it. Things are happening and I can’t wait to make my impact in 2023.

Guest blog 2-3 times per month

I let this slide but I did get a couple of guest blog posts out there. I am working on setting more up for 2023 and I already have a podcast set up to be interviewed on and a possible summit. Here we go 2023!!

As you can see, I didn’t reach my goals but I made some HUGE progress toward them. I am happy with how 2022 has turned out. Now I am going to finish these last few weeks off strong and go into 2023 with a plan and a breakdown of how I am going to be able to reach my goals.

WHAT DID 2022 TEACH ME

I have learned that having a business is incredibly hard. Building a business takes not only skill and knowledge but dedication and passion. It isn’t just as simple as saying, this is what I want.

It will knock you down one moment and then pick you up the next. You can’t just walk away because your life is so engrained into your business that sometimes it feels like it is a piece of you.

2022 showed me that sometimes I need to walk away to create something better.

2022 showed me that business comes and goes but the impact that you have on someone will always be there.

2022 showed me that growth is growth. It doesn’t have to be huge growth to make a difference.

2022 showed me who I want to work with and the projects and businesses that I love and want to help.

2022 showed me that even when I doubt myself, I have people in my corner who are constantly cheering me on.

I absolutely love what I do. I can’t walk away. My blogs and my business are pieces of me that help me to heal, help to support my family, and create a legacy for my children to remember me by.

I don’t know what 2023 has in store for me but I do know that I am going to continue to show up, level up, and build the business and life that I want. I have so many plans and things that I want to accomplish.

I may dream big.

I may jump in with both feet before I am ready.

I may doubt myself more often than I’d like to admit.

I may not reach my goals.

However, all of those things are me. I am willing to dream big because life is too short not to. I am willing to set HUGE goals and not reach them because the journey along the way has taught me something.

Here is to 2023 being BIGGER than 2022.

Here is to 2023 being MORE MAGICAL than 2022.

If you are ready to get 2023 started on the right foot, I am offering a Master Your Content In 2023 workshop. In this workshop, you are going to plan out your 2023 content goals and we will work on planning some of your content. The workshop is interactive and will be between two to three hours long. I’d love to have you join and help you build your goals.