5 Thing I’m Leaving Behind in 2025
Happy New Year! As is tradition here on Flecks of Lex, I’m sharing the things I’m leaving behind in 2025. Keep reading to learn what that means, why you might want to try this mindfulness exercise, and what the five things I’m leaving behind in 2025 are (and why).
What Does it Mean to Create a List of Things to Leave Behind in 2025?
I’m not really a “New Year’s Resolution” person. Instead, I like to conduct a sort of performance review for myself of the past year. What did I do well? What did I struggle with? What did I survive? From there, I think about the things I want to leave in the past year, such as bad habits, relationships, emotions, and mindsets. Next, I create a separate list of what went well, what habits I’d like to continue, and things I’d like to expand on in the new year.
Eventually, I arrive at a mantra or phrase that I want to use as a reminder of how I want to define the new year. It gives me something to reference throughout the year – particularly when I’m experiencing feelings of doubt, heading for a crossroads where I need to make a major decision, and when I think, “what should I do next?”
Most years, I’ve written a blog post to share the things I’m leaving behind when transitioning to the new year, as well as the things I want to continue in the new year. If I don’t write a blog post (we’ll get to that in a second), I still think it’s good to write it down somewhere – even if that somewhere is on the front page of my planner or a sticky note I leave on my fridge.
Why You Might Want to Try this Mindfulness Exercise
If you never stop to reflect on what’s going well or not working, how can you improve things in your life?
I’ve found that, as I conduct my performance review on myself, there are often broad themes that show up across a variety of categories (work, fitness, relationships, life in general). These broad themes become the things I’m leaving behind. Once I have these broad themes, I get to goal-setting.
I’m a big believer in S.M.A.R.T. goals, and I like to use this format when I’m thinking about what I want to bring with me into the next year. If I apply this format to the “bringing with me” goals that I set in the previous year, how did I do?
Thinking about the goals you may have set for yourself for 2026, are they S.M.A.R.T. goals, or vague goals? Dive deeper into these goals. Why are you setting them? What prevented you from hitting them last year? Once you answer that last question, that should help you determine what you should leave behind in 2025.
This self-assessment can be especially helpful when you hit bumps in the road in 2026, and there will likely be bumps in the road of some sort. It helps you identify patterns – for better or worse – and recognize what you can do differently if need be.
What I’m Leaving Behind in 2025
In some ways, I’m happy that many of the things on this “things to leave behind in 2025” list are different from past years. In some ways, it feels like a step backwards. If I had to summarize it into a sentence, I would say, “Build stronger relationships with yourself and your community, Alexis!” Turned into a mantra, I made my 2026 phrase, “Give time. Make friends.”
Below, I’ve outlined my 5 things, and included how I can do things differently (better) in the year ahead.
1. Relationships that Do Not Serve Me
There are some relationships that I need to let go of. They’re unbalanced and, frankly, disappointing and exhausting. There is a wealth of great advice available on how to deal with this, and I’ve made peace with how to handle each situation. However, I’ve come to realize that this is something I absolutely must do if I want to find more joy and human connection in 2026.
What to do differently: Build new friendships and strengthen healthy friendships!
Get out there and meet new people who share your values and are willing to meet you where you are.
2. Lack of Self-Accountability
Man. I have got to do better and be better in 2026. If I had to name 2025, I might call it “The Year of Making Excuses.” That has got to stop! There’s a difference between granting yourself grace and permitting yourself to make excuses for everything, and I was definitely doing more of the latter.
What to do differently: Stop making excuses!
3. Ignoring Health Issues
There are some nagging health issues that I need to take care of, and it finally clicked somewhere around June 20025. Some of them, I let go far too long before addressing them, and once I finally did, I felt better!
What to do differently: Schedule more appointments and communicate with the appropriate medical professionals sooner.
4. Complaining Without Action
Sure, the political landscape has made my blood boil all year; however, what did I do about it? In April or May, I might have said, “What can I do?!” and left it at that. But by December, I realized there are ways for me to roll up my sleeves and get involved rather than complaining into the abyss.
What to do differently: Volunteer my time to non-profit organizations that are making a difference in my community.
5. Not Having a Fitness Plan
In 2025, I didn’t really train with my trainer, which is crazy because I was training three times a week at some point in 2024 – the year that I was the most sick I’d ever been in my life! I thought that I could just wing it because I’m a fitness professional, after all, but I just could not get it together. As a result, I got a lot weaker, and I could feel my fitness declining.
What to do differently: Plan out your workouts, races, and other physical activity in advance rather than just winging it.
Get into a sustainable routine with my personal trainer. SLEEP! Have plenty of meal options.
So, what do you think? Do you have similar things on your things to leave behind in 2025 list? I’d love to hear how your 2025 panned out, and what you’d like to accomplish in 2026.
Do you have questions about how to set SMART goals? Are you feeling a little stuck on how to even come up with goals for 2026? Send me an email and let’s set up a time for your free mindfulness coaching session!
This is a free offer to Flecks of Lex readers! There is no financial commitment or subscription after your free mindfulness coaching session.