15 new year’s resolutions for 2025

better late than never

I never made new year’s resolutions until last year. At the start of 2024, I only put one resolution on my list: pass my driving test. There were a series of other smaller goals I wanted to achieve, but by the end of 2023 I was incredibly burnt-out and coming off the back of the hardest year of my life, so I only had the mental and emotional capacity to focus on one thing.

This year, my list of goals is longer, but they all share one overarching theme: me.

If I sit back and take stock of the past few years, I’ve spent a lot of time climbing a success ladder of my own making. Since my teenage days I’ve devoted myself and swathes of my time to academic and professional achievements: studying hard throughout school and college, writing my dissertation, earning a first in my degree, graduating from university, getting jobs in marketing, gaining further experience in my field.

But now that I’m in a full-time marketing/social media job I’m happy with, it finally feels like I have some time to work on myself.

It’s a simple goal, but an important one nonetheless. I’m not saying 2025 will be THE year of reinvention where I become a whole new and improved version of myself, because that’s a lifelong endeavour, not one you can cram into 12 months.

With this list, I’m just making a conscious effort to implement little changes that will improve an area of my day-to-day life, even if only on a small-scale.

• Start outdoor running.

• Be more intentional with my reading. Don’t get caught up by shiny new buzzy books. Slow down and take my time with the books I read.

• Stop apologising for things that aren’t my fault (especially at work).

• Buy more second hand across the board.

• Don’t spiral too much about turning 25 this year.

• Break out of the comfort of routine. Be more open to new things, new experiences, new people.

• Diversify my music taste and find new favourite artists.

• Get my car fixed (and don’t scrape it up again!).

• Take more pictures of mundane yet beautiful things for my own memories.

• Bake more and gift my bakes to family/friends.

• Reduce my screen time!

• Don’t bring work home with me.

• Dedicate time to fiction writing. Maybe finish the short story idea I’ve had for months.

• Curate a better morning routine for workdays instead of just rushing out the door.

• Read one non-fiction book a month.