2025 is here, and it’s our year. It’s the year we stop just dreaming about our goals and actually make them happen. Whether you want to hit those career milestones, improve your health, find love, or finally start that side hustle, this is your sign to go for it. Let’s break it down into bite-sized, doable steps to achieve all your goals this year.

How to Achieve Your Goals in 2025

1. Get Crystal Clear on What You Want

First things first: write down your goals. Not just in your head—actually write them down. Be specific! Instead of saying, “I want to get in shape,” try, “I want to work out 3 times a week and feel confident in my favorite jeans.” Specific goals make it easier to track progress. If you want, you can set goals for every area in your life: body, work, relationships, and home.

2. Create a Vision Board

Nothing makes goals feel real like seeing them every day. Use Pinterest or grab some magazines and create a physical vision board. Include photos, quotes, and anything that inspires you. Put it somewhere you’ll see often (desk, fridge, or even as your phone wallpaper). I personally love creating vision boards. I spend some time on Pinterest and find photos that reflects my goal, with Canva I create a desktop wallpaper and every time I have to work, I see my vision board. It helps me to stay focused.

3. Break It Down

Big goals can feel overwhelming, so break them into smaller, actionable steps. Want to save $1000? Divide it by 12 months, and suddenly, it’s a lot less scary. Tackling small steps feels good and keeps you motivated. You can set smaller monthly/weekly goals to help you to stay focused. Plus, your brain releases dopamine every time you achieve something, which makes you feel good.

4. Build a Routine That Supports Your Goals

Your daily habits determine your success. If you want to write a book, block time each day to write—even if it’s just 15 minutes. Want to improve your health? Meal prep or schedule your workouts like you would any important meeting. And of course, stick to your new routine and don’t go back to your old routine. If you want a different result, then you have to do something new.

5. Stay Accountable

Share your goals with a friend, family member, or even your followers on social media. Accountability makes a huge difference. If you’re brave, post updates regularly and celebrate your wins. You might inspire others to go after their goals too! If you want to write a book, start a social media account and share the progress of your book.

6. Learn to Pivot

Life happens. Maybe you’ll need to tweak your goals or adjust your timeline—and that’s okay! Being flexible doesn’t mean giving up. It means you’re adaptable and still moving forward. Maybe something will happen, but it will improve your whole life. You never know what is going to happen. Just go with the flow.

7. Reward Yourself

Celebrate every milestone, big or small. Finished a month of consistent workouts? Treat yourself to a new outfit. Reached a savings goal? Do something fun. Rewards keep the process fun and exciting. You don’t have to go all out to celebrate achieving your goals. You can also celebrate it by drinking a glass of (non-alcoholic) wine or asking your friend for a movie night.

8. Visualize and Manifest

Spend a few minutes each day imagining your dream life. Feel the emotions as if you’ve already achieved your goals. Manifesting isn’t magic—it’s about aligning your mindset with your desires. I am a big fan of the whole manifesting thing. I will write more about it on my blog soon.

9. Take Care of Yourself

You can’t pour from an empty cup. Prioritize rest, eat nourishing food, and take mental health breaks when you need them. Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s necessary. This is the first step actually if you want to improve your life. Put your phone away 1 or 2 hours before going to bed, so you can have a great night of sleep. Eat healthier (which doesn’t mean you have to eat healthy all the time), go out for a walk, and take a nap when you need it. When you feel good, you will have more energy to take action.

10. Reflect and Adjust

Check in with yourself regularly. What’s working? What’s not? Reflection helps you stay on track and avoid burnout. It’s okay to change your goals if they no longer feel aligned. It is not a sign of failure. It is realizing that something else makes you feel better and happier.

Final Thoughts

Achieving your goals doesn’t mean working yourself to the bone. It’s about finding balance, staying consistent, and remembering why you started in the first place. 2025 is going to be full of growth, opportunities, and wins for you. I can already feel it.

Now go out there and crush it! What’s the first goal you’re tackling? Let me know in the comments below. Let’s hold each other accountable!

Photo by Matias Difabio on Unsplash

The post How to Achieve Your Goals in 2025 first appeared on Bettie Toon.

