PureWow Editor’s New Year’s Resolutions for 2023

You know the drill, people! Exercise five times a week, eat out less, learn French and so on and so forth. Corny and unattainable though they might be, New Year’s resolutions cue a much-needed, restful pause for reflection. Admittedly, last year’s list may not be entirely crossed out—c’est la vie—but that doesn’t stop us from hitting the refresh button. And while new resolves can be difficult to brainstorm, inspiration is always welcome, so we got curious: What are PureWow editors’ New Year’s resolutions? From enjoying a cell-phone-free weekly walk to sipping a Piña Colada on the beaches of Mexico, here, are ten PureWow editors on their New Year’s Resolutions for 2023. Spoiler alert: They all focus on prioritizing self-love and care.

All the wishful thinking in the world won’t magically Freaky Friday us into Ina Garten. How about now? Argh, fine. This year is all about baby steps in the kitchen, according to Nakeisha Campbell, our Associate Editor of News and Entertainment, who is dedicating one day a month to testing out a new recipe in the kitchen. Whether you’re a self-proclaimed (or actual) Le Cordon Bleu alum or it’s your first encounter with an immersion blender, learning one new recipe a month is reasonable, frugal (compared to restaurant bills), fun and downright delicious. Plus, you can solo-dolo it with some Nora Jones on blast or make it a romantic date-night for two, Merlot in tow. Mouth-watering chocolate soufflé or savory chicken tortellini soup? WWID: What would Ina do?

Between TikTok scrolls, TV show binges, news and, well, life, finding the time to dust off a book from our TBR pile is slim…until now. A shared goal between Campbell and myself, Assistant Editor, is to tap back into our youthful love for literature. “I truly miss the feeling of getting lost in a great book that I can't put down,” Campbell gushes. While we refrain from slapping a number on our goal, as not to discourage ourselves if we’re not tracking one book a week, simply swapping a TV series winddown or pre-bedtime IG scroll with a physical book is satisfactory for the both of us. Step aside Emily, The Paris Apartment awaits.

This one may be easier said than done with a slew of constant work emails and things to be done—we see you, laundry pile! But that’s not stopping Editorial Assistant Delia Curtis from making this a number one priority for the new year. They explain their desire “…to take time each week to do something intentional while unplugged for a couple of hours. Maybe that’s crafting, going on a phone-less walk, reading in the park, etc.” Prioritizing me-time in a state of constant noise just might be our new motto come 2023.

“My resolution is to really be better about savoring my pre-bedtime routine,” says Rachel Bowie, Senior Director of Special Projects and Royals. Even if that means setting a timer, Bowie will doggedly pursue a few extra enjoyable minutes with her serums or spoiling her skin with a pampering mask here and there. “Currently, I'm scrolling and sometimes just using a face wipe!” she adds. “That ends here, mainly because moisture matters. Also, as a mom, if this is the only me time I get, I'm going to make it special, dammit!”

Fashion Editor, Abby Hepworth, knows how to find the best boots for your Aspen ski trip and source the sleekest Yeti cooler for your beach weekend, but when it comes to taking advantage of vacation days or other crème de la crème company benefits herself, she found it a struggle a few years back. “I got so burnt out in 2020, [but] have found [that] taking random Fridays or Mondays [off] and giving myself a three-day weekend now and again is incredibly beneficial to my mental health.” Whether you’re working with two weeks a year or are blessed with unlimited vacation, we’re all taking notes from Hepworth to book that vacation because, say it with us: We deserve it. There’s a margarita calling your name.

ICYMI, 2023’s wellness trends are something to bask in. In fact, Hepworth’s second resolution is to embrace the movement snack trend and work her strength up to accomplish her goal of doing a proper push-up before the end of 2023. “I’ve literally never been able to do one and it’s so dopey, but I know if I can, I’ll be so proud of myself.” And she’s not alone. From testing out a workout advent calendar app (yes, you read that right) to sharing the most effective at-home core exercises, Managing Editor Catrina Yohay shares a similar itch to break a sweat, particularly on the court. “I want to take tennis lessons! Maybe 2023 will be my year.”

The sky is the limit with this one, as Associate Editor Marissa Wu describes. Now what exactly is a daydream bucket list you ask? Well, “the daydream bucket list is different from the regular bucket list in that it's ok (for me) for the things on it to have 100% NO contribution to what I call the 4 Ps: purpose, profit, productivity, and pleasing other people,” Wu explains. We’re talking anything along the lines of learning a language, playing a new instrument, or picking up photography, to name a few. “I'm just doing it because I want to,” adds Wu. Pass the pen, stat.

Speaking of pens, Commerce Director Nicole Briese plans to pick up one of her own for the new year. Wanting to focus on embracing a rather personal, expressive and creative task outside of office hours, Briese plans to write for herself, and with that, her blog. While feeling accomplished in creating her site and content from the ground up, she’s aware of some missing links that’ll allow it to thrive but carved out actionable steps to remedy those come 2023.

With an on-again, off-again love affair with dance, Assistant Editor of News and Entertainment, Joel Calfee, is hoping to go back to his childhood roots with weekly dance classes in the new year. On top of getting the body moving, dance is a way to release stress, meet new people, experience new cultures, and have fun. For Calfee, the added nostalgia factor drives his passion to pursue it again, even if that means dancing “…a little bit from the confines of my apartment whenever I get the chance because I miss it so much!”

As someone who’s hesitant with resolutions in general, having “Never completed any resolution in my life,” Executive Editor, Dara Katz, is taking on the new year with a little voice in her head—and life—influencing her self-talk and -assessment surrounding diet and wellness culture. “Now that I have a daughter, I want to do my part to contribute as little as possible to this influence,” she explains. “So, my ‘resolution’ is to not talk about my body negatively in front of her.” She goes on to describe it as not obsessing over appearances in the mirror, making comments about bloat (or lack of it) and even diet-talk. “It’s simple,” Katz shares, “but being conscientious of my own comments about my own body made me realize how many self-inflicting little jabs I make every day. I would never want her to talk about herself that way.”