Hello, friends and readers. It’s time for my annual reflections and resolutions post!
I started this little “tradition” (if you can even call it that) in 2023, and I’ve really come to enjoy looking back at the previous year’s post to see what’s changed and what’s stayed the same. While I don’t update this blog often and I don’t have millions of readers who are interested in my personal life (or even close to that—I maybe have tens of readers!), I find these reflective posts both cathartic and fun to revisit.
And at the start of every new year, I just can’t help myself—I simply must make resolutions. I get it if you’re a skeptic of the tradition, but here’s the thing: I’m a list maker. I LOVE lists—bulleted, numbered, for work, for life, for groceries, for books, even for things that really shouldn’t need a list (like… don’t forget to floss, walk the dog, make the bed, wash your hair, breathe, etc.). Lists give me perhaps a false sense of control, like if I can put it on paper, then I’m one step closer to achieving it. And the truth is, New Year’s is the ultimate time for list-making, and I fully embrace it.
So without further ado, I give you a list of my reflections on 2024 along with my resolutions for 2025.
2024 Reflections
Books: Just as I did last year, I’m kicking off with my year in reading since this is, more or less, a book blog. In 2024, I read a total of 54 books, with a good chunk of them being graphic novels. Although I technically read fewer books in 2024 compared to 2023, I can honestly say I enjoyed what I read more this past year—not necessarily because the content was better, but because I think I’m finally healing my short attention span. I’m quite happy with how much I’ve genuinely enjoyed my recent reads, and to me, that’s a bigger win than simply reading more books. Plus, I discovered a few new favorites! Read about my favorites from 2024 here.
Love: There’s just something about Fall, huh? The air begins to cool, the leaves begin to change, and things begin to die – including my relationships. I am teasing! But really, the last couple of Falls have coincided with my last couple of breakups. Oh, well!
The truth is, in many ways, I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time and am genuinely excited to embrace being a single lady in 2025. I don’t want to go into too much detail, because, even though I only have “tens of readers” (and even that’s probably stretching it), this is still a public platform. But I will say that I’m proud of myself for realizing I’d rather be alone than in a dissatisfying relationship. When I hit the big THREE OH, I didn’t feel that way at all. But now, the fear and rush to settle down have faded because I feel so content on my own and with myself. And the potential for my life now feels limitless. My time is mine, and I’m excited to see where this chapter of my life goes.
Work: I’ve been at my current library job for just over two years now! At the start of 2023 I really feel like I settled into that new role, and I really found my groove in Adult Services after starting my library career as a Youth Services Librarian. And in the Spring of 2024, my introverted self presented at a library conference, during which I discussed my technology classes with fellow librarians. It was a somewhat scary but ultimately rewarding experience!
Travel & Other Adventures: I didn’t travel a ton this year, though I did go to Canada for the first time! Nova Scotia is absolutely beautiful, especially Cape Breton! It was cool to spend some time there after reading the graphic novel Ducks by Kate Beaton, since the author is from Cape Breton.
I also took a quick trip to the charming hippie town of New Paltz with my brother, where we rented an adorably cozy bohemian home and spent most of the time hiking. I also went to a cat cafe for the first time! I fell in love with one in particular and tried to convince my brother to adopt him so I could be his Auntie.
Another cool thing that I FINALLY did that I’d been wanting to do for a while was see Hamilton on Broadway. It was spectacular, and I had the soundtrack on repeat for a solid month after seeing it.
Writing: Last year I set a resolution for myself to write and self-publish another book, and I did just that! It wasn’t the most serious endeavor but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out! It’s a children’s chapter book and I published it through Amazon KDP. Read about my self-publishing experience here if you’d like.
Harvey: I’m going to end with the most difficult subject to share.
In September, my beloved dog Harvey passed away unexpectedly. He was about to turn 12, and I’d had him since 2020, when he was 8. I really thought I’d have him for a bit longer, at least another couple of years, and it was a total gut-punch to lose him so suddenly. He still had so much energy and love for life.
I adopted Harvey, a chihuahua mix, during the COVID lockdown, and he completely changed me. I didn’t realize how happy I could be until he came into my world. I was at a low point when I adopted him, and he turned out to be the absolute gentlest, sweetest, goofiest, most loyal creature—more than I could’ve ever asked for. My favorite things to do were to give him big hugs or to cradle him like a baby, and he’d just let me, soaking all the love in.
He was also a good boy at the vet, fearless of thunder and fireworks, and he had the funniest habit of barking at everyone on walks, but quickly settling down for pets. He’d been through a lot before I adopted him—abandoned, attacked by coyotes, and when we first got him, we found out he had heartworm, and the treatment was rough on him. Despite everything he’d been through, he remained so trusting and sweet.
Losing Harvey was awful, but there were bright spots. His loss gave me the chance to reflect. There’s something about loss that reveals just how fragile and fleeting life can be, and Harvey’s passing helped me end a relationship that I just wasn’t happy in.
After Harvey passed, I adopted another dog—a chihuahua mix named Onyx. Harvey totally converted me into a crazy chihuahua lady! Onyx is 2 years old, from Kentucky, and his owner surrendered him due to the threat of eviction.
I applied to adopt Onyx quickly after Harvey passed, and I’ll admit, I felt some shame about it. I hate for people to think I was trying to replace Harvey. But the truth is, I adopted Onyx because of the immense love I had for Harvey. Harvey showed me that I am at my best with a dog by my side. And the truth is, there are SO many dogs that need homes—it’s honestly heartbreaking. There were thousands within just a few miles of me when I searched on PetFinder to find Onyx. So, though I miss Harvey deeply and he could never be replaced, I’ve come to love Onyx too.