<p>The post How to Achieve Your Goals in 2025 first appeared on Bettie Toon.</p>

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s Eve, no matter how you celebrated. I honestly can’t believe it’s already 2025—time really flies. I had so much fun in 2024, but of course, I’m planning to make 2025 even better and more exciting. As usual, I’ve made a list of things I want to do this year. This list includes both big goals and smaller ones, and I’m hoping that by the end of 2025, I can say I achieved every single one of them. Let’s get into it!

25 Things I want to do in 2025

1. Read 100 books. In 2024, I read a lot of books—so many that I came pretty close to hitting 100. Most of them were read towards the end of the year when I went on a serious reading spree. The last couple of months turned into a full-on reading sprint! One big reason I got through so many books was because I tried to fix my sleep schedule, and reading for 1-2 hours before bed actually helped me fall asleep better. It became such a relaxing routine. With how things are going, I’m feeling confident that 2025 is going to be my year for hitting the big 100. Let’s do this!
2. Try new things. This year, I’m keeping it simple: I just want to try new things. Whether it’s experimenting with recipes, picking up a new hobby, or doing something totally wild, I’m all in. The goal is to step out of my comfort zone more often and see where it takes me.
3. Spend more time offline. This year, I want to cut back on spending time online when it’s not necessary. I’ve realized how much time I waste scrolling through YouTube or Netflix, watching random stuff I don’t even care about. Instead, I want to focus on reading more and spending time on activities that actually make me feel good. It’s all about being intentional with how I spend my time.
4. More concerts/festivals. I love music (I mean, who doesn’t?), and this year, I’m making it a priority to see more artists live. There’s just something magical about being in the crowd, feeling the energy, and hearing your favorite songs in person.
5. Meet new people. As an introvert, I don’t always seek out new connections, but honestly, it’s always nice to meet new people. This year, I want to step out of my comfort zone and expand my social life a bit. Building connections and making new friends sounds like a challenge worth taking on!
6. Travel more. In 2024, I worked every single day except for the last three weeks, and let me tell you—it was not healthy. This year, I want to be better about taking (short) breaks and actually planning a little trip or two. It doesn’t have to be far or fancy, just something to recharge and enjoy life a bit more. Balance is the goal!
7. Weekly Movie Nights. One of my favorite things in 2024 was my weekly movie nights. There’s just something so cozy and relaxing about curling up on a Saturday afternoon or evening and diving into a good movie. It became such a nice little tradition, and I’m definitely keeping it going this year!
8. Monthly self-care day. I’m planning to dedicate one day every weekend to going completely offline and just doing whatever I feel like. It’s going to be my little self-care day—maybe some skincare, maybe a massage, or just relaxing without any screens. It’s all about taking a break and recharging.
9. Join a club. I’ve been thinking about meeting new people, and one idea I’m excited about is joining a club. I’m not 100% sure what kind yet—maybe a sports club or trying out some classes at the gym. A book club also sounds like a great option. I’m keeping my options open for now, but I’m ready to dive into something fun and social!
10. Stay organized. I’ll admit, I’m not the most organized person in the world—but after how chaotic 2024 was, I’m ready for a change. This year, I want to get my life together, both at work and in my personal life. It’s time to figure out a system that actually works for me and stick to it. Let’s see how it goes!
11. Prioritize Mental Health. I feel like this is a goal everyone should have on their list—prioritizing feeling good. When you’re in a good place mentally and physically, everything else just falls into place. I definitely pushed myself a bit too hard in 2024, so this year, I’m focusing more on taking care of myself and making sure I feel my best. Life’s just easier that way!
12. Improve posture. I’m working on standing up straight with my shoulders back and avoiding slumping. Not only does it feel better, but it also helps with looking more confident. Small change, big impact!
13. Become more disciplined. I’ve definitely had those days where I make a to-do list and somehow end up doing nothing, which makes me fall behind on my work. It’s definitely not ideal. This year, I want to stick to my schedule and actually follow through with my to-do lists. Time to get more organized and stay on track!
14. Spend more time outside. During my break these last few weeks, I realized how much I enjoy spending time outside. While I’m not a fan of the cold and definitely prefer spring and summer, I still made it a point to get fresh air every day. This year, I want to make it a habit to go outside more often—whether it’s for a walk, a bike ride, or just soaking up the outdoors.
15. Exercise and stretch. I’m planning to start exercising in 2025 to make my body stronger and more flexible. I think it’ll also help with my posture, which I’ve been wanting to improve. Time to get moving and build some good habits!
16. Sleep better. This goal definitely ties into becoming more disciplined. Watching Netflix in the evening is fun, but it doesn’t do any favors for my sleep schedule. I want to stop looking at screens two hours before bed. It won’t be easy, but I know it’ll help my mood and energy levels in the long run. Time to stick to this!
17. Learn how to play the ukelele. Last year, I found a ukulele at a thrift store, and I was super excited about it. But once I got it, I barely touched it. It’s definitely something I want to pick up again this year and actually start playing. It’s time to finally learn!
18. Find a bigger apartment. Living in a super small apartment isn’t ideal, so one of my goals this year is to find something bigger. I’m dreaming of a place with more space and room for a normal-sized dining table—so I can actually enjoy meals without feeling cramped!
19. Grow my business. I’m ready to take my business to the next level in 2025. I’ve got so many great ideas, and I can’t wait to share them with the world. It’s time to level up and make it happen!
20. Practice French daily. Right now, I’m practicing my French every day on Duolingo. I started two years ago, and I’m still going strong. I learned French back in high school, but I forgot most of it. If I’m being honest, I think I’ve learned more from Duolingo than I ever did from my high school French teacher. But shh, don’t tell her that!
21. Take a course. For fun this year, I want to learn something new—whether it’s related to my business or just something that sounds interesting. I’m thinking about taking a cooking class or maybe an online course. Nothing specific yet, but I’m excited to explore!
22. Go to more museums/theatres/Musicals. I honestly can’t remember the last time I went to a museum or theater, and I don’t think I’ve ever been to a musical. This year, I want to change that. It’s time to experience more culture and enjoy some live performances!
23. Get rid of things that do not spark joy. This year, I want to focus on letting go of things that no longer serve me. That means getting rid of clothing items I don’t wear anymore, but also stopping things I don’t enjoy (especially if they’re not necessary), and distancing myself from people who bring negativity into my life. It’s all about making space for the things and people that truly make me happy.
24. Go to a sports game. It’s been a while since I last went to a sports game. At first, I was totally done with it—especially on those cold days—but now, I kind of miss it. There’s just something about the energy of the crowd and the excitement that makes it worth it. I’m definitely thinking about going to one again soon!
25. Listen to podcasts. I definitely want to give podcasts a try this year. It feels like everyone’s listening to them, and I’m the only one who isn’t. I’m curious to see what all the hype is about, so I’m planning to find a few that interest me!

