Well, so far 2025 is kicking my ass. I thought I just got off to a slow start in January, but I can’t shake this feeling of lethargy. Where are my goals? Where’s my 25 for 25 list? I can’t quite seem to get it together.
All I feel like doing is reading my book…
I have a “FIG-y Friday” post coming up, where I’ll list all my FIGs for the week (if you’re not familiar, I’m participating in Elisabeth’s FIG Collective– Finding Joy in Gratitude. where we find something that gives us joy for each day of February.) Not to get ahead of myself, but today’s FIG is being in the middle of a book so good, you can’t wait to find out what happens next.
The problem is, while this book is fascinating and gripping, things are not going well for the earthlings in this story. It makes me anxious, and I emerge from the book thinking “Phew, that’s just a story- look, everything is actually fine! Oh. Wait…”
I try not to see any news, but of course it seeps in, and things are consistently disturbing. I know I still have to live my life and find joy, because it’s there. I have to go back to my 2024 mantra of “Every Day Counts.” These days count too! I know that intellectually, but I’m finding it hard to put into practice.
Well- this too shall pass! I have some fun things coming up this week- a blogger meetup (!) and my son will be home for a couple days. When I finish this book, I have a stack of books I can’t wait to read. Everything is objectively fine. Get it together, Jenny!
How is your year going so far?
34 Responses
Jenny, I’m with you. I just haven’t had the time to collect my thoughts and make goals. I mean I do have the huge goal of quitting my job and I think that until that happens I’ll be stuck in the burnout phase.
Between Blue Castle and the Alphabet series, I’ve got good reading going right now, so at least there is that! I mean, yes, objectively everything is fine, there’s just a weird vibe going around right now.
Yes, that’s a good way of putting it- so far there’s been a weird vibe to 2025. Should be interesting to see how the year plays out!
What I love about FIG is how it shifts your focus to the good things in life. Sometimes, it’s the smallest moments that make the biggest difference. I can’t wait to read your next FIG update!
Right now, I’m channelling all my energy into my upcoming races while also looking for ways to support others within my tiny circle of influence. It’s not much, but if it brings a smile to someone’s face and keeps my mind engaged, then it’s more than worth it! 😊
Yes, that’s a great way to channel your energy. I mean- what else can we really do?
Awww, I’m sorry you’re feeling out of sorts with your new year’s goals and energy. I think… it’s okay! I mean, there is nothing magic about January (or February). It’s really just another month. 🙂 So, I think just as many people have the whole new fresh start thing in January, it’s also totally possible to have a “downer” month in January, too, because these things can ebb and flow and the calendar maybe doesn’t know exactly what’s going on with us all the time! I’m happy you’re loving your book at least. 🙂 You are already so productive and seem to be doing perfectly fine in life, so maybe this should just be a no-goals year! I know Lisa set zero goals last year and still did a million things. So it’s not like you HAVE to set goals, anyway. Excited for your blogger meet-up for you!
Hmm… a no-goals year. Don’t tempt me!
Oooh what Kae said!!
Don’t you love it when you are just totally immersed in a book and can’t wait to get back to it?
Yes, I do love that, Nicole! And you’re right, Kae is right. There’s no law saying January is THE MONTH to start anew.
I downloaded the FIG worksheet so I plan to do it.
My running is blah.
But I’m knitting again and reading more.
And leaving the cold in OnE week!!!
Darlene, you will be thrilled with our weather- it’s warm and sunny! Too warm and sunny, ha ha… but you’ll be happy.
I think it’s been so tough to make goals with everything else happening in the world! I told myself after my race in January that I would take some time to run just for fun because I had basically been training for races nonstop last year and I didn’t want to burn myself out. But now I feel sort of directionless and it’s hard to see other people ramping up training for spring races and I’m just running a few miles every day. But I think sometimes it’s ok to not have goals and see where life takes us for a bit! It sounds like you have some things to look forward to, which is always motivating!
Ashley, that always happens to me. I think I want a break from training, or training for something specific, but when I do take a break I feel kind of sad without a goal. Well- it will be good for you. You’ll have races to train for soon enough.
“All I feel like doing is reading my book” is absolutely my year so far! I dip into the news, but can’t take much at all. I saw a cartoon of two cats, where one of them is holding a phone and has its fur all sticking out, and the other is saying, “Stop looking at the news, you’re getting all puffy” and do I ever feel that these days. Reading is where my sanity lives right now, and that’s okay.
Hee hee… that cartoon- I can totally picture it. Well- we’ll get a lot of reading done this year.
