2025 Year in Review

This year certainly had the potential to be a dumpster fire, and at the macro level, it really was. But in January, Matt and I agreed to try to focus as much as possible on our own little bubble and our sphere of influence, and that decision did allow me to have what I'd have to admit was a pretty good year.

Let's start with my 2025 resolutions, which I mostly didn't stick to.

Finish writing two books. My priorities on writing changed in 2025. Rather than focusing on finishing my unfinished drafts, I spent a ton of time revising the novel I finished in 2024. I've never revised a completed manuscript before, so it was a fun new experience and I'm ending 2025 with a final draft I'm really proud of.

Sneak peek of my new hobby for 2026: book binding!

Stick to my fitness goals. I knocked this one out of the park. Going to the gym has finally become second-nature, and because I ran a ton of races this year, I didn't fall into a major running rut. I did miss some workouts here and there, especially in the fall when I got sick, but I can happily say I had a great year for fitness.

My body scans results for the end of the year aren't anything to crow about, but I'm in such better shape than I was this time last year, and that brings me so much joy and satisfaction.

Replace mindless doomscrolling with reading. I could've done better with this. I'm been doomscrolling less, but mostly because I've realized dead internet theory is real and it has finally broken my addiction to social media. While I've read a bit this year, and have been fostering a habit of reading poetry before bed instead of staring at my phone, I've realized I'm not going to be the kind of reader I used to be, and that's okay. 

Actually, I saw this post on Threads (ironically) that helped me realize why I don't crave reading the way I used to.

As far as 2025 resolutions went, things could've gone better, but they could've gone worse, too! And beyond resolutions, I accomplished a lot this year that I'm really proud of.

Hikes

This was really a year for hiking. Matt and I typically don't hike through the fall or winter, but this year we didn't let cold or wet weather stop us. I'm pretty sure I did 11 hikes over the last 12 months, and the extra time outdoors was really good for my mental health. I even did a few hikes without Matt, which was a first for me!

That said, I was ready to stow my hiking boots by the time summer ended because I was definitely feeling burned out. I'm looking forward to some downtime from hiking for the next few months.

Races

I ran seven races this year, which is more than I've run in a year since before I moved to Seattle. Nick's interest in starting to run was the main impetus behind this. I ran five of this year's races with him, and got to enjoy the journey of turning a non-runner into a half-marathoner. 

Running so many races this year reminded me of two things: first, that having a race to run every month makes staying true to a running schedule much easier, and second, frequent training for longer races makes lifting weights harder to prioritize, and these days balance in fitness is more important to me than collecting medals.

In 2026, I do plan to run more races, but I'm going to be purposeful about choosing ones that really excite me.

Reading

I tried hard to read at least a book a month in the beginning of the year, but quickly lost momentum. That's okay—I was keeping busy in other ways. I stopped recording my thoughts on what I read because it made reading feel too much like a chore, or like I was only reading for the "content." I did read 14 books this year, though, which is more than I thought! I'm still struggling to find books that hook me, but once in awhile I'll read something really great that sticks with me. 

This year, the standout books I read included The Library at Mount Char, Rouge, and Living Dead Girl.

I've also enjoyed diving back into poetry in the latter half of the year. I originally picked it up because I wanted to end my day on a note of beauty rather than an endless parade of IG stories. I also thought reading poetry might help me reconnect with imagery and abstract language and would impact my writing.

All told, 2025 was a pretty good year as long as I focus on my own little bubble, and I'm glad I had so many good times to look back on as I prepare to welcome 2026.

Ali