As I’ve matured I’ve transitioned away from resolutions in favor of goal planning and intention setting. I thought it would be fun to share my 2025 intentions regarding all the ways I plan to intentionally pursue making this year one of my most transformative and joyful.
2025 Intentions
To savor the day and remain present in the mundane moments.
Like you, I struggle with finding a balance between work, spending quality time with my spouse, enjoying hobbies, and pursuing my goals. There are so many times that I’m rushing through my day, anxious to get to the next thing and not paying attention to what’s before me. This is such a stressful and miserable way to live. Hence, for 2025, I want to slow down and take time to savor the small moments in my daily life and remain present.
For me, this means romanticizing the mundane moments in life that we often find boring or a slog to get through. For example listening to music while I’m cooking or doing chores, paying attention to my breath and my body when working out, being mindful when I’m eating and savoring my meals, allowing myself time to transition after coming home from work and lighting candles and changing into comfortable clothes. Small things, little things that invite me to slow down instead of rushing to the next activity, the next chore, or the next task and be present.
To focus on myself and who I want to show up as in the world.
It’s so easy to allow the noise of the world to infiltrate you and distract you from your goals, your dreams, and the person you’re working to become. As a reformed people-pleaser I’ve often bent over backwards to be and do what others wanted me to do to gain their approval or love. The consequence of this action was that I sacrificed so much of myself allowing others to walk all over me that I lost my voice and my identity.
I want none of this in 2025. So, I’m determined to prioritize my needs, my goals, and my passions pursuing the actions that will lead me to become the best version of myself. There’s so much that I want to accomplish this year and in the next five to ten years and the foundation for making these dreams a reality starts now.
Mind my business.
We live in an age where we’re continually fed information and news about others. Thus, we allow the creation of unhealthy parasocial relationships and believe that we are entitled to the lives of other people and have a right to insert ourselves in their narrative. And that’s such a problematic attitude and behavior to engage in. But it’s not just social media that causes this problem; it’s within our work and family circles that we develop this entitlement and ownership over others.
That’s why I want to focus on minding my own business and letting people be people. My convictions and beliefs should not be placed on someone else. Everyone is different and is allowed to create and pursue a life that they are comfortable with. It’s not my business who’s dating who, who cheated on who, what they wore, their financial status, or what someone else needs to do. I don’t pay their bills and I did not give birth to them they’re not my responsibility and it’s none of my business what they do.
Instead of focusing on others, I’m going to get knee-deep into my own life and what I need to be doing. That’s enough and sometimes too much for me to handle.
Stop arguing with ignorant people.
The biggest energy vampire is a close-minded person who wants to hijack your time and attention in a pointless argument where they are ignorant on the subject or they’re seeking attention to bolstering their esteem. In 2025 I refuse to waste my words and intelligence arguing with fools that are in love with the sound of their voice. No, I know my worth and I will not waste it looking like a fool. I resolve to let people stew in their ignorance because again it’s not my responsibility to save people from themselves.
To not worry what others think of me.
Something I’ve learned is that people are going to judge you. They’re going to create narratives about you that aren’t true that are built on their trauma, and how they engage and interact with the world. Additionally, people are going to gossip and say all kinds of things about you behind your back because they lack the courage and communication skills to address you and air out their grievances. It’s easier to stir discontent and talk smack behind your back because they lack the emotional intelligence and intellect to solve problems healthily.
I have no control over what people think or say about me so why worry about trying to appeal to everyone? Again it’s not my responsibility to dumb myself down or alter myself to accommodate someone’s narrow view of who I should be. I will cut these people out of my life or practice low contact and not engage with them frequently.
Create structure and plan for my future.
I spent so much of my late thirties lost and spiraling due to my physical and mental health and life circumstances that threw me off course. Now that I’ve transitioned to my forties I’m determined to make this next decade of my life the one of transformation and self-actualization.
I’m going back to my roots and setting yearly and quarterly goals. Additionally, I’m working on a five-year and ten-year game plan for where I want to be in the future. Part of this is to prioritize building and creating a meaningful life I feel passionate about as opposed to pursuing success and milestones that are dictated by society and a broken system that’s designed to keep us locked in specific roles to support the growth of the upper class and people in power. I will create and live my life for me and no one else.
To discover new hobbies.
I love reading. This blog was started because of my intense need to share my thoughts and experiences about books and reading. But if I want to maintain this hobby and not get bored or fall into reading slumps I also need to prioritize pursuing new hobbies and interests outside of books and reading.
This will make me a well-rounded person and allow me to ground myself and experience the world around me in various ways that bring me joy and happiness.
To pursue contentment.
We’re taught to never be happy with where we are in our lives. The pursuit of success and perfection drives us to work ourselves to death trying to reach and attain greatness and we’re never able to just enjoy where we’re at or delight in the journey as we move towards achieving our goals.
This year I want to enjoy this stage of life that I’m at right now. To be happy that I’m forty and recognize what a privilege it is to be alive. To love my body right where it’s at now not comparing it to what it used to look like but focusing on what makes it beautiful right now and respecting the journey that it went on to get me to this point in life. And to be joyful with my life as is. I may not be where I want to be but I’m one step closer than I was last year and that has to count for something.
Socialize and create memories.
As an introverted homebody, it’s a struggle for me to be social. Add in the fact that the majority of my hobbies and interests are independent activities that don’t require social interaction and it’s the perfect ingredients to build the life of a reclusive hermit. As I become more mature I realize the importance of friendships and human interaction and why they’re so essential even if you’re an introvert with social anxiety.
This year I’m determined to step outside of my comfort zone and look to engage and build friendships and socialize with people who share my interests and create memories that will last me a lifetime. By joining social groups and becoming more involved with my community I hope to be able to meet new people and foster new friendships.
Utilize self-care to love and accept my body and appearance.
Maturing in age has caused changes in my appearance and body composition due in part to my health concerns and hormonal imbalance. Sadly, I spent the past two years hating and being disgusted by myself for not looking like the younger version of myself causing me to question my worth and value.
However, I refuse to continue buying into the narrative that society forces upon us that as we age we become worthless and inconsequential. There’s so much value and wisdom that I’ve attained and my worth isn’t dictated by my age, weight, or appearance.
So, I’m going to utilize my self-care routines from skincare, personal hygiene, nutrition, and fitness to lavish my body and myself with love and care. Not because I’m trying to attain beauty or worth but to celebrate my body through the simple act of nurturing and caring for myself.
These are a few of the intentions that I’m setting for the New Year. So, far this month I’ve been putting these intentions into practice and I’ve felt such peace, joy, and contentment. I’m hoping to carry this energy throughout the remainder of 2025. What are your intentions and resolutions for the new year? And how has your January been? Let me know in the comments below! Until next time!