A couple of years ago, I found myself in a position where I just had to “kick ass and take names.”
Let’s call it KATN for short.
This was part of my KATN list at the time:
- I had to get my life in order.
- I had to get my money in order.
- I had to get my home in order.
- I had to figure out what it meant to be a single mom.
- I had to figure out what it meant to be in charge of my own budget.
- And so on.
Maybe you have a list that looks a little or a lot like this, too.
Somewhere in the middle of that whole process, I was like, “I am kicking ass and taking names.” And it kind of stuck with me and resonated with many of us.
So, I wanted to tell you how I am hoping to KATN in 2024. This is all aspirational at this point of course, but I have a couple of things that I’d like to tackle.
How I Want to KATN in 2024
- Content creation.
2024 is going to be a year of content creation for me, because I’m writing a book.
It has been a long time since I’ve done this in my world. I wrote the cookbook, Feed These People, most recently — and that is definitely a writing project — but I haven’t written a book-book since I wrote Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire, which started in 2018.
So this is a year that I want to make what I hope to be my most meaningful content that I’ve ever created. Certainly, in the book project, but also everywhere — in the For the Love podcast, on the socials, and in all the places that I communicate.
I really want this to be meaningful. I want to be careful. I want every word to matter. I want to give it my all.
As we were preparing for this book project, my agent, Margaret, told me something, She told me: “Save nothing for the swim home,” and I love that. I’ve hung onto that sentiment.
Swim so far and hard out to the middle of the ocean and don’t hold back; don’t save energy for later; don’t leave any content for the future. Truly, save nothing for the swim home, and that’s what I hope to do.
- Mom-ing.
I really want to figure out what it means to be the best version of myself as a mom this year.
This is going to be a big year in 2024. My oldest kid gets married, so we have a wedding coming up in March. Then, in May, my youngest kid graduates from high school.
We are growing up. Our little family is growing up; my kids are growing up, and so I want to finish strong.
I want to finish this last leg of the race with my youngest in a way that is special and connected and celebratory — and I want to cheer on my oldest son as he starts a whole new life with his wonderful fiancé who we all love.
I want my kids to feel so loved and so supported. I want to figure out what my role looks like, and I don’t want to waste a lot of time being weepy about it all.
I want to be thrilled, I want my kid to feel like their mom is proud and she has our back and these changes are great. I want to be a part of their happy, happy memories with these big milestones.
So, that’s my KATN list for 2024.
To make sure it happens…
- I am willing and ready to offload a bunch of other stuff, so that I can do those two things well.
- I am willing to say “no.”
- I am willing to say “not this year.”
- I’m willing to say “this needs to be triaged.”
- I’m willing to say this particular thing has come to an end.
- I’m also preparing to subtract, so that I can do these two things really well.
I am willing to do it all to be the best mom for my kids and the best me for my community.
How are you going to KATN in 2024? Make yourself a little list of a couple ways — and think about what you’ll add or subtract or say “no” or “yes” to, to make it happen.