New Year Reflections, A Daily Creative Practice, Goal Setting
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” — Albert Einstein
I am pretty damn excited that we are 25 years into this new century! So many meaningful and challenging things happened in my life and I am ready for more growth, pivots, transitions and experiences - and let me tell you they are coming fast and furious. How about you?
Have you made a plan to put some time aside and think about how you would like your 2025 to show up for you?
I am not a huge advocate of creating ‘resolutions’ - I much prefer whittling it down to digestible goals that are achievable and sane. This year I am much more awake and aware that I need to slow down and pay more attention to my health, joy meter and playtime. I was MUCH too serious last year and lost sight of levity and personal growth. Sure I had great success, but it was riddled with a disodant break in my happiness. I was coaching on the exact thing that I let slip from my grasp - I lost balance and sight of what would bring me joy, creativity and balance. My personal and work life were in fragments and from dashing to one podcast to the next, daily social media posts, a FB community and growing newsletter I soon was an automatic and felt hollow and rudderless.
I have just come off an almost 8 week break and feel much more myself and I am clear that I do not want to go back to the insanity that was 2024 - so where does that leave me for 2025? Well - in stillness - a wash of creative wisdom flooded my soul and I know that one of my top goals will be getting my creative juices flowing again. That will include playing my musical instruments more, painting, writing, baking with wild yeasts and upping my fitness including yoga is high on my priority list.
Science has found a powerful connection between art-making and emotional wellbeing – just 20 minutes of painting, doodling, or other mindful creative play improves brain health, reduces your cortisol, sparks dopamine, boosts your serotonin, strengthens your neuroplasticity and supports grief recovery. Perhaps gift this to yourself for 2025 and find your way back to your beautiful self. I am promising myself this in my wee studio area for 2025 and can hardly wait to get out of my head more! ‘Art, Life, Practice’ - the science of art and wellness by establishing a meaningful creative daily practice. Get your habit started for 2025 - enjoy!
“...if you make time for consuming and producing art—the same way you make time for work and exercise and family commitments—you’ll find your life getting fuller and happier.” — Arthur Brooks, Harvard Professor
As for goal setting - I much prefer starting from your emotional well and tapping into what you are feeling. If you want to learn more about what I mean please check out this post and dig into ‘feeling your FEELS’ to help set your 2025 goals! I am always here to bounce some ideas off of!
I also am a huge fan of writing and journaling so am sharing some prompts with you to reflect, redirect and rise to in 2025:
Quick Reflection:
Write down one word that describes your 2024.
How does this make you feel?
3 lessons that 2024 taught me…
3 beautiful moments that stand out for me in 2024…
Deeper Reflection:
My biggest challenge for 2024 was….
5 goals I would like to achieve in 2025…
3 things I would like to open my heart to in 2025…
What is your word for 2025 going to be?
What will you do to live this word for 2025?
As you ease into 2025 truly take a step back and give yourself time and space to sit with your feelings, listen to that amazing gut of yours and create a plan that is doable, exciting and offers room for growth. Don’t write a huge laundry list of resolutions that will be impossible to both remember and adhere too BUT instead create a year that allows you to slow down and grow the way you need to.
Cheers to 2025!
Rani
xoxo