From The Pumpkin Patch

I woke up from a dream a few nights ago with a single phrase resonating in my head.

Stick to the plan.

That’s it. That’s my theme for 2025. I’ve been working hard over the past few years to lay the foundations that will enable me to achieve my goals, and now all that’s left to do is see them through.

It won’t be easy. But it will all be worth it in the end.

Buy only secondhand clothes

I started to get into thrifting about halfway through 2023, and completely fell in love with it during 2024.

I just love the thrill of the hunt, the rush that comes with finding something amazing. There’s something so special about vintage clothing and accessories – I love that my clothes have their own stories, and anything new from a store just feels bland these days.

So I’ve decided to only purchase secondhand clothing for the entirety of 2025. It’ll be a challenge, but I know I can do it.

Finish drafting my novel

One of my goals for 2024 was to write a novel. Looking back, that was a little ambitious!

But I did come up with a great idea, and I’ve done the hard part – I started. I’m currently sitting at 10,000 words, which is longer than anything I’ve ever written before.

This year, I want to complete a draft of my novel. It doesn’t have to be the final draft, it doesn’t have to be perfect, but I want something that I can sit down and read all the way through.

Read 25 books

I think it was Stephen King who said, ‘If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.’

Sounds pretty obvious, right? But it’s easy to get caught up in the grind of everyday life and forget to make time for the things that really matter. This year, I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen.

I’ve been slowly increasing my reading goal over the past few years, and in 2025 I want to challenge myself to read 25 books. I can’t wait to get stuck into the pile of books I received for Christmas!

Publish 15 blog posts

Alongside writing my novel, I want to continue posting regularly here on my blog. It’s a wonderful creative outlet for me, a safe space where I don’t need to be too fussy about my writing style.

I love documenting my experiences and memories, and those are always my favourite posts to re-read. This year, I’m going to focus more on these types of blog posts and not worry too much about producing long informational content.

Save a specific amount of money

I set myself the same goal every year, but I think it’s a pretty sensible one.

I have a few upcoming events that I need to save up for, so I’m going to do my best to continue reducing my spending and make good financial decisions in 2025. I’m excited to watch my savings grow!

Visit New York at Christmas time

I wanted to include this goal as it’s been a dream of mine for years, but I’m not sure how realistic it will be to try to achieve it this year. We’re travelling to New Zealand in February 2026 for my sister’s wedding, so squeezing in another trip beforehand may get a little expensive.

But how amazing would it be to visit New York City at Christmas time? I’d love to go during early December and get back to the UK in time for Christmas. I want to see the Christmas lights and decorations, and stroll through the streets pretending to be in Home Alone 2.

It may be a little unrealistic this year, but I’m going to do my best to make it happen.

Some of these goals are challenging, and there’s one I’m choosing to keep private that’s even a little scary. But if I take small steps each day, if I stick to the plan, there’s nothing stopping me from achieving them all.

2025, I’m ready for you. Let’s do this.