Episode 118: Creating Your 2025 Roadmap

Do you have dreams and goals for the new year? Now is the perfect time to create a roadmap for 2025 so you don't end up in December wondering where all the time went! And if you really want to be in the driver's seat in 2025, join me for the Values and Vision Party January 25 at 11:00 Pacific time, 2:00 Eastern, and for our European listeners, that’s 7 PM London time. A replay will be available if you sign up. Get your ticket by emailing hello@dr-alise.com and put "Vision" in the subject line.

Want to get a snapshot of your own life in just minutes? Take the free Prior 10 Life Assessment at www.prior10.com/assessment.

The information contained and documents referenced in the podcast “Your Priority Centered Life” are for entertainment, educational and informational purposes only, and are not intended as, and shall not be understood or construed as, professional medical or health treatment, diagnosis, or advice. We strongly encourage listeners to consult with medical providers or qualified mental health providers with issues and questions regarding any physical and/or mental health symptoms or concerns that they may have. Furthermore, the opinions and views expressed by podcast guests, partners and/or affiliates are not necessarily those of the podcast host. Dr. Alise Murray’s opinions and views are expressed in her individual capacity and are not to be construed as those of any of her podcast guests, partners and/or affiliates.

Transcript

When I plan a trip, I imagine myself on the way home. I imagine how I want to feel at the end of the trip and what I want to remember. Then I reverse engineer it. If I want to feel relaxed and connected to my husband, I start to plan experiences that will create that feeling – walks in nature and romantic dinners in restaurants that allow for good conversation. If I want to feel happy and re-energized, I might plan a night of dancing and live music.

Now you can probably think of some weekend getaways that were a dud. As we were planning this trip, we looked at towns within a reasonable driving distance. It makes no sense to be stuck in traffic when you want to enjoy yourself. And you may have also had the experience of having so much planned that you felt stressed, running from one touristy activity to the next. I went on a girls’ weekend once when there were so many activities planned I had to ask the person organizing it if we could drop something so we could have a little time to ourselves. Otherwise I could picture her saying “pack up the beach chairs! We have a tour to catch in 20 minutes!” Not the relaxing trip I pictured.

OK, let’s wipe those not-so-great trips from your mind. You can also probably think of some terrific little trips you’ve taken. There may have been a mix of old favorites and new experiences, and a good amount of down time with nothing specific planned. You know you want time outdoors, for example, so you plan that in on every trip, but you also want to have some new experiences, like trying a restaurant or an activity you’ve never experienced.  On our recent trip, I sat on the deck in the morning and had my coffee while watching wildlife, because I love that. We also drove to areas where we had never been and explored some fun new little shops. And we allowed ourselves some time with nothing planned. 

So what does this have to do with our brand new year? Everything!

Going into 2025 without a plan is like taking a trip with no map and no itinerary. Driving blind. You could end up wasting time, not enjoying yourself, and feeling frustrated at the end of the year, asking yourself where the time went. 

So let’s talk about your roadmap for 2025 so that will help you have a year rich with the kinds of experiences you want to have.  

1.    First, review. Look back at your 2024 journey. What do you feel good about? What positive memories do you have? Think also about growth experiences and life-affirming habits you maintained.

 On the flip side, when did things go sideways for you? What makes you cringe when you look back? Life can be hectic and there will always be things happening that we didn’t expect. Were there times when, looking back, you feel good about how you managed the stress of those times?

 2.    Now let’s plan your journey for 2025. Think about how you want to feel at the end of the year. You want to have a good mix of what is comforting and what is fresh and new. What brings you comfort? What kinds of bucket list experiences do you want to have? How do you want to grow? How can you set boundaries so you can enjoy down time with nothing planned?

 3.    Now focus on a shorter period of time. You could think about what you want January to look like, but I prefer to divide the year’s journey into fourths. So, that means from now until late March. What do you want to include over the next 13 weeks? What is realistic, given the time and energy you have available? 

If you use the metaphor of planning a trip, you will be miserable if you try to squeeze too much in. Give yourself some breathing room and say no to some things so you can say an enthusiastic yes to what’s truly important. If you decide you need to drop some things off your list, these can always be possibilities for a future quarter.

 I really hope you give this a try! I do it once a year and once a quarter. When I take a break from planning, it is so much harder to create the kinds of memories and personal growth I want. Enjoy the process!