Every January I sit down and write my biggest lessons learned — and every year it ends up being one of my most personal, most saved and most revisited blog posts. I feel like in order to move forward, you’ve got to look back to see what worked, what didn’t and then make changes in your life, mindset and how to live a better life. Last year’s 10 Lessons Learned in 2024 came from a season of slowing down, finding clarity and choosing more intention… and I remember hitting publish thinking, okay — this feels like a turning point.
And yet, 2025 somehow managed to teach me even more!!
This past year held BIG goals for my career, quiet mornings where I could FOCUS, incredible trips + travel filled with ADVENTURE, parenting conversations that stayed with me and a whole lot of learning in the everyday — the kind that doesn’t always make headlines but changes you all the same. So today I’m sitting down with a big cup of coffee, reflecting on what mattered most, what stretched me and what I’m carrying into the next year with a full heart and clearer perspective.
Here are ten lessons 2025 taught me…
one. if you don’t meet your goal it doesn’t mean you failed
I set some pretty lofty goals for 2025 — and while I achieved most of them, there were a few that I didn’t quite cross the finish line on. Old me would’ve immediately labeled that as failure… but this year I learned to shift my mindset. Those “missed” goals weren’t failures — they were feedback. They became learning opportunities that invited me to ask better questions, adjust my methods and create more realistic timelines moving into 2026. I learned that expectations need breathing room, perfection isn’t real and success isn’t linear. Hard work still matters, but flexibility matters just as much. Growth doesn’t always follow a neat timeline — and that’s okay!!
PRO TIP | Manage your expectations… don’t expect perfection all the time because it’s simply not attainable. Just remind yourself life rarely goes exactly to plan. Failure isn’t the opposite of success = it’s merely a stepping stone and learning to adapt to life’s twists + turns is a must.
two. home is where your heart is
Between travel days, busy seasons and oh so full calendars, I was reminded again and again that home is my anchor. It’s where my heart settles, where our routines live, where the conversations happen around the kitchen table and the slow mornings unfold. No matter how far we traveled in 2025, there’s something grounding about coming back to our place — the space that holds our family, our memories, and our quiet. Growing older has taught me about the value of home sweet home and how safe that space feels, especially when life gets hectic and things seem unbalanced. Case in point: I never used to want to ring in a new year at home and this year I was beyond thrilled to be in my pajamas drinking sparkling grape juice and watching TV on the couch with Jeff. In the hustle and bustle of life, home matters most.
three. being healthy is more than just a number on a scale
Health and wellness has taken on a whole new meaning for me in my forties #thanksperimenopause. It’s no longer about a number, a size or a goal weight — it’s about how I feel, how I sleep, how I show up for my family, and how I care for my body and mind long-term. If you’ve followed along, you’ve seen a major shift in my fitness mindset over the past 2.5 years = trading out carb counting and fasting for strength training and prioritizing protein and it’s something a lot of you have asked me to talk more about in the coming year. This year reminded me that true wellness is layered — it’s physical, mental, emotional AND spiritual. And it deserves consistent care, not seasonal attention! It’s about consistency, showing up on days when you really don’t want to, and feeling confident in who you are. Stay tuned friends, more to come on this one soon!
four. take the trip… make the memories count
Hard Work Pays Off: Dreams require effort; don’t wait for things to be handed to you.
One word rang loud and clear from 2025 and that was ADVENTURE… travel played a major part in my time. From work trips in Cabo, Charleston, Palm Beach, Aspen and Scottsdale to personal getaways to Purgatory, NYC, Italy, Rosemary Beach and more, some of our favorite moments came from saying yes to travel and hopping on a plane — whether it was long flights, packed suitcases, or just quick getaways that filled our cups with main character memories, I was reminded that trips aren’t just about destinations — they’re about shared laughter, photos you’ll treasure later, and creating memories that stay long after the bags are unpacked. If there’s a trip on your heart… take it.
five. say no so you can say yes
This was a hard lesson for me. I’m naturally a “yes” person — but 2025 taught me that boundaries are not barriers and they aren’t unkind… they’re necessary. Saying no protected my time, my energy, my feelings [and above all else] and my peace + sanity. It allowed me to say yes to what mattered most — my family, my health, my friends and the things that truly filled my cup. Growth requires space, and sometimes the only way to make space is to gently say no to things that don’t fit that criteria. Trust me, this is a lesson I am still learning and still working on daily = it’s not easy for me because I want to give 110% to anything + everything but I know it depletes me when I overcommit so I’ll keep this “no” mindset as we move into a new year as well.
