25 for 25

Intentions for 2025

Welcome back to Mind the Beet! Four years ago, I (Helen) began following Gretchen Rubin’s practice of setting goals for the year. Since then, this has become my favorite practice and, therefore, a post to write. This is my version of "New Year’s resolution,” but one anchored in a menu of options to pursue that inspires me and brings me joy rather than a daunting checklist. I like sharing it with our community because it helps me with accountability and is a great conversation starter.

Thematically, in 2025, I am focused on growth. I plan to do a lot of learning and growing this year as I take on a new professional adventure while learning to find a balance in my life across professional, family, and personal interests.

To make it whimsical, here are my goals in an emoji layout of a Bingo Board!

Professional development (1-5)

🧑‍💼Become an executive and leadership coach - Last fall, I began my certification as an executive coach with Hudson Institute of Coaching. My goal is to complete the training this year and pass the Associated Certified Coach test.

👩🏼‍💻 Build my business website - I am launching my business as an executive coach! Stay tuned for the website launch.

🗄️Figure out my business-related “office” - I’ve never started a business, so I’m excited to learn about what it takes - everything from getting an LLC set up to tinkering with the right scheduling, bookkeeping and CRM applications to set up my business.

👩🏼‍🏫 Go to at least one professional conference - I’m excited to expand my human network in this new chapter of my life, so I’ve already signed up to attend the Possibility: Hudson Annual Learning Conference 2025.

❓Bonus - I don’t know what this year will bring professionally, so leaving a blank space for growth.

Community (6-9)

🎗️Join a non-profit board - I’d like to keep honing my leadership skills and give my energy to a non-profit board whose mission I deeply care about.

🍞 Bake bread with Community Loaves once a month - I started volunteering with this organization last year - you bake bread and/or cookies at home and donate to your local food bank (HopeLink in my case).

UW - Get involved with UW Foster Business School and reconnect with Foster classmates.

🧒🏼 Host a Girl Scouts troop at our cabin to foster growth and independence - this is my 3rd year being involved with the Girl Scouts of Western Washington organization and it’s been great to mentor and support young girls.

Personal (10-14)

🐶 Get a puppy - The big news in our family for 2025 is that we are getting a puppy! Stay tuned for Mind the Beet posts on puppy life!

🪞 Buy a full-size stand-alone mirror - I don’t have a full-size mirror in our house, so I want to get one for our bedroom.

📚 Read 25 minutes a day - My homage to 2025 - I will read 25 minutes a day.

🧴Get a monthly facial - For the last few months, I have been successful at keeping a regular facial schedule, and I can tell the difference in the health of my face.

🪮 Get a regular haircut - I looked back and saw that I have gotten 2 haircuts in 2024. For the health of my hair, I want to schedule a haircut every 3 months.

Travel (15-20)

👧🏻 Go on a trip with my sister - The hardest part will be picking a date, but I’m excited to spend time with her this coming year.

👯‍♂️ Plan a trip with my best friend - My bestie lives in London, so figuring out a place to meet and things to do together this year will be special!

🇳🇿 🇫🇯Make a memory book after our trip to Fiji and New Zealand - We took a once-in-a-lifetime trip to New Zealand and Fiji over the holidays, and I want to create a keepsake from it.

🎨 Visit a new museum - I plan to spend some time in New York City later this summer and can’t wait to explore a museum I haven’t been to.

🎭 See 2-3 new theater productions this year

🌎 Visit a new country - I continue to put this on the list as we get more and more into travel as a family. I’m not sure what country we’ll hit this year - the Nordics are on the list, and our kids are pushing for Greece (thanks to Percy Jackson)

Health Habits(21-25)

🏋 Lift weights 2 times a week - This is a continuation from last year, and I will keep it here for another year before I remove it from this list. What has helped me make it a habit is to go with a friend.

🎾Play tennis 2 times a week - I have enjoyed taking up tennis and playing a team sport. However, I actually played too much in September and October and learned that pacing is key. So I want to keep playing but 2-3 times a week.

🩺 Health cleanse twice throughout 2025 - I continue on a mission to figure out my weight and get to sustainable healthy eating habits. While cleanses get a bad rep, I like doing them periodically as a reset.

🛜 Less Social Media - Keep social media apps off my phone for the first 2 months of 2025. The apps I have removed are Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. I am hoping to build better habits and intentionality about my time on social media.

📔 Journal Daily - I know that I process through writing, so I plan to journal daily - anything from a photo to a sentence to an essay goes. I have been using Day One for my journaling for many years now.

This year's list has 25 items, making it a good candidate for a Bingo board. My daughter suggested that I create an incentive system for completing the board, so I will reward myself when I complete my first Bingo with a bubble waffle and a Boba tea with a friend.

As always, I’ll check in mid-year on my progress. Thanks for reading, and I wish you a happy and healthy 2025.