These are my goals for 2025. What are your goals?

Photo by Logan Voss on Unsplash

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There are less than two months left in this year and we are going to the most beautiful time of the year. It is also the time when people start thinking about their lives and if they want to do something different next year. Most people start with their New Year’s resolutions on the first day of the year, but why not start level up your life now? Why would you wait? The best moment to improve yourself and your life is always now. So today I am sharing how to level up before 2024.

How To Level Up Your Life in 10 Steps

Health

Exercise
Moving your body is very important. Exercising is not only good for your body, it is also great for your mental health. When you exercise you release feel-good hormones and it will be easier to deal with challenges and stress. You don’t have to go to the gym to exercise. You can also just simply go out for a walk or dance to your favorite songs. It doesn’t matter. Exercising should be fun.

Stretch
If you are like me and you are sitting a lot during the day, you might relate to this one. But after a day you feel stiff because you spent a few hours in the same position. Are bodies are not made to sit all day long. So before and after your workout, also implement a moment to stretch your whole body. Or stretch your body while you are watching your favorite Netflix show.

Eat healthy
Eating healthy is so important. When you eat the right things, you will feel more energetic, healthier, and better in general. The best tip I can give you is to eat something before going to the supermarket. When you are full, you will make better decisions when it comes to buying food. Make a list of things you have to buy (a lot of veggies and fruit) and stick to that list.

Mindset

Visualize
Visualization can help with a lot of things. It can help to relieve stress because you visualize yourself doing something scary and eventually it does not feel scary anymore. Visualization can also help with goal setting and seeing yourself achieving your goals. A lot of athletes do this. It is also fun to daydream a little bit, thinking about fun things.

Meditate
Meditation has a lot of benefits, it relieves stress, you will have a better focus and you are more in control of your thoughts and emotions. A lot of people don’t realize they have the power over their thoughts and emotions but you do. Spend 15 minutes sitting down in silence before you start your day. Focus on your breathing. Meditation is something you have to practice until you become better at it.

