2025 Game Plan

Another year, another game plan. I’m so happy I don’t feel rushed to finish this post. I think dati meron akong nafi-feel na, “Dapat ma-finalize ko na ‘to bago matapos ang January.” But not this year. Bago ako pumunta sa theme at sa mga gusto kong ma-achieve this year, I will check first kung anong success rate ng 2024 game plan ko…

Okay, out of the 12 goals I set, I was able to achieve 7! I’m not aiming for perfect. Basta more than half okay na ko dun.

THEME:

Make maximum personal impact through simplified effort

Last year, I overwhelmed myself with too many personal projects. This year, I want to keep things simple—not just with my hobbies, but in all aspects of my life. I already tried implementing this shift during the last few months of last year:

• I stopped doing some journaling projects that stressed me out all year
• With my expense tracking, I streamlined the categories by merging similar ones
• I stopped calorie counting
• Stopped tracking my fasts
• Stopped tracking my reading minutes (why was I even doing this??)
• And so on

This year’s theme was inspired by Steve Jobs. I read his biography two years ago, and it pushed me toward minimalism. I think in some areas of my life, I already practice it naturally—I don’t buy a lot of clothes, bags, or shoes. But in others, like my hobbies, I tend to overcomplicate things. So this year, my focus is to simplify almost everything—including setting fewer goals.

My hope for this year’s theme is to have more mental clarity by doing less, so I can put more effort into the things that are valuable and meaningful to me.

Just like every year, I’ll categorize my goals into three: personal, wellness, and money goals.

PERSONAL

1. Maintain an organized and clean home

Now that we have our own house, I’m determined to keep it as fresh as possible—though it’s extra tricky when you have three cats. This is more of a combined effort from me and Kenneth. I already have a checklist of chores that I have to do at the end of each month, and I think we did a great job in January.

2. Visit PH again, this time for Mama’s 60th birthday

All families living abroad are coming home this year. Exciting!

3. Take one or two C level French classes

The levels are A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2. I’m currently taking A2 classes, but I’m almost done, so I’ll probably start B1 this month. My goal is to reach C1 by taking at least one class.

Maybe a sub-goal is to start consuming French media kahit wala akong maintindihan.

WELLNESS

4. Don’t go a 3rd day without working out—or doing yoga at the very least

In short, workout at least 3x a week.

5. No sugar Monday

My long-term goal is to consume sugar during weekends only (natural sugars are always welcome).

6. Practice having my last meal at 3 or 4PM

I know I can’t do this everyday so the goal is to do this most days—maybe 4 to 6 times a week. Medyo tempting lang minsan kasi around 6 or 7PM nagdi-dinner si Kenneth. But the trick is to brush my teeth when he’s about to eat so my mouth still tastes minty, and that would discourage me from thinking about eating.

MONEY GOALS

7. Start building 3 months worth of emergency fund

I already started last month and with the rate we’re going, we’ll be able to fund half of the target this year.

8. Invest more than we did last year

Now that we have a mortgage, medyo delulu yung goal na ‘to pero go lang.

9. Find a remote job

Ayoko na talagang gumising ng extra maaga to allot for commute time. And as someone na frequent umihi, ayoko nang gumamit ng office bathrooms.

Sana makahanap ako immediately after my PH vacation.

For my 9 goals this year, I hope to achieve most of them. At least 75% success rate sana. Pero kung more than half okay na rin.

To be really simple,
you have to go really deep.

Steve Jobs

Happy Valentine’s Day!