Onyx is full of energy, loves squeaky toys, and is a total cuddle bug. He also has the most beautiful black coat. I remember the coordinator who facilitated the adoption told me he looks like a lab puppy, and it’s true! People often ask me if he is a puppy, and I get a kick out of telling them he is full grown.
2025 Resolutions
Bookish Goals:
My bookish goals almost exactly resemble those from last year’s. I’d like to put just a small, healthy amount of pressure on myself to read (and write) this year. Just enough pressure to discourage me from scrolling on my phone, but not SO much pressure that reading or writing feel like chores rather than hobbies.
With that being said, here are my bookish goals for the new year:
- Read At Least 50 Books: My goal is set to 50 books on GoodReads, just like last year. It would be great to read more, but the number itself isn’t what’s important to me. I just want to keep reading books I enjoy and swap some of my less healthy habits (like mindless scrolling) for more reading.
- Get Out of My Comfort Zone: While I’m not putting too much pressure on myself regarding what I read, I’d like to branch out a bit more in terms of genres. Who knows, I might discover I actually really like sci-fi—or at the very least confirm that it remains to be not my thing. But more than anything, I want to challenge myself to read more non-fiction and explore more literary fiction, especially new releases, so I can better recommend books to patrons at the library.
I tend to gravitate towards graphic novels and thrillers, and if I don’t branch out by the end of 2025, I won’t be hard on myself—after all, it just means I’m reading what I enjoy. But this year, there’s this itch I can’t ignore. I really want to try something different! - Read More, Scroll Less: This was my goal last year, and it’s still a priority for me moving forward! I continue to waste way too much time on my damn phone, mostly on Instagram and Reddit, and honestly, I don’t feel like I get anything out of it. It’s not even relaxing! Not to be dramatic, but if anything, I feel like it drains the life out of me. This year, I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my concentration for reading, and I think if I can kick the mindless scrolling habit, it will only get better! Maybe the solution is to delete those apps from my phone (and NOT re-download them). Why must it be so tempting to re-download them?
- Publish Another Book: In 2023, I published a children’s book about Harvey. It was a quick read and a quick project, where I used his photographs to tell the story and kept things simple. It was a fun experiment and a great introduction to self-publishing. Then, in 2024, I published a longer story with a couple of my own illustrations. While creating this new book was still a relatively fast endeavor, I put a bit more effort into it. In 2025, I’d like to build on that progress by putting even more effort into my next project and publishing something new, possibly an adult fiction title!
- Keep Up with the Blog: I’m keeping this goal open-ended again this year! I plan to update the blog in whatever way works. I’d like to aim for monthly posts, but if I just post a few times this year, that’s OK too. Regardless, I love returning here every now and again!
Non-Bookish Goals:
Although this is a book blog, I like to sprinkle in some personal things here and there. There’s something motivating about putting my goals out into the universe like this. Plus, I can come back here in 2026 to see whether I’ve achieved them! Perhaps I’m setting myself up for disappointment, but you know what? I’m willing to take that risk!
Here are the non-bookish goals I hope to achieve in 2025:
- Save Money: I want to be more mindful about the stupid sh*t I purchase to put it bluntly. This includes clothing I don’t need, gadgets that just collect dust, and takeout food! That last one is a big one! I definitely need to curb my DoorDash addiction.
- Prioritize Health: Exercise regularly, eat more mindfully, drink more water—all that good stuff, you know? I’m getting older, and neglecting these basic needs is starting to have more noticeable consequences. It’s cliche, sure, but I just want to feel good and, hopefully, look a little better in the process.
- Experience life more… travel, visit museums, join a book club, etc.: I’m definitely a homebody. I love reading and lounging around at home, and lately, I’ve been getting into puzzles. Plus, it’s freezing outside—why would I willfully leave my house? As I write this, I’m almost talking myself out of this resolution, but maybe I can push it to after winter…
Anyway, I really want to get out of my little bubble more. My library has an awesome museum pass program, and I’d love to start using it. I also host a book club for my job, but maybe I’ll attend another book club as a member (and not a librarian) so it doesn’t feel so work-focused.
Lastly, I’ve been thinking a lot about travel lately. My last couple of trips were great in some ways (and less so in others—that’s a whole other story), but they were mostly influenced by the partners I traveled with. This time, I want to plan a trip on my own terms. - Complete a Professional Certificate: A couple of years ago, I started a Google Digital Marketing course on Coursera and made it more than halfway through—but I never finished it! Even if you’re settled in a career, I feel like having a variety of skills outside your field is always valuable because you never know what opportunities might come your way. That’s why I’m determined to finally complete the course!
- Spend More Time with Loved Ones: Last year, this was a major focus for me, and it will remain a priority through 2025 and beyond. Life is short, and I want to dedicate much of my free time to being truly present with the people (and fur baby) who matter most. We already spend so much of our lives working, running errands, scrolling on our phones, and commuting. I want to make sure the time that’s left is spent meaningfully.
- Show Gratitude: This is a simple reminder to myself to be grateful. Often times, I want to complain about the silliest inconveniences. But the truth is, I am so, so lucky. In 2025, I want to focus on appreciating the little joys of life—like reading on a Sunday morning with Onyx on my lap, finishing a puzzle, or the small triumph of not ordering DoorDash even though I really wanted to. (I’m only half kidding with that last one.)
As you can see, 2024 had its joys and challenges, and I’m both excited and bracing myself for what’s to come.
Please feel free to share your resolutions for the new year.
Here’s to 2025!
Pawsitive Reads 