2025 Goals: More Strategies for Setting Goals that stick
Here are a few ways I’m making my 2025 goals stick!
Welcome Back! We’re already two weeks into 2025 and although it may be a bit too soon to claim any victories on my goal achievements, I can report that so far, so good. In my previous post, I shared some strategies for my first goal which is to live below my means. The month is not quite over, but I’ve been able to stick to a budget.
In this post, I thought I share some strategies for my other goals – incorporating a couple of more recipes into my weeknight dinner repertoire; reading more books/streaming less; and finally, tending to friendships.
Find 2 more Go-To Recipes
Let’s start with the recipe goal. I decided to put my instant pot to use, which I’ve probably used a handful of times since I purchased 4 years ago. I also dug up an instant pot cookbook that had been collecting dust and found decided to try an easy and hearty potato cheddar soup. I will say that first time I followed the recipe, the soup was good but a bit bland and much to watery for my preference. After a second go around, I cut the broth down, added smoked cheddar, half and half and more seasoning for flavor. My family and I gobbled it down after those few tweaks. Lesson here, use what I have and add/be creative. I’ll link the cookbook I own down below, but in the spirit of living below my means and avoiding new purchases, I encourage you my friend to check out your local library (see goal 3), swap recipe books with friends and family and check out your own cookbook stash for inspiration as I did.
Read More/Stream and Scroll Less
This is a great segway to my next strategy to help me pursue my goal to read more books. Last year I read 28 books, which may not sound like much, but considering I probably read 10, maybe 12 the year prior, I consider that a win. More importantly, I found reading more meant I was had less time to scroll through social media and less time for shopping online or obsessing over things I felt I needed to buy. Also, I find that I really enjoy reading (and listening to audiobooks, which counts) can be relaxing even if I’m reading suspense or a crime novel. And while I can’t say for certain, but at least antidotally, I find that reading helps me with managing brain fog something I struggle with more often since entering menopause. Ok, the key here on reading more is not let this turn into an expensive habit that will sabotage my goal of living below my means. So, I’ve become a frequent library visitor. I’m fortunate to live near some great local libraries with quite the selection of new releases. The tricky part is, there is often a waitlist for the most popular reads, but I’m fine with older releases and audiobooks which tend to me more available. I’ve begun to follow BookTubers for book recommendations, viewing older videos for past recommendations that are more likely to be available at my local library. So far, I’m on my third book this month, and I’m on track to maybe read 30-36 this year!
Another strategy for this goal is to reduce my tv time. Now, there’s nothing wrong watching tv. In fact, in our family, watching tv together is our love language, and provides an opportunity for us to bond over a variety of programs from crime dramas to Jeopardy. I wouldn’t trade that time together for the world. That said, our streaming subscriptions are out of control and cancelling a few of these will help me stay on budget. I’ll keep you posted on this strategy.
Strategies for Maintaining Friendships
Last but certainly not least, my goal to stay connected with friends is on track. Friendships after 50 can be tricky. You may have neglected relationships because, well, life gets hectic. So you may have some mending to do. But friendships after fifty can also be easier once you’ve made the first step reconnect. At this stage in our lives, we likely have older or adult children out of the house, leaving us with more flexibility to hang out with friends.
I mentioned previously that scheduling a reoccurring time (for example, the first Friday morning of the month) to chat with friends was a helpful strategy to maintaining friendships since we tend to get busy and before you know it, weeks and months will pass by the next time you check in. Technically, my friend and I started our monthly calls late last year, but we are still going strong. We find that sometimes we have to reschedule but have not let a month go by without a call. And it’s important to keep in mind, especially in my case since I’m trying to stick with a budget, that the connections need not require expensive excursions, i.e., pricey brunches, etc. These connections can be calls, coffee meet ups, walks or hikes, and, drum-roll, swapping recipes and books. See what I did there, one strategy, 3 goals!
Recently, I read an article in the Atlantic which suggested the very thing I posted about earlier this month (I feel validated). The article described this approach of scheduling a reoccurring time to meet as “setting a friend routine.” Sounds a bit impersonal but life gets hectic and finding ways to stay connected to friends is important, even if that means sending an Outlook invite.
Thanks for reading. I hope you find this helpful. What strategies are you using to stay on track with your 2025 goals? Feel free to share in the comments.
F&F
Referenced in this post:
Previous Post: https://fabulousandfifty.com/2025-reset-strategies-for-living-below-my-means/
Atlantic Article: The Easiest Way to Keep Your Friends – The Atlantic