I’m also engrossed in my book. “Go As a River”. Have you read it? I’m about half way thru. I’m also reading the Blue Castle and enjoying that too. I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions as I’m always doing things and life is busy enough, so I steer clear of added pressure. I do have a writing goal for the book I’m writing. All that to say, at lease you have a great book. Maybe the fact that the book you’re reading is titled ‘Death’s End’ is impacting your outlook? 😉 I think life has it’s ups and downs. Some months just feel more productive. I am trying to tackle a few piles of stuff or corners of rooms that I want to regain order in . . . it’s a little thing, but I like feeling like I’m making progress.
Yes, I just got through a very worrisome part of my book and I do think that was affecting my outlook! The next part is a little more hopeful (but I have a feeling it won’t last…)
I definitely have a project that would make me feel better- cleaning and organizing my closet. We’ll just see when I get around to that.
Yes! Death’s End! Sooo good. I LOVE that you are reading this trilogy because the only other person I know who’s read it is my daughter. At my suggestion. And yes. This too shall pass. I hope.
Your daughter read this trilogy? Wow, she must be quite a reader. I don’t think I would have made it through these books as a teenager. But they are SO GOOD. I’m glad my son convinced me to read them.
Jenny, I have a confession to make. I’ve been ignoring some stuff. My sister (my mother’s caretaker) was in the hospital and I just put my fingers in my ears and pretended I couldn’t hear it. I CAN’T DEAL WITH ANYMORE EXTRA BAD THINGS RIGHT NOW. I didn’t mean to yell in your comments, but things are dark. Thank goodness for FIGs because it really does push me to think about good thing (however small) happened in a day.
Yell all you want! And you just reminded me that I haven’t thought of my FIG yet today.
I can’t even imagine dealing with family drama on top of everything else. I fully support you putting your fingers in your ears.
Jenny…I feel this. 2025 has felt either BLAH or GASP from the start. So much horrible stuff happening in the world and I don’t know if it’s winter malaise or just feeling weary of all the suffering and horribleness of what human beings can do to each other/the planet, but I’ve been feeling pretty low lately, too.
I still find it easy to find nuggets of delight/FIGs in my days because I’ve conditioned myself to do this over the last few years but still – it’s hard to shake a pervading sadness 🙁
Aren’t I just a ray of sunshine today *facepalm*
But…yeah…the world feels…heavy.
Ha ha… you don’t have to be a ray of sunshine! If everyone were a ray of sunshine, I would feel like I’m doing something very wrong. I appreciate the support : )
All I can think about is that you have tomorrow off and you’re going to have a blogger meetup and we’ll get to see and read about it :).
I can hardly wait!
Yes- I’m really looking forward to it!
I agree, start when you want to start. January can be tough. I started my 5 days a week strength videos in November, right before Thanksgiving. I had a thought to wait for Jan 1, but then I thought how much January J would appreciate November J if she started then. And I did! So you can set goals whenever, whereever. And boy, a good book is a wonderful thing, right?
Excited for your blog meet up!
Thanks Julie! And, you deserve a medal for starting a strength program right before Thanksgiving- that’s right when mine fell off the face of the earth.
I feel you, Jenny. I haven’t made any goals, I am completely behind on *eveything* and majorly stressed out by the state of the world, so… yeah. I am looking forward to looking for little joys this month.
Okay, it looks like we have a “no goals” club going. Or, maybe it can be a support group.
Jenny, come over to the dark side of No Goal Setting and Just Winging It. It feels a little off balanced but there’s a lot less pressure! 😉 (Just kidding. Kind of. I wish I were good at setting and achieving goals!)
I really enjoyed The Three Body Problem TV show, and I have heard the book series is fantastic… but I tried listening to the first book and couldn’t get into it. Maybe I need to give it another go, possibly with my eyes?
I think it would be hard to listen to. To be honest it’s a little hard to read. There’s a lot of physics in there- I just didn’t worry about things I didn’t understand. You’ll still understand plenty well enough to follow the story. Also- the books get better and better. Book 3 is almost in a different category of awesome than book 1.
2026 has not been great to me either. I am trying to rise above and find more optimism but it’s tough! So you are not alone! BUT seeing you today was so much fun and really lifted my spirits!!
Okay Lisa I’m glad! It was a really nice break from “real life” to see everyone and have lunch in that beautiful spot.
It’s been a hard start to the year and I’m just hoping this means that the rest of the year is going to be AMAZING. Right? RIGHT? Pleeeease.
I am trying to not doom scroll too much but it seems like it just seeps in no matter what. Gah.
I know- how does the news keep seeping in???? Arg. Let’s go with your theory that the rest of the year is going to be amazing- it’s hard to imagine, but we’ll try.