Progress Over Perfection: Checking In on My 2025 Word of the Year

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As I mentioned in my Living Up to My New Year’s Resolutions in 2025 post, I planned to do a three-month check-in for accountability. But instead of setting traditional resolutions this year, I chose a word: Nurture.

Side note: In hindsight, grit might have been the better word choice based on the chaos that has been thrown my way at work. I work within the federal government in some capacity—so it’s been quite the year of chaos.

However, through all the chaos, I’ve realized just how important it is to fill my own cup—to better show up as a wife, mother, and colleague. So, what steps have I taken so far to live up to my word of the year?

Reading: Rebuilding the Habit

Reading has been a hit or miss for me over the years. Before kids, it was easier to find time on the weekends to sit down with a book—especially during the summer, just grabbing a book and sitting outside. Now, reading only happens for me in those few minutes before falling asleep. And, as a screen-addicted millennial, I usually spent that time doom-scrolling on Instagram.

So, I decided to use an Amazon gift card I received at Christmas to buy myself a Kindle. With an iPad or iPhone, I’d inevitably venture into other apps (hello, Instagram!). But with a Kindle, I’m more focused.

I’ve also been incorporating more self-help books to better understand my ADD and to be a more patient mother. I can quickly become overwhelmed and overstimulated, sometimes shutting down, so I’m looking for better ways to manage that.

Books I’m currently reading or have completed:

• How to Talk So Kids Will Listen

• How to Keep House While Drowning

Books in my queue:

• The Boyfriend

• Northern Spy

• The Woman in Me

Exercise: Finding My Flow

I finally tried a Pilates class, which I’ve been interested in for years. Now, I’m stuck deciding whether to get a membership there or go for a yoga membership instead. And with ADD, we all know this decision paralysis might last until the end of the year.

But on a brighter note—I’ve been consistent with my Peloton app.

I’ve been a Peloton member since 2019. Back then, I used the app at our local gym’s bike studio (when it wasn’t in use). Then, during my first pregnancy and COVID lockdowns, we purchased our own bike so I could stay active from home.

However, beyond cycling, I’ve been loving Peloton’s strength training, yoga, stretching, and outdoor running programs. Tunde recently released a new training program, and it’s exactly what I’ve been craving from the platform.

Self-Care: Making It Work for Me

While reading How to Keep House While Drowning, I realized I needed to make hygienic self-care more accessible for myself. Certain tasks can feel overwhelming, and I either dread them, forget about them, or just don’t have the energy to make decisions about them at the end of the day.

So, I implemented a few small but effective changes:

• All my core beauty products are on the counter. It may not be aesthetically pleasing, but keeping everything contained in one spot has helped me stay consistent and avoid unnecessary purchases.

• Flossing picks. I know traditional floss is technically better and more eco-friendly, but flossing at all is better than never flossing.

• A self-care checklist. I use a little post-it note to track tasks that aren’t part of my daily routine. It helps me remember which products I use on which days.

Blogging: Showing Up, Even When It’s Hard

I’ve fallen behind on keeping ahead of my blog schedule, but I’ve been trying to work at least two weeks ahead when possible. Some weeks I succeed, others…not so much.

But here’s the thing: I’m still showing up, and that’s what matters.

Now, I just need to figure out a few more logistics and make sure things don’t keep falling to the side while I juggle everything else—work crises, motherhood, being a human.

This check-in has been a reminder that nurturing myself isn’t just about grand gestures; it’s about small, intentional changes that make life a little easier. How are you doing with your goals or word of the year so far?

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