So, my 2023 begins tomorrow. I’ve been at home home this week, (the train strikes had me all the way fucked up), so I’ve given myself some New Years grace before I got back to my life in Manchester. I’ve finally had some time to reflect on 2022 and think about what’s next for this coming year.

I feel like so many great things happened in 2022, but everything was overshadowed by my Grandma’s passing. I never even had a proper pet as a child, so this has been my first time ever experiencing loss and dealing with grief. Some of my earliest and happiest memories are with my Grandma. She had an indescribable and immeasurable impact and influence in my life – going through life without her feels almost impossible to navigate.

It is a comforting feeling though to know that I’ve got Mama, God and the Universe watching over me, guiding me and making shit happen.

Speaking of the shit I want to happen, it’s time to crown the year and figure out my goals. It took me a while to think about what I wanted to achieve this year, but honestly, I just want to enjoy. Initially, I thought that could be a stupid goal – what does that even mean? How would I measure its success? Isn’t there a more ‘adult’ goal I should have? But then I also thought… I don’t actually care. I want to focus on simply finding joy in the smallest, simplest and most mundane things, whilst also making changes in the hefty areas of life too that’ll lead to further enjoyment down the line.

With that in mind, here are the goals:

1. New job – there are still some milestones I want to achieve in my current role, but I think the time has come for me to move on. Although I love my manager, team, wider department and the company culture, the day-to-day of the job itself gives me nothing. My job currently isn’t fulfilling me or making me enthusiastic about waking up for work. The plan is to achieve the qualification I want in this role, then make a move.
2. Grow this blog – I’ve never really thought about taking this blog seriously. But in reality, working 9-5, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year until I’m 65 really ain’t it. I would love to be able to travel and get paid to write about it. Although it seems like the best way to grow an online presence is through social media, I really don’t want Dear Disha to just be a collection of reels and tiktoks. I want to continue writing this and having my voice come through on this medium too. I intend to be as consistent with social media as possible, but also continue creating engaging and interesting blog posts, reaching out to publications to guest write and trying to find opportunities to share my blog.
3. Save money – aside from the trips I already have booked, I’m going to have to learn the word ‘no’, (a word that is not in my vocabulary when it comes to travelling… Or going out). The aim is to save enough money to finally go to… BRAZIL! Anyone who knows me knows that I’ve been obsessed with Brazil since the womb. I’m hoping to go in February for Carnival. Your girl is finna learn to Samba, drink all the Caipirinha’s and go walking on Ipanema, but to be able to do all that, I need to save my Ps.

2023, lezzzz geddiittttt!