Last year was a tough year. Mentally, it’s been one of the hardest in a while. Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of positives and some amazing times, but I ended the year feeling extremely exhausted, and just burned out in general.
As a result, I pulled right back. I cut back on my social media (all of it – Facebook, Instagram, even reddit) and started trying to get back into reading books. I withdrew from friends. I was frustrated in most areas of my life. I started to really struggle with feeling “happy”. I wasn’t writing, I wasn’t looking after myself, and I was likely not fun to be around.
The start of a new year couldn’t have come at a better time.
This year, I’ve already decided my word of the year is “joy”. I want to rediscover it – enjoy the small things, look for it in the big things, and just generally start to change my mindset.
As a result, my 52 list is all about things that bring me joy, and I cannot wait to get started.
The 2025 list
- Use The StoryGraph app to track my reading (think Goodreads but with stats).
- Read a book by the water.
- Read a book surrounded by trees.
- Select a specific “food”, research bakeries that make it, and then create a bakery tour to complete (like my almond croissant tour, but with a new food type that isn’t limited to 3-4 bakers supplying everyone else on the coast).
- Create a list of places to visit and then tick them off.
- Try macrame (the knotting craft).
- Try paper flower rolling craft.
- Make a shadowbox.
- Try shrink plastic craft.
- Paint something.
- Swim laps.
- Finish an online iPhone photography course.
- Finish an online iPhone videography course.
- Finish a television series.
- Take a photo a day (I plan on turning this into a yearly recap video like I have in previous years).
- Photograph the stars.
- Print out my 2024 “Year in Photos” album in a photobook.
- Learn to make a new cocktail.
- Pick some flowers.
- Do a new jigsaw puzzle.
- See a live performance (band, musical etc).
- Drive a Tourist Route road trip.
- Go somewhere green.
- Go somewhere purple.
- Go somewhere blue.
- Go somewhere yellow.
- Go for a bike ride.
- Walk by the ocean.
- Try a new cafe.
- Write a daily reflection as often as possible.
- Buy a new candle.
- Write a letter.
- Sit by the fire.
- Dance.
- Go for a hike.
- See a waterfall.
- Get a massage.
- Take a bath.
- Try a new nail polish colour.
- Have a game night with friends.
- Write a list of 10 things I appreciate about myself.
- Go on a treasure hunt.
- Decorate cookies.
- Leave books in a park for others to find and read.
- Have a candlelight dinner with my husband.
- Donate blood.
- Buy a coffee for a stranger.
- Begin making a video of my 2024 US holiday.
- Reach a milestone town on Run Down Under.
- Get a facial.
- Print and frame my word of the year.
- Write a list of the things that bring me joy.
So that’s the list for this year! I’m really excited about it, I feel like it’s a good mix between small and big things, things that are quick to achieve, and some that will take some work.
What’s everyone else looking forward to for the new year?