5 Strategic Improvements For A Better You In 2025
It’s no secret that over the years, my attitude to the ‘new year’ gradually changed. I went from actively disliking resolutions to growing to embrace the beauty in striving to better myself for the new season. Of course, I also learned to grasp the truth, that the art of bettering one’s self can be done at any moment. You can choose to be a “better you” on any day of any month. You can choose to grow on a random grey Monday, and you can nip a bad habit in the bud on a chilly spring evening. There is no “perfect” time to draw a step closer to your ideal self…
However, there are reasons why we need the new year as a starting line for all things new and improved. It gives us license to put our failures behind the curtains. A fresh start can bring in fresh energy – from an empty tank to one filled with endless possibilities.
When I’m presented with this opportunity, I too, take this chance seriously. After all, it’s a chance to reset and evolve. But, I try not to jump the gun, and I certainly try to avoid setting myself up for failure.
That being said, I’ve found setting sustainable goals is the way to go. Sustainable goals are the kind that push you out of your comfort zone but are still realistic to obtain.
I think of them as strategic improvements. In other words, a focus not only on the goals but also on the road it takes to get there. Here are 5 strategic improvements for a better you in 2025.
Create More Than You Consume.
It’s so easy to get tied up by the gods of well-designed algorithms. You want to break off those strings, but they keep your fingers dancing to the sound of their rhythm. Scrolling. Scrolling. And even more scrolling. You want to stop but you can’t help it as you cave. “Just five more minutes”, you say as you scroll through another video that you’ll forget in less than a minute.
Personally, while I’ve managed not to become addicted to my phone, I do find that, more often than not, I still consume more than I create. I watch more videos than I create. I hit like more than I post. And I certainly scroll more than I pick up any new interests or hobbies. This is not the ideal life I want for myself, certainly not as a creative.
This year, one of my main goals is to set boundaries around my digital consumption to focus more on more meaningful activities. For me, that’s creating and finding new ways to get inspired by the world around me. For you, it could be joining a new club or picking up the guitar that’s been gathering dust. You may need to set a time limit on the amount of scrolling you do or lock your devices up in a box for a few hours each day. Either way, create more than you consume.
Practice Gratitude Daily.
I started practising gratitude intentionally a few years ago. I was down a lot and wasn’t sure how to shake those feelings. Whatever I was doing back then wasn’t working at all. And the worst part of all? My outlook on life became more and more negative by the day. My once optimistic view began to sway heavily toward the opposite way, and while I tossed that all up to “adulting” and “accepting the world as it is”, I couldn’t help but dislike that version of myself.
It wasn’t until I picked up gratitude journaling that I noticed a big difference in the way I felt. By taking time to focus on the little things that bring me joy daily, I’m able to shift my perspective. Practising gratitude doesn’t have to be big or grand in any way. It can be as simple as taking note of the little joys in your life or the Bitesize Wonders in your day.
Thus improving your outlook on life.
By doing this simple act, you are creating a collection of magical moments to tattoo on your memory.
A walk in the park at sunrise. A warm hug from a friend. The way they say your name. The satisfying “I did it!” at the end of a gym session. Cosy socks and fresh sheets. The high at the end of a concert you long-awaited.
It might not change your life entirely or erase all your problems, but having a sense of gratitude helps remind you there are always two sides to each coin. Sometimes, that realisation is all you need to keep going…
You may also like:
The Gratitude Journal series ~ Bitesize Wonders
Focus On Financial Wellness.
It pains me to admit that school really didn’t prepare me with the financial tools I needed. I think many will agree…
After graduation, it hit me. I realised I had a lot to learn the basics about my finances almost from scratch. Whether it was by creating a monthly budgeting plan, building an emergency fund, understanding how to utilise my first credit card or learning about investment – there was so much to learn.
Whilst I’m still no expert in aspects of finances, I definitely know more than I did back then and have picked up some essential money-saving hacks along the way. I know now that the truth is you focus on your financial wellness, you protect your future self.
Cultivate Meaningful Relationships.
Isn’t it kind of ironic that the most hyper-connected generation is also the loneliest? We go from having thousands of friends on Instagram to not a single one you can just ring up without having to schedule it two weeks in advance. We tap on hearts after every scroll and somehow manage to make no impact on anyone’s heart in real life.
There’s also something to be said about how difficult it is to make friends as an adult. As everyone puts on different shoes to embark on different roads, it’s hard for things to stay as they once were. I’m learning to accept that maybe things can never stay the same…
People grow, change, evolve, and lose interest in the things that once made their hearts beat fast. It’s inevitable that sometimes you’ll have to experience the pain of drifting apart.
One of the strategic improvements I’m embracing this year is cultivating meaningful relationships. I’m starting by investing in my existing relationships once again, giving time and energy to the relationships that fulfil me and bring me joy. I’ll show up for the people in my life, and likewise, I’ll also allow them to show up for me.
Although making friends as an adult may be hard, trying to meet new people is a simple way to improve your life strategically. This might require you to put yourself out there by registering with a club IRL, joining a new gym, or talking to a stranger in line at a concert.
You may also like:
Relationship Lessons I Learned The Hard Way
Embrace Doing A Little Each Day.
One thing I disliked about New Year’s resolutions in the past was how unrealistic they were. I’d make them at the start of January with blind optimism and excitement. Then the wave of disappointment would crash whenever my resolutions existed only on paper. I learned something important when I began setting sustainable goals instead. The key to reaching your goals is to master the art of embracing doing a little every day.
I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to achieving my goals. I like things done a certain way. At a certain time. By a certain deadline. The issue, though, was whenever I noticed I might not be able to give my all, I’d end up giving nothing at all. That was most definitely the quickest way to failure.
A major key to making strategic improvements in 2025 is to do a little each day. Each time you give a little to your goals, you draw closer to your desired outcome. Every time you lean into the person you want to be, you become a little more like them. If you only have ten minutes to give to a task in a day, give that. If you don’t know it all yet, commit to learning at your own pace. And if you think you can’t, try for a moment. Who knows who you could be 12 months from now… it’s for you to decide.
Your restless romantic roamer
Leave a comment to share any strategic improvements you made in the past that led you to achieving a goal?