Intentions Check-In: 2nd Quarter 2023

Hello, loves! Another quarter has come and gone (plus a month, since July is quarter three). If being a month behind on posting my second intentions check-in doesn’t clue you in on how this is going to go…

I don’t have a lot of confidence, but let’s see how things have been going and what I should focus on for quarter three!

2023 Overview

For reference, you can look more in-depth at the following posts:

• 2023 Intentions: a list of all my main intentions for the year
• Blog Expectations for 2023: a summary of how I’m using my blog this year (in connection with my Patreon and my newsletter, Inkpot Droplets)

But, for those who didn’t want to read those, below is a quick summary of my 2023 intentions:

• Write for me
• Read more regularly
• Connect with the writing community
• Realign my day job and strengthen my editorial business
• Continue to grow my anti-racist knowledge
• Live more balanced between commitments and rest
• Organize home logistics
• Manage my finances better
• Find routines that serve me, rather than stress me out

Intentions Check-In

As a quick reference, I broke down my intentions into three different goals for each main category, or nine goals in total. For quarter one of my intentions check-in, I scored 5/9 or 55%. Which is like, not great? But, considering all that’s going on this year and how rocky 2023 has been for me, it’s not as bad as I could have been.

So, let’s see how quarter two fared, comparatively!

Creatively

Creative, I wanted to:

• Write for me
• Read more regularly
• Connect with the writing community

I have definitely struggled with this more than I did in quarter one. I did manage to edit the first act of my WIP, as I also used it for my thesis, which I turned it at the end of June. (And defend next week!). But, since turning that in and completing my last grad class, I’ve written pretty much zero. 😭

Reading also took a huge backseat the past few months. I’m currently 18 books behind schedule of reading 62 this year. 😅 BUT. I think that’s taking a turn, as I’m actually reading books again! And…getting into audiobooks? 👀 So, I’m giving myself half a point for this.

So, I’d rate this 1.5/3 so far, for quarter two intentions check-in!

Personally

This goal is probably the roughest, but not for lack of trying!

• Realign my day job and strengthen my editorial business
• Continue to grow my anti-racist knowledge
• Live more balanced between commitments and rest

I did get a new job!! So that is an absolute win. And I have more clients this year than I did last year, so that’s a win, too! I do still wish I had more time to dedicate to my freelance editorial business, as I haven’t been able to take some classes I’d really like to, to help level that up and strengthen my knowledge. That might be a quarter four goal, as financially, I don’t see that happening in quarter three…

I am still dedicated to unlearning my own racism, patriarchal and capitalist thoughts, and fatphobia. And though some weeks I don’t engage it in daily, I do catch up on the newsletters and still write my Allyship series.

More balance? My entire post on Monday was about how my balance is off and I’m struggling. LOL.

Score? 2 of 3, I think!

Logistically

I think the goals that fall under this broad logistics umbrella will be intentions that are ever truly “complete” for me, honestly.

• Organize home logistics
• Manage my finances better
• Find routines that serve me, rather than stress me out

Depression and burnout made this a complete no. I have just been in a survival mode. I think I’d like to focus on this more, going forward.

I’ve giving myself a point for survival. 1 of 3!

Next Three Months

I think, if I want to get into some specifics for August and September (since July is practically over), here’s what I’d like to accomplish:

• Finish a short story and submit it to magazines
• Write Act II
• Read regularly
• Have less than $5,000 in medical debt

These goals don’t cover the entire scope of all my intentions. But, they do get specific and help me achieve some things I’d really like to focus on.

In Sum

Final verdict? 4.5/9 or a crisp 50%. Not where I want to be (honestly) but, despite feeling a bit overwhelmed with trying to balance everything, I do feel hopeful. I am really hoping the second half of 2023 is much kinder than the first. Including me being kinder to myself.

What about you? Do you check-in with intentions, if you make any at all? How often? Anything I can do to support you? Lemme know in the comments!

Patreon | Newsletter | Editorial Services | Twitter | Instagram | Kofi