My Goals for 2025 + Word of the Year

As we usher in a new year, there’s something magical about the blank canvas stretching before us. A fresh start can spark creativity, motivation, and the resolve to tackle meaningful goals.

I actually don’t usually set new year goals or resolutions specifically. However, I’m very much goal oriented and spend a lot of time in self-reflection. The last few years were especially hard and our family faced a lot of stress and turmoil. 2024 was the best year I’ve personally had since before the pandemic in 2020. And as 2024 began to wind down I started thinking about the new year and about setting goals.

This year, I’ve chosen the word “Nurture” as my word of the year. It’s such a beautiful word!

For me, nurture means caring deeply for myself, my relationships, my surroundings, and my aspirations. It’s about fostering growth, connection, and well-being in all areas of life.

My Goals for 2025

So today I wanted to share my 2025 goals through this lens—here’s how I plan to nurture each facet of my life in 2025.

1. Be More Intentional About My Days

I want my time to reflect my priorities and dreams. By planning intentional activities—whether it’s quality family time or space for personal reflection—I’ll ensure my days aren’t just slipping by on autopilot.

I’ll be honest, when I finally became an empty nester a little over a year ago, the transition was really hard. There’s nothing I have loved more in my lifetime than caring for my family and raising my children. I love being a mom.

The house is really quiet these days and it took me a long time to figure out how to spend my time since so much less of my time is devoted to caring for my family now. I still cry sometimes, but it has gotten easier. Empty Nest Syndrome is real and it’s not easy to figure out.

Nurturing my days means paying attention to what truly matters and pouring energy into what helps me grow.

2. Go to Bed Between 10:00 and 11:00 PM with Lights Out

This is a real challenge for me. I’ve always been a night owl, but in truth I tend to just burn the candle at both ends. For most of my years as a homemaker I’ve gone too bed late and woken up early. As I am getting older – I turned 49 in November 2024 – I think I should be nicer to my body and I know that getting adequate sleep is important for my health!

So, I plan to wind down earlier, set a strict bedtime routine, and actually turn off the lights between 10:00 and 11:00 pm. This consistency will help nurture my body and mind, ensuring I recharge adequately.

3. Wake Up at 7:00 AM and Start My Morning Routine

For years I woke up early. When I was a homeschooling mom, I woke up between 5:00 and 6:00 am for years. I would wake the kids up and get the day started early. In later years, my daughter Hannah started figure skating and several days a week we had to get up by 5:00 am – sometimes as early as 3:00 am – to get to the ice rink for her lessons.

I don’t have to get up that early any more. I’m not getting kids up and ready for school. I don’t have a job I go to outside the home. It’s just my husband and I now and unless I have an early appointment, I don’t usually need to get up that early. But I also don’t want the day to get away from me because I do have a lot I want to accomplish on any given day.

Waking up at 7:00 am gives me the chance to:

• Enjoy a peaceful moment before the day gets busy
• Read my Bible and pray
• Ease into my morning instead of rushing out the door

These steps nurture a sense of calm and purpose that I want and need in my life.

4. Write a Handwritten Note Each Week and Send It

This is something I want to do better about and I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. I need to stop thinking about it and actually do it.

I’ve always loved the warmth and personal touch of a handwritten note. My mom has told me the story of her own mother many times – when my mom was in college, her mother “Mama Elsie” would write a handwritten note every single day to her and put it in the mail. I’ve often thought how sweet it must have been to receive those handwritten notes from her mom. Mama Elsie passed away while my mom was still in college – when she was just 19 – but she had all those letters to hang on to.

My goal is to mail at least one note per week to someone I love—it could be a personal note to one of my children or even a quick “thank you” or an encouraging message to a friend or church member. And especially in this day and age when receiving a note in the mail is less common, this is a habit I want to cultivate. It’s a simple act that nurtures my relationships and cultivates a sense of gratitude.

5. Practice Hand Lettering Daily

I’ve been intrigued by beautiful lettering for a while, and this year, I’m taking action. I often draw in my Bible and I would love to have a prettier script. Just a few minutes of daily practice on creative lettering helps me nurture a new artistic skill—and might even make my weekly notes look extra pretty!

I purchased a couple of printable lettering workbooks and want to do some copy work in these workbooks daily.

6. Complete EBA (Business Course) in 2025

Continuous learning is key to growth. My big educational goal is to complete the Elite Blog Academy (EBA) course. I’m excited to nurture my little blog here and creative endeavors—refining my skills, crafting a compelling online presence, and investing in my professional development.

7. Friday Night Homemade Pizza Nights

Who doesn’t love pizza night? Dedicating Friday evenings to homemade pizzas is a fun, laid-back way to celebrate the end of the week. It’s also a perfect way to nurture family and friend connections over food, laughter, and shared time in the kitchen.

Honestly I wish I had done this when my kids were young. I don’t know why it never occurred to me. Part of struggling with my Empty Nest has been mourning the lost time and wishing I had done certain things I never did.

But as I thought about my goals for this year, I told myself that it’s okay to do fun things for just my husband and I. Yes, I wish I could get back time – but I’m sure I’m too hard on myself too.

8. Spend 1,000 Hours Outside in 2025

I’ve always loved being outside. I love to sit in the sunshine. I love to eat outdoors. Picnics, hiking, camping are some of my favorite things. And I usually spend at least an hour or two outside every day when the weather is nice. So, this challenge isn’t really to increase my time outside as much as it is to work on a goal to be outside as much as possible. I thought it would be fun to track my hours. 🙂

It’s just a fact: fresh air and sunshine are so good for you. Tracking these 1,000 hours will inspire me to nurture my love of the outdoors and stay mindful of how much time I spend indoors.

