My 2025 Word of the Year

The end of December is one of my favorite times of the year, because it’s a time for reflection. I’ve always enjoyed looking back on the past year and setting resolutions or goals for the year ahead. When I was a kid, I used to lay on my bedroom floor, turn on a CD, and cut out pictures from magazines of what I envisioned the new year to look like. I glued them to a large white poster board and taped it to my closet door. 

As I got older, the collages evolved into written lists of resolutions. These resolutions I would remember until maybe April, if I was lucky. A few years ago, I came across an article about goal setting. The author recommended setting a word of the year, as opposed to a list of resolutions. I gave it a try and it’s been something I’ve done ever since. 

Your word of the year is something that you can take with you through the year to keep you on track with your goals. Some of my previous words of the year include ‘intention’, ‘grounded’, and for 2024 ‘abundance’. While I’m grateful for all the growth and accomplishments of 2024, I may have overdone the ‘abundance’ thing just a bit. Anytime I wanted to say no to an opportunity, night out, or new project, I said “Yes” in an effort to add more abundance to all aspects of my life. 

I’m stepping into 2025 with a new word: peace. Peace, for me, is not just about the absence of stress or conflict. It’s about cultivating a sense of calm, balance, and harmony. It’s learning to slow down and create space for rest. After a year that felt like a constant race, choosing peace feels like giving myself permission to breathe.

What Peace Looks Like in Practice — My Intentions for 2025

Slowing Down: This year, I’m letting go of the pressure to do everything all at once. Instead, I’ll be prioritizing what truly matters (spoiler: it’s not every little thing!) and setting realistic expectations for myself. By focusing on quality over quantity, I’ll have more space to breathe this year. Slowing down isn’t about doing less for the sake of it. It’s about creating the space to do things better, with intention and care. It’s giving myself the ability to pause and appreciate the present moment without rushing to what’s next.

Creating More Mindful Moments: Hand in hand with slowing down, I’m committing to spending more time being present and taking part in things that fill up my cup. For me, this looks like: taking more walks in nature, opting for evenings spent reading instead of mindlessly scrolling or watching TV, starting my day with journaling, scheduling more coffee dates with friends filled with meaningful conversations. 

Growing In My Faith: I grew up Catholic and spent 11 years in Catholic school, where attending Mass was a regular part of the school week. As a family, however, we mostly went to church together on Christmas Eve and Easter. Over time, I found myself drifting away from my faith, especially during the difficult years when my mom was diagnosed with cancer and passed away. Recently, I enrolled Vienna in a Parish Religion Education Program (PREP), which has inspired me to reconnect with my faith more intentionally. To begin this journey, I purchased an ESV journaling Bible and committed to a 52-week Bible study plan. The plan organizes the books of the Bible by theme, making it feel more digestible and meaningful to me. I also bought a daily devotional to add to my morning routine, creating a space for reflection and growth.