I adopt a theme each year and last year, the theme was Reset. That theme included focusing on physical and mental health, writing more, getting organized and rediscovering creative endeavors. I made progress with three out of four goals.

  • I wrote more, getting my first journal article published and I have several others in the works. I’ve written more here on Micro.Blog in 2023. So mission accomplished.
  • I did a good job getting organized, but I need to stay organized. There are still some areas I need to work on, but I feel like I made some progress.
  • I worked on a bunch of my typeface designs and even though I’m not ready to release anything, I feel like I was able to dedicate some time to visual projects.

That leaves physical and mental health. I was particularly physically active for the first few months of the year, but hit a rough spot around April and lost momentum. I never got back in a rhythm.

This year, more of the same

As I started to plan for 2024, I felt like my focus was going to be solely on health. I felt great at the beginning of 2023 when I was more physically active, and I definitely want to get back to that level of activity. Combine that with processing the unexpected death of a coworker a few days ago — who was younger than I am — and I’m solidly committed to getting healthier in 2024.

But as I read over the list of my goals from last year, I still see room to improve in those areas, too. I’m still working on my Ph.D. and carving out time to write is critical. I still need to work on personal organization. And I need to work on creative projects — especially getting into a routine with my sketchbook.

So I go into 2024 with four goals… basically the same goals that I had last year:

  • Get healthy. I’m not trying to run any races or achieve some incredible physical feat, but I do need to eat healthier and make time for physical activity. This is, without a doubt, my number one priority.

  • Write more. Continue to write here, and work toward my Ph.D.

  • Get organized and stay organized. Continue to refine and evolve my methods and tools for staying organized.

  • Explore creative endeavors. Keep working on typefaces, but also, get back into the habit of sketching regularly.

I’ve got a lot to be excited about in 2024, including my 25th wedding anniversary in August. I’m looking forward to a healthy and productive year.

Bob Wertz is a creative director, type designer, Ph.D. student and researcher living in Columbia, South Carolina.