Vogt's Notes: Ready to tackle professional, personal goals for 2022

I didn’t set any hard and fast New Year’s resolutions this year.

I did set goals for myself, though - both personally and professionally.

I have to admit, it’s not going so well 12 days into the new year.

But there’s still time. I’ll still try. Rather than blowing any resolutions and giving up already, I have 353 days yet to achieve my goals.

Professionally, my main goal is to give you readers more bang for your buck. Of course, that includes more good stories from our coverage area that stretches from Nisswa to Hackensack, and from Pequot Lakes to Crosslake.

This goal will be easy to reach. There’s never a lack of stories out there. That said, we’re always looking for story ideas, so let us know if you have one. Many of our best stories come from tips we receive from people or that we find on social media.

The best way for our readers to enhance their experience is to visit our website at pineandlakes.com, so a huge goal for me is to convince more readers to try us out online. Go to pineandlakes.com and explore our site.

We’re rolling out a new website design today, Jan. 12, offering an even better digital experience. Find out just how much more we offer online in addition to our print newspaper you get delivered every Wednesday or buy at the grocery store or convenience store.

I also plan to launch a weekly podcast, with help from a Brainerd Dispatch co-worker, where we’ll highlight the week’s local news and sports stories in an audio recording subscribers can download.

Of course, my biggest professional goal of all is to do everything I can to gain more subscribers. My hope is that more people will discover just how valuable all of our products are and will join others in supporting local journalism.

Believe me, we’re worth it!

As for my personal goals for 2022, they’re pretty simple. I want to take time to do more of what I truly enjoy outside of work.

That includes spending more time with family and friends; going ice fishing, camping and open water fishing more with my husband; and returning to my scrapbooking hobby.

The really easy goals are to read more books and do a few puzzles. I’ve already started a 500-piece puzzle that is challenging me. I hope to finish it by the end of the month, but we’ll see. My husband and I just sat for a bit and only fit one piece each.

I received this and another puzzle in a white elephant gift exchange at Christmastime and couldn’t be happier that I ended up with them. Once you start a puzzle, it’s rather addicting. And oh, so satisfying and exhilarating when you get on a roll.

I’ve always been an avid reader, ever since I was a child. Unfortunately, it’s been awhile since I curled up with a good book.

I’ve started 2022 with a simple goal to read a book a month. I’m already well into a book my daughter gave me for Christmas. I’m sure I’ll finish it soon, especially since she keeps pestering me so she can have it to read.

That brings me to an ongoing long-term goal. I’d love to join a book club one day. I don’t know when it will happen, but it will.

For anyone else who loves to read and would like to try a book club experience, both the Pequot Lakes and Pine River libraries offer book clubs.

What are your goals for 2022? I hope one of them is to check out all your local newspaper has to offer.

Nancy Vogt may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.