Starting 2025 with Restful Habits and Simple Goals

In my last blog post, I talked about how winter is a season of rest and slowing down. And while that is a new concept for me, I still plan on honoring that even though I have a few things I’m going to work on in Q1 of 2025. I don’t have lofty goals or even anything that is extremely hard to do. The habits I want to instill are light and easy and still honor the restful season that we are in.

Normally I would say to myself, “self, nobody cares what your intentions or habits are in Q1 of 2025.” But I know better. I know that I LOVE reading about what people are working on in the new year and beyond. I know that it has helped me get a better handle on a new concept I hadn’t thought of before (hence the winter season being a slow season), or it has helped me better define some things that I want to bring into the new year. So yes, somebody out there cares about this ☺️

One shift I’ve made this year is focusing on quarterly goals rather than setting broad, overwhelming yearly ones. Thinking about what I want to accomplish in three months feels much more approachable and flexible. Life can change so much over the course of a year, and quarterly goals allow me to pivot and adjust as needed. For Q1, my focus is on habits that complement the restful pace of winter while still helping me move toward a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.

For me, getting better sleep is a big intention that I am placing on 2025. Winter, with its shorter days and natural inclination for rest, feels like the perfect time to nurture this area of my life. Getting good sleep is so important for so many things, and I didn’t want to wait until April, when the pace of life often picks up, to start implementing some habits that align with this season of slowness and restoration.

Every morning, I will get 5 to 10 minutes of morning light onto my eyeballs. This requires me to not put my contacts in until after I have stepped outside to do this so, on the weekdays this will mean getting myself fully ready for the day, getting my morning light and then putting my contacts on last.

Once I get outside, I just simply will set my apple watch for 5 minutes. I plan on using this time to pray, just breathe in the cool air or maybe sometimes read. I will see what I feel in the moment 🙂

The morning light in your eyes helps to regulate our body's sleep-wake cycle and circadian rhythm. So, essentially, that morning light tells my body to wake up and it helps to set the motion for the things that need to happen inside my body for the process of waking. This in turn will help me to sleep better later at bedtime. The morning light also helps with mood, productivity and more! This is definitely something I think everyone should do some research on and decide if it is something that they could benefit from doing. I’m excited to see what else this will help me with besides better sleep.

The other thing I am focusing on is walking 20 or so minutes a day, preferably outside, but I’m not going to hardline that. I know myself and if I say it must be done a certain way, I am less likely to follow through with it. I got a treadmill, one of those small under the desk ones, for my birthday from my children (what a great gift!) and I will use that if I can’t get outside for a walk.

Walking has so many benefits, but I am hoping that movement itself will also help with sleeping. Increased movement has been shown to help you fall asleep faster and get better sleep overall. 🤞Plus, the fresh air and beautiful scenery when I do get a walk outside will help my nervous system to chill out which I do need a lot of 🙃

That’s it. Nothing fancy, nothing super hard. I feel both things still allow me to bask in the slowness of the winter season while still making some head way (hopefully!) with getting better sleep.

As I step into 2025, I’m excited to see how these simple, intentional habits will shape not just my sleep but also my overall sense of well-being. By aligning with the slower pace of winter, I’m reminded that progress doesn’t have to come from grand gestures or lofty goals—it can come from small, consistent actions that honor the season we’re in. Whether it’s soaking up a few minutes of morning light or taking a peaceful walk, these habits feel like a gift to myself, one that I hope will ripple into the rest of the year. Here’s to embracing rest, restoration, and gentle growth in this new season!