Since 2020, we’ve collectively gone through some pretty big cultural and energetic shifts, so in 2025 let’s normalise these things and let go of the rest.
Take what works for you, discard what doesn’t and add anything else that feels aligned to your heart and soul and supports your vision for the next 12 months.
In 2025, (in no particular order) let’s normalise…
- Sweeping our driveways and patios with a broom instead of using obnoxious leaf blowers(!!)
- Washing our cars, walls and stonework by hand with soapy water and a stiff brush instead of using gallons of water with a power washer. Plus, we’ll protect bug habitats and not stress out our neighbours for hours at the weekend! (Because, yes, your power washer does in fact drive me crazy!)
- Planning ahead, making a list and going to the supermarket once a week or less. Collectively, we’ll have less cars on the road, save money on fuel and random purchases when hungry, stressed, bored or tired.
- Cooking from scratch with real food ingredients. Learning to make sauces and dressings from scratch and using fresh or dried herbs and spices for flavour.
- Saying NO to last minute takeaways, food delivered to the door and indulgent ultra processed foods disguised as treats.
- Creating food growing spaces in our gardens, patios and balconies. (And then nurturing those plants with love and water consistently)
- Bringing back driveways with earth-filled borders for plants and shrubs, hedging instead of concrete walls and lawns or vegetable patches instead of sprawling patios.
- Protecting old trees in our neighbourhood and not allowing new developers to cut them down simply because they block a view or don’t fit the modern concrete design!
- Drying laundry on a washing line instead of using a tumble drier.
- Talking to our neighbours instead of isolating ourselves.
- Doodling, reading, staring into space, laying on the grass looking up at the clouds or any other act of ‘mindful nothingness’ instead of scrolling, consuming content, watching TV or feeling the pressure to create or set up a side hustle on top of everything else you do.
- Wearing the clothes we have instead of buying new items for every event, holiday, romantic date or special occasion. Ditto for bags, shoes and accessories.
- Being ok with NOT having a regular presence on every social media platform and instead creating high value content when you feel most aligned and not being a slave to the ever-changing algorithm.
- Reading the books we have before buying more (except if you want to buy my book Raising Wild Birds of course!) / Gifting books for Christmas or birthdays (new or pre-loved) instead of ‘tat’ that no-one really wants!
- Spending money on travel and experiences instead of buying more stuff. (This includes digital purchases such as courses and e-books that you know you’ll never use!)
- Gifting handmade, pre-loved, home cooked or home grown items for birthdays and special occasions. Gifting travel and experiences to close family and friends instead of presents.
- Wearing an extra jumper, fluffy socks or slippers or sitting with a blanket on your lap instead of turning the heating up a few more degrees. (You might not ever see a glacier in real life, but they are affected permanently by our modern lifestyle and climate change.)
- Being more community-centric instead of isolated and selfish. Being part of regular gatherings or community events that support, uplift, serve, inspire or educate others.
- Finding purpose through being a kind and loving human being.
- Having natural nails without gel polish, faces without filler and botox, lashes without extensions and photos without filters.
- Walking to work, school or to the shops (if possible – depending on where you live) / Trying to do all your errands in one car journey to free up your time on other days.
- Supporting local shops, farmers, small businesses and friends or family who run their own business instead of drip feeding your money into celebrity brands, TikTok influencers or corporations that don’t care about their people or the planet (and who probably avoid paying tax in your country!).
- Learning a new skill or language more intensively in a shorter time frame, rather than being a slave to an app or a subscription model that you end up not using after a few months.
- Paying in cash locally or to small businesses as much as possible. (Setting a budget for food, entertainment or guilt-free spending and taking that in a wallet in cash to avoid reckless spending with an easy ‘tap’)
- Finding our own morning routine that feels nourishing and supports our personal goals and vision instead of following someone else’s routine we’ve seen on social media.
- Living in homes that have mismatched and pre-loved furniture; cupboards that aren’t neatly stacked with produce in identical pretty containers; make up bags and bathroom cabinets with one of each essential item that is bought because it works well for you and not because the branding fits a certain aesthetic.
- Having one regular sized water bottle instead of multiple branded ones in different colours to match different outfits or seasons!
And finally, let’s normalise…
- Speaking our truth, asking for what we want and listening to others instead of people pleasing, being a ‘good girl’ or being afraid to speak up.
What else would you add to this list?
Which are you taking into 2025 with you?
Remember, a goal without a plan is just a wish. Before the new year comes around, spend some time tapping into your soul’s wisdom, being honest about what you really desire and setting intentions for the 12 months ahead.
We’ve got this!
Lorraine xx
Ps. I didn’t realise I had so much to say about normalising life and stepping away from the never-ending consumption merry-go-round. This was definitely a fun listicle to create that made me smile on multiple occasions!