Ins and Outs for 2024, plus The Fucking Owned Books Challenge!

Happy New Fears Years, everybody!🎉

I hope ringing in 2024 was everything you wanted it to be. I’m not really into partying anymore in my old age. That was 20-something Krystin’s vibe. Mid-to-late-early-late 30’s Krystin has a stay-at-home with her dog and husband vibe.

We watched Die Hard 3 and 4, ate junk food, smoked weed and played Scrabble (I won, and it’s important to me that you know that.) My husband was asleep by 12:05AM, while I was up well passed 5AM dealing with my diarrhea-stricken doggo.

That is the circle of life, friends! One day you’re a youth drinking and partying for New Year’s, and the next you’re spending it at home with a heating pad on your back because that morning you only wanted to make one trip up the stairs with the laundry, and now every time you get up to let the dog out you make noises.

And honestly, I’m fine with that.

With that said, we made it to 2024! Can you even believe? I have my fingers crossed for a better year. 2023 really took it out of me, but I’m staying optimistic for this new year… while also remaining vigilant as to not be caught off guard. Do I want my last remaining grandparent to die? Of course not! Will I be surprised if that’s what 2024 hands my family? Can’t say I will be. My therapist should have a good time with this new coping mechanism. See you next week, Christine!

Anyway, what I’m not doing is any of that “new year, new me” bullshit. My focus is on cultivating my life with purpose instead of just reacting to the most negative aspects and then telling myself everything would be better if I was different or I looked different or if other people would fuck off. So, I have no resolutions, but I have some Ins and Outs, and I think that’s much more realistic, perhaps even positive.

• Mindless scrolling
• Looking at my phone as soon as I wake up
• Watching TV instead of reading
• Eating things that fuck up my stomach
• Trying to control that which I can’t
• Negative self-talk
• Impulse buying
• Giving a shit about the Instagram algo
• All-or-nothing mindset
• Overthinking
• Explaining myself
• Skip the Dishes
• Excessive complaining
• Procrastinating because the vibe is off

• Nourishing myself
• Protecting my peace and boundaries
• Documenting memories
• Daily gratitude
• Community > followers
• Experiences over possessions
• Reading every day
• Reading books I already own
• Writing courses
• Happy girl walks
• SPF
• Orgasms
• Reading before bed
• Figuring out how to fucking meditate
• Blogging
• Taking more days off
• Date nights
• The “Let Them” method

Now onto the bookish stuff! You will notice that what’s in is reading books I already own – which should be an easy task since I’m not fucking lacking for owned books at all. But if you’re like me, reading books and buying books are two separate hobbies. And the amount of books I buy way outpaces the amount of books I read. And if you’re even more like me, you end up buying books you believe you absolutely have to have right now, but then you don’t read them for 3 to 5 business years. Instead, you frequent your local library for the newest releases or most hyped-up books from socials, and you get lost in the shine of Kindle Unlimited or Prime Reading.

So for 2024, I’m launching an Owned Books Challenge on Instagram and Storygraph! I swear to shit I’m going to read the books I already own and then stick the ones I liked the least in my Little Free Library to make some room in my damn house. It’s getting out of hand, honestly.

The Owned Books Challenge (or The Fucking Owned Books Challenge, as I like to say around here) is a year-long challenge with 24 prompts, and 4 bonus prompts, that you can work on at your own reading pace until December 31st, 2024! At the end of the year, you can send me your Instagram template or your Storygraph challenge, and you’ll be entered into a draw to win up to three (3) books off of your wishlist! If you aren’t interested in the giveaway, that’s fine too! You can just participate for the fun, for the challenge and/or to read your own fucking books as well.

Sound good?

You can find the Storygraph challenge here – all you need is a Storygraph account! Or join me on Instagram – @thefuckingtwist – where I have all the details in a pinned post and a highlight on my profile with templates and more!

Honestly, if a challenge ✨I created✨ with fun prompts I felt I could do, doesn’t get me to read my own books, then nothing will and I’m a lost cause who will forever buy books just for the sake of buying books, with no intention of reading them. Looking forward to figuring that shit out about myself!

I hope you’ll join me!

Until next time…

Stay safe. Be Kind. But, take no shit. And Happy 2024!!🥳

Later, Book Nerds ✌️🔪