25in2025 Archives -

I finally settled on a word for 2025 and it’s none of the ones I considered. How it goes sometimes, right? The closest I came to the words I considered was savor.

However, I felt it came with a bit of pressure. And did I want to feel that I must savor the moments of unhappiness that creep into the years along with the wonders. Still, I wanted to notice the moments of happiness and unhappiness and every moment in between. Not just go through the year in a daze (I feel like slept walk through 2024 somehow) but actually pay attention and notice the things happening around me. So my word for 2025 is:

NOTICE

I think I could go a bit further with it and use a phrase: notice the moment. Mostly that’s how I plan to engage my word but I’m keeping things simple and just having a word for the year. I’m hoping by noticing the world around me and not spending quite so much time distracting myself (with say my phone), that I can arrive at the end of 2025 and not wonder what happened and where it all went.

What do you think? If you already picked a word for 2025, what is it and how is it going for you so far?

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Adding a picture here just to break up topics a bit.

Speaking of noticing, I noticed I didn’t care for the way I did my 25 for 2025 list. I can fix that though. A new off the cuff list. Some items might be the same and some may change. Anyway, here’s an updated straight up list of 25 things I want to do in 2025, no order, no categories, just a list.

Try a different hot chocolate flavor every week during winter
Get my ears pierced again
Plant a garden again (we skipped last year other than in a few pots)
Go on a walk at least once a week (giving myself grace for weeks when the temp is below zero!)
Send someone a letter every week of 2025
Buy 2 Christmas presents a month
Lose 25 pounds (who knows maybe this is my year!)
Say yes to invitations, maybes are yes. (I have permission to NOT go if I really don’t want to go)
Host Easter brunch
Go through an automatic car wash by myself
Notice and embrace the pace of every season
Clean out the computer desk (Note my computer desk is a big engineering type desk with lots of space in the drawers that I think contain papers dating back to the kids’ elementary school days)
Blog at least 3 times a week
Date night with my husband once a month (I should probably share this list item with him)
Clean and organize basement
Participate in the 52 Week Organized Home Challenge (just jumping in with it. Thank you Carol for mentioning it in your blog post on Monday!)
Pick up the real camera at least once a week
Take 4 trips, one in each season
Act from a place of peace, love, and kindness. Take a pause if necessary (sports team cheering exempted, LOL)
Clean up the back deck and backyard to make it a more peaceful place (this requires better weather and husband help…hmmm, a date night? Ha!)
Clean corner in bedroom (clear out the clutter corner basically)
Have spa day once a month
Serious email clean out and unsubscribe from lists
Give myself permission to rest on days I feel run down
Refer back to the list near the end of each month (With a blog post? Maybe sometimes…)

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Will I still do some of the things dropped from my first 25 in 2025 list? Maybe or maybe not. Will I do everything on this list? Maybe or maybe not. I do feel better about this list though like I can stick to it better.

I didn’t do this officially last year but decided to circle back to the idea this year. A list of 25 things I want to do in 2025. I think I just like the number 25 for some reason. Makes me think of a quarter. Quarter hours. Doing things for just 15 minutes. Four quarters in a dollar. The four seasons in a year.

And I like how it divides into 5 neat little sections of 5 as well.

Anyway, here’s my list (some of these have been on lists before and I keep adding them, maybe this is the year for those things!) that I’m dividing into 5 sections of 5 just because it seems fun. And yes, some of these are vague. Sorry, I’m a rebel so all you S.M.A.R.T. goal people just take a deep breath when you read those. All my photos are random, also. Taken yesterday on my New Year’s Day walk.

25 for 2025

Health and Wellness

Go on a walk at least once a week
Lose 25 pounds (might as well give it a try but I’m not going insane on this item)
Spend at least 15 minutes each day in gratitude (might start a gratitude journal, not sure)
Remember to drink water on days I don’t work! I struggle with this.
Give myself permission to rest on days I feel run down

Fun Things

Try a new flavor hot chocolate every week in winter
Send a card/letter to someone each week (birthday cards count here)
Fresh flowers for the kitchen table once a month
Have a spa day at least once a month
Treat myself to something fun once a month, maybe on the 25th?

Bravery Required

Get my ears pierced!
Say YES to invitations (unless I really want to say no, then I’m allowed but maybes are yes)
Make overdue appointments
Take car through automatic car wash by myself (honestly, this terrifies me!)
Ask for help when I need it (lifelong struggle)

Family and Faith

Bring back Easter Brunch (or maybe have Easter dinner)
Family Meeting once a month (for people who live here)
Go to church in person when J isn’t playing (I usually watch online)
Continue to pray and be more intentional about it
Plan some time to be together (outside of holidays) each season

Relationships and Random Stuff

Go on 4 trips (one each season!)
Blog at least 3 times a week
Date night once a month
Listen and laugh more
Clean and organize basement

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So that’s my 25 for the year, we’ll see what happens but at least I have a little something to strive toward! Back tomorrow (hopefully) with my word for the year. I’m still pondering on it a bit.

What’s on your list for this new year of 2025?

25 List Redo and a Word