2025 was my first year entering my 30s. I thought my first year in a new decade would be the beginning of a magical reset where I officially entered my grown woman era and everything in my life suddenly fell together. Things didn’t exactly unfold that way, but 2025 did bring some valuable lessons, and I can confidently say that some of the pieces of the puzzle are finally feeling like they’re beginning to come together.
Now that we’re at the start of 2026, I wanted to share everything I did to reflect on 2025 and set my intentions for the new year. To get started, I:
Conducted a review of 2025
It’s so easy to forget everything that happened over the past year. When I thought about my feelings toward 2025, the first word that came to mind was “uneventful.” 2024 was a big year for me. I traveled to different countries, ran my first half marathon, and stepped into a new decade. It was a hard year to top by any standard, and so as a result, my 2025 felt kind of…flat. It wasn’t until I looked through my camera roll, starting from January, that I was able to remember everything I did last year. I went to concerts, visited friends out of state, and made new memories with people I care about. It was overall a good year, and I needed those photos to remind me of that.
After I went through my camera roll, I asked myself some important questions:
- What were my highs?
- What were my lows?
- What was I proud of?
- What would I want to do differently?
I went month by month and answered those questions honestly. I wanted to be intentional about what I brought into 2026 and what I was deciding to leave behind.
Set intentions for 2026
2025 was a year I overextended myself, and it was the source of a lot of my lows. As an admitted people pleaser, this is something I’ve constantly struggled with. Reflecting on that highlighted that I need stronger boundaries in the new year. On the other hand, my highs revolved around the times that I honored myself, spending time doing things that were important to me, like solo days, adventures with friends, and taking the time to rest and look inward (something I love to do as an introvert). This signaled to me that staying true to my own interests and taking time to rest and reflect were things that I not only wanted to bring into 2026, but also needed to.
Decluttered everything (literally everything)
It’s been a while since I did a good declutter. Like, I mean, really got into my space and rid myself of things that I hadn’t touched in years. I started in my closet and expanded to the bathroom, my bedroom, and eventually the kitchen. There were moments where I asked myself, “What did I get myself into?” and “Why did I start this???” But after everything was finished, it felt like my apartment could exhale. I know they say your space is a reflection of how you’re feeling, and it felt right to let go of everything I had been holding onto (literally and metaphorically).
Rested and recalibrated
I was fortunate to get time off from work for a winter break. I never take PTO, so this was something I desperately needed and didn’t realize. Over the break, I initially planned to get so many things done and schedule every day that I had free with productivity. I quickly realized my body was burnt out. Like I mentioned earlier, a lot of my lows were due to overextending myself and putting the needs of others before my own. My body was basically begging me to take this time to rest for once, and I listened. I slept in, read a lot, spent more time away from my phone, and reflected on what I wanted for the year ahead.
The edit for 2026: 2025 was a year of learning and growth. It was slower than previous years, but slow years are necessary to reflect and build upon what we’ve learned. 2026 will be a time to apply that knowledge, reflect on what we desire, and take actionable steps to get there. For me, that looks like setting stronger boundaries, pouring into my creative hobbies and interests, and spending more time with those I love most.
the imara edit 
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