9. Go Camping at Least 2 Times

Camping has always been one of my favorite activities. I love waking up in a tent. When my kids were growing up we went on big family camp outs 3 or 4 times a year. We did a lot of cold weather camping and camped in the spring and fall too.

Now that all my kids are grown we’ve been averaging 1 big family camp out a year. We didn’t get to camp in 2024 because of all the weddings and grandbaby being born. We want to go camping in the spring and maybe again in the fall as a big group again. I know if things don’t get planned and scheduled ahead of time that they don’t get done – and with all my kids having different schedules we really have to plan things out in advance.

I’m anxious to go camping with my kids and grandkids again and nurture my sense of wonder and calm through these long weekend escapes.

10. Go Hiking at Least 8 Times

Hiking offers both physical exercise and a mental reset. I’m planning at least eight hikes in 2025, focusing on challenging trails and scenic views that push me out of my comfort zone. These treks will nurture my body through movement and my mind through adventure.

Hiking has always been something I love doing. Just like camping, I used to take my kids on hikes roughly once a month – sometimes weekly – and even in the winter time. Since it’s just me at home this last year, I didn’t get out there to hike. I’ve struggled to enjoy doing things alone. I’m not afraid to hike alone – it’s more just that it seems lonely. But honestly, I’ve gotten more used to doing things by myself and I think it could be fun!

I’ll also see if I can get one of my daughters to go on some hikes with me. They are usually up for the challenge if I can work it around their schedules. I want to do at least 8 strenuous hikes that are a few miles in length in 2025.

11. Read My Bible Daily (At Least 1 Chapter a Day)

If there’s anything you should do to grow your faith, it’s read the Bible. My husband reads the Bible through on a regular basis (he uses an audio version) and I want to start reading my Bible more often. I used to get up every morning for my Bible and prayer time, but since my kids and grandkids moved out last year, I’ve gotten away from the practice because my morning routine has been non-existent lately.

Carving out time each day to read at least one chapter of my Bible will help me nurture my faith, find clarity, and stay grounded in gratitude.

12. Use My Planner Daily

From appointments to to-do lists, using a planner consistently helps me stay organized and productive. Writing things down ensures I stay on track and nurture my desire for a balanced and purposeful routine.

Even though I no longer have kids at home, I still have very busy days and lots to accomplish. I didn’t use a planner last year because I have less appointments and no longer have kids schedules to contend with. But leading up into December I decided I wanted to go back to using a planner.

related: The Homemaker’s Society Planner

13. Journaling – at Least 1 Sentence a Day

I haven’t kept a journal in years and it’s something I very much regret. I’ve bought a new journal and I want to commit to writing at least 1 sentence a day.

On another note, we also have a family journal that we started at the end of 2023. Everyone gets to contribute and I bring it along with me when we get together. Sometimes it goes home with other family members. It’s really special!

A journal is the perfect place to capture everyday thoughts, ideas, or memories. But I actually struggle to write personal thoughts down, but I know that journaling can help nurture self-awareness, process my emotions, and track personal growth over time.

14. Read 12 Books

Reading is one of my favorite ways to nurture my mind and spark creativity. I have always loved books but I haven’t read as many books the last few years. I have two books I’m currently reading, and I want to focus on finishing at least one book a month. By setting a goal of reading at least 12 books—one per month—I’ll have a steady stream of stories, ideas, and knowledge to keep me learning and inspired.

I still need to finish my list of books to read but I do have 4 or 5 in mind already!

15. Take at Least 4 Trips

Travel expands your horizons and rekindles a sense of wonder. I love to travel and I’m on the road a lot. I love having new adventures and traveling definitely fills that cup!

This year, I’m planning to take at least four trips but may take more than this!

• NYC with my daughter Laura – A city adventure filled with museums, iconic sights, and good food. Laura and I went to NYC last year for spring break and she recently asked me if we could go again. It was such a fun trip and I’m looking forward to it!
• Florida with my daughter Emily – We haven’t decided where to go yet, but we wanted to take a weekend trip together like we did back in 2021.
• Charleston, SC (Solo Trip) – A soulful getaway to explore the city’s history and charm on my own terms.
• SeaWorld with My Husband – Creating new memories at a place we both love. And hopefully my kids and grandkids can come along with us. We bought annual passes this year and will likely go a few times!

Each trip will nurture curiosity, strengthen bonds with loved ones, and feed my desire for exploration.

16. Create an Address Book (A Paper One!)

In our digital world, having a physical address book feels like a comforting throwback. I found my address book from the 1990’s in a box the other day and it made me want to use a paper address book again!

I’ll gather all my loved ones’ contact details and keep them in one accessible place—ready for those handwritten notes and holiday cards. This also nurtures my intention to stay connected in a more personal way.

17. Continue Healthy Eating, Daily Exercise, and Lose 5–10 More Pounds

Over the past two years, I’ve made significant strides in my health journey—I lost 10 pounds in 2023 by exercising and counting calories. And I kept it off throughout 2024. In 2024 I started walking 2 – 3 miles most days and I have found that I no longer have to count calories to keep the weight I lost off.

Backstory: I started working to lose weight back in 2016 and went from a size 12 to a size 6/8. But the weight leveled off there. In 2023 I changed the way I eat and lost 10 more pounds. I’ve been able to maintain my weight for over a year now and I’m really proud of myself.

My goal is to lose an additional 5–10 pounds in 2025, but even more importantly, to continue building a healthy, sustainable lifestyle that feels good and supports my overall well-being. I may share more about what’s worked for me – literally life changing changes I made to how I eat and move my body – in a later blog post. It was really easy!

I’m excited for 2025 and my commitment to nurturing various aspects of my life—my health, my creativity, my relationships, and my faith. Here’s to a year of dedicated effort, loving attention, and purposeful living!

Do you have a word of the year? What goals did you set for 2025? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

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