If I had to sum up 2013 in one word, it would be “tough.” I’m not entirely sure why it felt so challenging, because I didn’t have any major catastrophes or calamities. In fact, it was primarily a year of successes and good stuff.

I wrote my second book. I taught more than 60 classes and workshops (and traveled a lot). Thanks to massive help from Scott and Roz, we relaunched Food in Jars with a new look and created more space to work with businesses and sponsors. I wrote a lot for my blog, for Table Matters, for the Food Network’s blog, and for various other publications.

I think the thing that made this year feel so rough is that it was a little out of balance. I invested a huge amount of energy in continuing to build and grow this career/blog/business of mine and didn’t leave a whole lot of time or energy for anything else. To make it worse, I never felt like I was working hard enough, despite the fact that I was regularly typing away at my computer until midnight or later.

And so, as I get settled into this fresh, new year, I’m hoping to rejigger things a little. I’m not calling these resolutions. They are instead necessary course corrections.

• I need to work a little less and find a little more time for friends. I feel woefully isolated and without tight community and I would like to change that, even just a little bit.
• It is time to be kinder. To myself and to Scott. I am in the habit of being extraordinarily hard on myself and when I find myself tumbling down into a spiral of overwork and dissatisfaction I’m not particularly nice to anyone.
• I want to start the day a little earlier. I’m not going to start getting up with the sun, but I would like to be up, showered, and dressed before 9 am on weekdays.
• This is also the year where I’d like to let go. Of the comparisons, the resentments, the frustrations, and unrealistic expectations. Of the need to do everything and be everywhere. And most of all, of the feeling of stuckness that dogs me. I’m just done with it all.

Happy New year, friends!