Focusing in 2025

Wow, it's hard to believe I'm already writing my New Year's post for 2025. It wasn't that long ago I was "Looking back, Looking forward"

Reflections on 2024:

2024 has been an incredible journey. As any time span so large as a year, it had its ups and downs.

About this time last year, I set out a goal for the mindset of 2024, which was persistence. I like to think I did pretty well with it.

My persistence paid off with an opportunity so amazing I couldn’t have dreamed it up. It paid off with progress toward my garden, but more persistence is needed to make it what I dream. The persistence paid off in a wonderful vacation in which we added two more countries to our visited list.

My persistence, especially in regards to my career, required much of my energy, and some of the things I hoped for 2024 didn’t happen. I’m okay with that though. Things like painting rooms in the house and buying groceries more locally.

Going into 2025:

My word this year is FOCUS. If last year’s word of persistence helped me gain momentum, focus is going to help me stay heading in the right direction, it’ll be my compass. When life’s muck is up to my knees and steps are hard to take, I hope I can look at this word and find guidance for my next step, because as long as I focus, I’m going to be okay.

My focus will be:

Family & Financials

Opportunities

Career & Confidence

Unique Interests

Savor each moment

Some of these words, like financials and career, have particular goals, others, such as family and savor each moment, are reminders of what’s truly important in life. Reminders that no matter how focused I am on one particular goal or idea, to take a look around and be grateful for my abilities, my loved ones, and every breath taken.

I can't claim art as one of my particularly strong skills, but I've painted this and placed it very visibly in my office to remind me every day to FOCUS.