There’s Something About A New Year✨

Goodbye 2022, hello 2023.

A Brief Look Back

As I wrote in last year’s version of this post, I used to always be in tune with stats and analytics pertaining to followers, views, comments, etc. In 2021, I paid nearly no attention to any of those of thing, and this trend continued for 2022. The past year marks year two of really struggling to sit down to write on the blog, which is sort of a consequence of not being as active in the online bookish community as I have been in years past, paired with just not reading as much as I used to.

My time spent on bookstagram had dwindled by the end of 2021, and I think 2022 holds the record for least amount of time spent there in the near-decade that I’ve been blogging. I had hoped this was the year I would be able to shake the lack of structure and lack of focus that 2020 brought, but now here I am applying that same hope to 2023. There’s truly something about the first weeks of January that really clear my mind and make me want to get better at structuring my days and meeting deadlines with focus and preparation, despite how many times I’ve seemingly failed to do so in the past. Overall I think it is just hitting me that we are three years past the pandemic, and while it’s still “quietly” raging, I feel like I would be back “on track” by now. I feel caught between giving myself grace through change (I started a new job post-pandemic that is completely different from the industry I started off in and thought I would be in for most of my professional life, and have quickly moved into new roles that have given me more responsibility; and I have officially entered my thirties), and saying “enough’s enough, let’s get it together!” This obviously goes beyond my blogging self, but I’m mentioning it because it’s obviously had an effect on how I’ve shown up (or not shown up) in this space for the past couple of years.

So while I didn’t read and review as many books as I would have liked; once again neglected my Reading Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales series; and didn’t share nearly anything From My Bookshelf; my outlook on the new year remains the same as it always has in the beginning of January: hopeful.

What’s In Store for There’s Something About KM In 2023?

I’m quite wary of saying anything here, and from the downward trend described above, you may be thinking, “is book blogging something you still want to be doing?” I’ve asked this of myself so many times, particularly since 2020, and I never hesitate to say “yes!” I really think my neglect of There’s Something About KM is just a clear consequence of not having a lot of balance in my regular life. The majority of my days and weeks revolve around my job, which I honestly love, but now that I’ve settled more into my role and responsibilities, I’m ready to implement stricter boundaries and more structure into my days outside of my workplace. I’ve had a good transition period and am ready to find balance, joy, and purpose again in my non-work life.

So, basically, what’s in store for the blog is to bring it back to, for lack of better phrasing, what I consider it to be its former glory. I want to feed my creative fire, draw inspiration from book bloggers I have admired since the beginning, and focus on making it one of my happy places again. These aren’t particularly concrete goals, but I essentially just want to make more time for this part of myself.

And for now, that is all for my 2022 Review and 2023 Blogging Goals. Have you set any goals or made any new year resolutions – blogging, reading, personal? Feel free to share them in a comment below.

And once again, thank you hundreds of times over for being here – even through the “quiet years.” 🙂 I’m thankful to be going into a new year with you; I hope you have a hopeful January, and wish you the very best in 2023. 🎉

-Kelsey