PRO TIP | Know your limits and don’t feel guilty for saying no. This will allow you to then step outside your comfort zone in other areas of your life so that you can say YES to growth! You’ve got to prioritize yourself = it’s not selfish to put yourself first sometimes…
six. you have to prioritize your own happiness
The previous lesson is a PERFECT seg way for this one because NO ONE else can MAKE you happy… you’ve got to go out there and make it fhappen. I watched Forrest Gump last week and the quote rang loud and clear about creating your own destiny… don’t expect others to fill the voids and bring you happiness = you’ve got to go out there and find it for yourself! It’s a daily choice and an inside job that ONLY you can fill. Simply put… investing in yourself [mind, body and soul] is the best investment you can make.
You’ve got to play the hand of cards you’ve been dealt in life = don’t make excuses, don’t seek out sympathy, just take responsibility for your own life and what you want out of it. But as a gentle reminder: continue to learn to get to know who you are because we do change + evolve all the time… Be sure not to let others’ opinions define you and most of all learn to accept your authentic self for who you are!
seven. rest is a learned skill
Jeff will laugh when he sees this one because he is always telling me to rest and take a break and it’s absolutely on of the hardest things for me to attempt because rest doesn’t come naturally to me — I’ve always worked… from the day I turned 16 I got a job at the mall, worked my way through college and instantly started my professional career upon graduation. And let’s not talk about the times I’ve held multiple positions in life = but this year taught me that slowing down is productive. Rest allows clarity and avoids burn out. It restores patience. It creates margin. Learning to pause, recharge and release control over things I can’t change has been one of the most freeing lessons of all. I guess it took me turning 40 to realize this and something I am always at battle with but I do think I am getting better at resting…slowly but surely!
PRO TIP | If you’re horrible like me at allowing yourself to rest, schedule time to make it happen. Put an hour on your daily to-do list and stick to the plan. Maybe it’s taking a nap or reading a book or simply having to put your laptop/phone/tech away for a bit… planning to rest will help you realize the importance of it and this will become an easier habit to tackle in 2026. Tell yourself that in order to live a happy life you’ve got to take care of yourself + slow down.
eight. what you see on socials is a snapshot of someone’s life
Social media shows a simply put, a highlight reel — not real life. And I think I am just as guilty of getting wrapped up in the persona that social media creates that sometimes I have to remind myself it’s all a snapshot of the full picture of someone’s true life. 2025 reminded me how important compassion, kindness AND empathy are. Even if their feed looks idyllic, that same person could be walking through their darkest days and just trying to put on a brave face for the exterior. People typically only share their best moments, successes and filtered images on the internet because honestly, it’s much more pretty… but with that, it also creates a curated, unrealistic ideal that camouflages the truth… struggles + failures, bad days and imperfections = BUT I think the less perfect, more messy, beautiful behind-the-scenes show and tells are way more real and something we should all strive to showcase more of in 2026.
nine. always live in the present
This year reminded me just how quickly life moves — how easy it is to rush through the days, always thinking about what’s next instead of soaking in what’s right in front of us. I found myself catching these little moments more intentionally… quiet mornings before the house wakes up [hence why I get up so early everyday], long talks in the car [when my kids are held hostage as I’m driving them], unplanned dinners that turned into laughter-filled nights, and simple routines that once felt ordinary but now feel sacred. Living in the present has taught me to pause, to breathe and to really see the life I’m living — not just the version I’m planning for. The past has already done its job, and the future will unfold in its own time = don’t rush it!!! Right now is where gratitude lives, where peace grows, and where the memories that matter most are being made.
I always tell myself to celebrate everyday because you don’t know when it’s your last and I think I’ve lived that out more in the past 365 days than I did for 5+ years before that. Losing my grandmother in late 2024 was a real wake-up call for how I prioritize time with my family, especially my grandfather. Much more of my free time went into calling him everyday and visiting him weekly and the time we’ve given each other in 2025 has been one of the most genuine joys of my year and the gift I’ve been given has been an absolute treasure.
ten. gratitude is everything
If there’s one word that continued to shape my heart this year, it’s gratitude. It changed the way I approached hard days, softened my reactions to certain situations and shifted my perspective in moments that could’ve easily felt heavy + overwhelming. Gratitude doesn’t ignore the hard — it reframes it. It reminds me of what’s still good, what’s still steady, and what still deserves to be celebrated.
Basically it taught me to appreciate EVERYTHING I HAVE. I learned that gratitude isn’t just something you feel — it’s something you practice. It’s choosing thankfulness in small moments, appreciating where you are in life, and trusting that even in uncertain seasons, there is still so much to be thankful for.
PRO TIP | Write down 3 things you’re thankful for each day… whether it’s on your calendar, a post-it note that you stick to your mirror or if you simply say them out loud = speak up about the things you’re appreciative of. I’ll start: today I am thankful for a job I love, the ability to move my body and for a quiet morning of some much needed “me” time.
Loving these recap posts?? Be sure to check out THE TOP 10 AMAZON BEST SELLERS OF 2025 + THE TOP 10 MOST READ BLOG POSTS, too.
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