Happy thoughts
Some people (including myself right now) have negative thoughts and it is not always a bad thing. It helps you to figure out what you like and don’t like. Negative thoughts become more of a problem when you are constantly thinking about the thing you don’t like. Every time, you notice that negative thought just let it go and start thinking about something more fun and happy.

Work and Goals

Stay focused on goals 
Everyone has goals, but sometimes we have goals and we focus on it for a week and then we give up because we prefer to watch that one episode of that Netflix series. You have to stay focused. You have to break certain bad habits. Put reminders everywhere, make a vision board, and try to stay focused on your goals.

Work on your goals every day/week
Make a plan for yourself so you know when you are going to work on your goals. Depending on how much time you have and what your goals are, plan daily or weekly sessions to work on your goals. Even when it is something so small. Every step is progress.

Personal Growth

Read more
Reading is good for everyone. It helps with stress, it improves focus, memory, empathy, and communication skills. Reading can also allow you to learn new things. There are so many benefits, but the most important thing is that reading is fun. There are so many genres that you can easily find something that you will enjoy.

Have a healthy evening routine
Instead of watching Netflix in the evening or scrolling for hours on TikTok, spend time taking care of yourself. Turn off all of your screens, because the blue screen can affect the quality of your sleep. Start journaling, reading, or doing something else that calms you down. Let your brain know that it is time to sleep. So don’t do anything that asks a lot from your brain, no gaming or solving puzzles or work.

Photo by Antonino Visalli on Unsplash

The post How To Level Up Your Life in 10 Steps first appeared on Bettie Toon.

<p>The post How To Level Up Your Life in 10 Steps first appeared on Bettie Toon.</p>

Happy New Year! I can’t believe 2022 is already over. It felt like it was just yesterday when the year started. 2022 was an interesting year with no breaks at all. I had 0 days off until 19 December, which was the worst. So I learned to take more breaks for my own (mental) health. That is at least what I want to do this year. These are 24 things I want to do before 2024

24 Things I want to do before 2024

1. Read 100 books. Reading 100 books sounds a bit extreme when you work full-time, but I want to read every night before I go to bed (instead of watching Netflix) and this will motivate me to do that. If you want to follow my progress and see what books I am currently reading, you can always follow me on Goodreads. And of course, I always post little updates on Instagram and TikTok.
2. Travel more. I had no days off, so I had no time at all to go somewhere. But at the same time, I really want to see more of the world. In 2023 I definitely want to see more of the world.
3. Yoga and stretching more often. Sitting all day long for work is not great for your body.
4. Change my look/style. I am done with the same hairstyle every single day.
5. Find a new hobby. I don’t always want to read or watch Netflix when I am not working. I realized on my social media detox days, I really need more (offline) hobbies.
6. Be happier. I want to have more fun. Every day I wake up and do the same things on autopilot and that is kind of boring and it does not make me happy.
7. Read more self-help books and apply the things I learn to my daily life. It is never too late to improve yourself and be nice to other people.
8. Write a book. I’ve been wanting to write a book for such a long time now. It is time to take some action.
9. Go to at least one festival. I love festivals and I definitely want to go to some festivals this year. Hopefully, I can get tickets for my favorite ones.
10. Make new friends. It is never too late to make new incredible and like-minded friends.
11. Volunteer. It does not matter if I am just going to pick up some trash on a beach on cleaning the beach day or do something else. I just want to help others and the earth.
12. Go to a protest. I’ve never been to a protest and I would like to attend one. Probably a climate protest or maybe women’s rights.
13. Try the lucky girl syndrome manifestation tool. In the last couple of days, I heard about a ´new´ tool for manifesting things. It is called ´Lucky Girl Syndrome´ and it is based on the Law of Assumption. You tell yourself that you´re so lucky and that everything is working out for you. You really have to believe everything you want, will come to you.
14. Take care of my (mental) health. Sometimes I don’t do the right thing that is good for my mental health, like getting enough sleep. But I want to change that in 2023.
15. Try 5 new recipes in 2023. It is always nice to try something new and maybe I will find something that will be my new favourite dish.
16. Walk more. On the weekends I am pretty inactive and that is fine every now and then, but I also know how good it feels when you walk for an hour and I want to get that feeling more often. So I would like to take 10K steps each day. This is pretty standard on a normal workday for me and it is actually pretty easy to get 10K steps in a day. 
17. Be more present. I want to take 30-60 minutes each day to practice mindfulness. I’ve read so many books about it, but I never use that information. 
18. Movie nights. I love watching movies, but creating movie nights for a group of friends or just me makes it more special. 
19. Stepping out of my comfort zone. It is good for people to do something scary and new. This way you learn new things and you grow as a person. Not sure how I am going to step out of my comfort zone, but we’ll see what is going to happen in 2023.
20. Going through my following lists on social media. It’s been a while since the last time I checked who I was still following and figured out if I still wanted to follow the same people. And maybe another social media clean-up in the summer again. 
21. Find the perfect apartment for me. I want to get an apartment with a big kitchen, 1 bedroom, 1 study/workroom and a beautiful view.
22. Show more kindness to everyone. A little bit of extra kindness will make this world a better place.
23. Write in my gratitude journal every single day. It is good to think about all of the good things that are happening. Sometimes something ‘bad’ happens and we focus on that and we forget to be grateful for the little or big beautiful things that are happening to us.
24. Grow my social media. I am creating more content and I hope more people will find my TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube accounts. Besides that I also have Twitter, but I have no specific goals for that platform. I use that for fun.

