February is here, meaning the countdown to spring is on and it’s time for my January 2025 roundup. How are you doing with your goals for 2025?

In addition to my goals update, my January 2025 roundup has terrific posts on Schitt’s Creek, supporting each other in difficult times, and the benefits of a morning routine.

Happy reading!

Cool things I read in January

Since publishing my first monthly roundup at the end of 2020, it has been an honour to introduce you to some of my favourite bloggers. I started the roundup to say thank you to the blogging community and bring attention to talented writers who create inspiring and informative content.

The volume of blog posts picked up in January after the typical December lull. Here are three of my favourites.

Visiting the Real Life Schitt’s Creek – My Life With T

Schitt’s Creek is one of my all-time favourite TV shows. Although the premise of the show is a little silly, the characters and its message of love and acceptance is powerful. Not to mention the terrific acting.

In this lovely post, Ab shares photos from his visit to the Schitt’s Creek filming locations around Ontario. It reminded me of my own visit to the “Rosebud Motel” a couple of summers ago.

Schitt’s Creek, at its heart, is about a family that takes an unexpected detour in life and the humbling lessons, remarkable growth and unintended hilarity they experience.

My Life with T – Visiting the Real Life Schitt’s Creek

As We Sat Together – Victoria Ponders

In this raw and emotional post, Vicki reminds us of the impact of our current chaos on real people, and offers thoughts on a simple way we can make a difference for someone, despite our powerlessness.

This is vulnerability, the likes of which I’ve not experienced in my professional life. What I can offer? Love and understanding – to the greatest extent possible – but I can’t change the trajectory of inhumanity in motion.

Victoria Ponders – As We Sat Together

The Real World Benefits of Establishing a Morning Routine – Unwanted Life

I’m a big believer in the value of morning and bedtime routines. This post confirms their benefits for our physical and mental health and offers suggestions on other types of routines to consider.

The way we decide to start our day will work as the foundation for the rest of the day, affecting our motivation, general wellbeing, and productivity.

Unwanted Life – The Real World Benefits of Establishing a Morning Routine

What I wrote in January

In case you missed any of them, here are the new posts I published in January here on Boomer Eco Crusader.

• 52 ways to simplify your life this year
• The Sunday Spark – What’s your theme for the new year?
• The environmental impact of food waste
• The Sunday Spark – Canada as the 51^st state? Not a fan!
• The Sunday Spark – Products that may soon disappear
• Solutions to common decluttering barriers
• The Sunday Spark – Untangling my digital life
• Book review: Refocus on “Things That Matter”

Plus, I refreshed and republished these posts.

• Sharing my best Pinterest tips for bloggers
• Bars! The simplest plastic-free swap you can make!

To support my theme of intentionality, I announced that I am taking a break from Wise & Shine in Intentional Living Sometimes Means Letting Go. I hope to be back in a couple of months.

And on my retirement coaching site Second Life Vision, I shared my Learnings from the first 6 months of retirement.

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January goals update

A new year is a fresh start. As I shared in the first edition of The Sunday Spark of 2025, my theme for the year is intentionality, so I aligned my January goals with that theme.   

Fitness goals

After reading Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s book Keep Sharp, I decided to work towards 400 minutes of activity a week, which is the right amount for optimal brain health. For January, my goal was 300 minutes, including walks. Despite the polar vortex’s best attempts to derail my plans, I did it thanks to a long winter hike at the end of the month. My weekly average was 305 minutes.

Handwritten note project

I met my goal of sending New Year’s cards to my overseas family and friends.

Reading

I exceeded my goal of reading 4 books, with a total of 5. Here’s what I read this month:

• The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
• The Retirement Collective by Retirement Coaches Association members
• Things that Matter by Joshua Becker
• Retirement Intelligence by Robert Laura
• Now or Never by Janet Evanovich

Intentional living

To support my 2025 theme of intentionality, I reread Joshua Becker’s Things That Matter. I published a detailed review of the book and how I’m using what I learned in this post.

Lifelong learning

With the coursework for the Plain Language Certificate completed, all that remains is the final project course. I’m off to a good start. In January, I finalized my project topic, had a couple of initial meetings with my client, and submitted my first assignment.

My February goals

So January turned out well in terms of achieving my goals. Can I keep the momentum going in February? Here are my goals for this month.

• Fitness goals: I’m hoping for some milder temperatures so I can get outdoors more. I’m keeping the same goal of 300 minutes of physical activity, including walks. And I plan to continue with 2 strength training and 3 balance/flexibility sessions every week.
• Reading: My February reading goal is 4 books.
• Intentional living: Reduce the distraction of technology by cutting out mindless online games, and doing a social media audit with the goal of eliminating some accounts.
• Learning: Continue with the Plain Language Certificate final project course.
• Writing: Start to organize my favourite “wisdom” pieces for my book of memoirs.

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Thanks for dropping by to check out my January 2025 roundup. How is 2025 going for you so far? Drop me a comment below to let me know.