Getting Creative with 2025’s New Year’s Resolutions

A new year is here and with it comes the expectation to set a resolution. Do you have yours yet? If I’m honest, I’ve always been a bit ambivalent about resolutions. I’m not exactly sure why, but part of it might be my lack of discipline and my tendency to approach self-improvement tasks with a bit of a lackluster spirit.

But that all changed a week ago when I read someone’s resolution: 

Try as many different pasta shapes as possible. 

Now this is a resolution I can get behind! It appeals to me because it involves food exploration and eating, which I enjoy, but also because it’s not limiting or imposing. It’s not denying a thing or activity. It’s expanding an experience and creating enjoyment and discovery. 

I might make this my resolution for 2025. Because each new pasta shape involves researching the best cooking application and might even lead to a new favorite recipe. Doing a quick internet search, I see there are over 300 pasta shapes—essentially an endless stream of pasta-goodness ready to be smothered in fabulous sauces or savored individually. 

What if we all approached our 2025 New Year’s resolutions with creativity and an expanding mindset? What if we changed the way we think about self-improvement, marking success by the depth of new experiences and broadened horizons?

Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

1. Try a new vegetable each time you go to the grocery store

2. Select a theme word for the year and embrace what that looks like for you (example: open // an intention to bring the concept of openness to daily life and beyond)

3. Expand your coffee experience by getting a different single-origin coffee each time & learning about that country

4. Check out a book from a different section of your local library each time you visit

5. Commit to consuming a variety of [credible] news sources for a broader understanding of global political viewpoints

6. Look first at a thrift store or charity shop before buying a household item or piece of clothing. You never know what else you might find!

7. If you see a new type of plant or tree, research it! (there are quite good apps for this, or keep an identification book close at hand)

This is just a start. We can’t wait to hear what you come up with. Remember, focus on opening up your perspective and enriching your life with discovery and knowledge. Here’s to a more creative 2025!