Photo by Jon Flobrant on Unsplash

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Last year, I saw some bloggers making lists for 2020 with 21 things before 2021 and I thought that was a cool idea. So I made a list of 22 things before 2022. Of course, these 22 goals or things I want to do are not big goals because that would be too much. So some of them are tiny goals and some are bigger.

22 Things I want to do before 2022

1.Treat me on a Christmas gift. In one of my videos of 2020, I was talking about how I wanted to buy something nice for myself for Christmas. And suddenly the stores had to close and I couldn’t buy new clothes anymore. I know I can order things online, but I really prefer buying things in the store. So this year, I want to treat myself.
2. Move to a different city. This is one of my goals for 2021 because I want to move to the other side of the country. I want to live closer to Amsterdam.
3. Watch Hamilton. I’ve heard so many people talking about this musical movie and I still want to watch it. I don’t have Disney+, so I have to find someone who has Disney or maybe I have to buy a one-month subscription. We’ll see.
4. Read 100 books. Another goal for 2021. Last year, I also wanted to read 100 books but never made it that far. I think I read 30 or so. But this year I really want to achieve this goal. I love to read books.
5. Make videos for Instagram Stories. I got over my fear of talking to the camera for a YouTube video. But making videos for Instagram stories is next level.
6. Get a vaccine for coronavirus. I want to go back to normal again!!!
7. Go to the beach. It has been a few years since the last trip to the beach and I really miss it.
8. Fulltime income by doing the things I love. I love to create content on YouTube, Instagram, Blog, and TikTok. And I want to continue creating more content and make more money with it.
9. Go out for a long hike on a beautiful sunny day. I love to take long walks and nature is so beautiful in summer, especially on sunny days. I can’t wait to bring my camera and take beautiful shots of nature and myself.
10. Buy new clothes. I was already done with my clothes. I want to start wearing more clothes that make me feel sexy, confident, powerful, and awesome. Unfortunately, I have to wait a little bit longer until the stores are open again.
11. Try 5 new recipes. I love to try new things, but in 2020 I did the exact same things over and over again. So I am ready to try new things. I prefer to try healthy (and veggie/vegan) recipes.
12. Spending more offline. Not really have a specific goal, but I want to start living and spending less time online.
13. Do something fun on my birthday. Last year, I couldn’t have my birthday because of the coronavirus. So I am going big for this year’s birthday. I just want to have a fun day
14. Make new friends. Because when I am moving to the other side of the country, I don’t want to be alone.
15. Write 300 blog posts in 2021
16. Picnic at the park to celebrate we are going back to normal or just to celebrate life.
17. Make time for Yoga every single week. I want to be more flexible and I think that Yoga can help me with that.
18. Stop working on Sundays and create more me-time
19. Read 5 self-help/self-improvement books. Self-improvement is always good.
20. Learn how to be happy for others. I really try, but sometimes I can be jealous.
21. Learn how to be more present. 99% of the time I am somewhere else with my thoughts.
22. Start living. At the beginning of 2020, I was ready to start living again. I had no panic attacks anymore and I was feeling better now. But the coronavirus changed my plans. So I am going to do a lot of fun things this year.

Photo by Rob Keating on Unsplash

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