I have a theme for this year. I usually don’t do themes but I felt like I really needed one this year to help me organize my goals.
And the theme is…
Get Back To The Basics
This year, I want to get back to the basics.
Last year I ended up with so much on my plate that it felt like I was in constant motion and I missed out on a lot of the basic things that I normally enjoy doing.
So this year I am approaching my goals a little differently. No big giant list of things I *need* to do. But things I *want* to do.
In no particular order, here’s a list of the things I want to accomplish this year:
Unplug
Implement a New Writing Schedule
Instead of writing 6 days a week, I’ve decided to scale it back a little and only write on the weekdays.
Instead of popping on the blog every Sunday to update my goals, I’ll be writing them on Mondays so I can take the weekends off.
Spending time on the internet is cool and everything, but sometimes you just need to set some boundaries and intentionally unplug.
Noise Pollution
It’s real. So is constantly picking up your phone. To check an email, the time, a text, a quick fact.
I was in a specialty craft store not too long ago and I was talking to someone who worked there explaining what I do {hook rugs} and blah blah blah and I instinctively pulled out my phone, dropped eye contact with her and started scrolling through the {4500+} photos on my phone looking for a rug to show her.
She was talking, I was listening to her but at the same time staring at the brick in my hand and not giving her the attention I should have. I was flustered that I couldn’t {quickly} find what I was looking for to show her.
I finally gave up, put the phone away, looked her in the eyes and TALKED to her. And I instantly felt better.
Old school polite human interaction. We need more of it.
Also, I’d like to be more intentional about spending quality time with my husband. While we work really well together, I want to make sure we are taking time each week NOT to work.
To be doing stuff that is not work/house/project related. You know, like hanging out. I’m not saying I’m going to start watching cat videos with him or anything, but I need to make more of an effort to relax.
I’m kind of a high energy person. 😉 And I have a really hard time not squeezing every bit of productivity into every second of the day.
I need to learn to mellow out a little bit. I’m hoping that forcing myself to unplug 2 days a week will help with that.
There’s always hope, right?
In The Kitchen
Master the pear frangipane tart from Standard Baking Company. It’s my all time favorite pastry they make and I buy one every time we stop by.
Put my Weck jars to use. I haven’t been able to can as much as I have wanted to for the past 2 years. I’m excited to get back into it. Partly because I like the process, but also because I like the way the jars look on a shelf and the sense of achievement that comes with it.
And there’s the eating of the contents of the jars too. 😉
Use the two bins of beans that have been sitting in tubs underneath the stairs, since we moved in. I mean I know beans pretty much last forever, but seriously, I need to use them.
Rug Hooking
1. Finish drawing out all my patterns by January 31st.
2. Finish making all my kits by February 28th.
3. Finish dyeing wool by March 31st.
4. Release 10 new rug hooking patterns/kits. I already have all the patterns drawn out. Now comes the hard part. Hooking, assembling and resisting the urge not to produce more. {Which is harder than it sounds.}
5. Hook HALF the patterns I’ve had stored in the “someday I’ll hook these” pattern bin.
There are 54 in there. The deal I’ve made with myself is if I don’t hook at least half of them {27} by the end of the year, I have to sell what’s left in the bin.
Go New Places – See New Things
Travel someplace {internationally} that I’ve never been before.
Travel somewhere in Maine {overnight} that I haven’t been before.
Walk And Stretch More
This past year was really the first year that my bones seriously ached. As in I’d wake up every morning and have to hobble around for a few seconds before I’d be able to stand properly.
I mentioned this to my Doctor. She did a blood workup and nothing exciting popped up. I’m just getting old. My parts are wearing out. I need to be kinder to my body.
We talked about the need to start stretching on a daily basis. And walking more regularly too. So while I plan on working on those two things. I’ve also decided to sign up for a 5k, 10k and half marathon this year as well.
I think the days of me rolling out of bed with zero training and doing a marathon or walking 15 miles around town are over. 😉
* I suggested to the HH that we should get a treadmill and he was like… “We’ve already had three {and sold them all!} we aren’t getting a fourth.” HA HA HA.
Garden
Rework the driveway and garden areas between the house and the cottage.
Go crazy and plant a ridiculous amount of flowers at the Cottage
Step out of my comfort zone and plant some flowers I’ve never planted before.
No matter where we lived, I’ve always planted the same series of plants. Mainly hydrangeas, boxwoods, tulips, coneflowers, foxglove and hibiscus and wisteria.
I know what I like and I LOVE seeing pale pinks and purples in the garden. But this year I’d like to broaden my flower palette and try a new flower or two.
I’m just not sure where to start.
Paint
Finish all the painting projects at The Lobster House that I didn’t get done last year.
- The Van Gough wall
- The gallery wall down stairs
- The captains wall in the hall
- Trim and walls
By getting all these things painted, and more importantly HUNG ON THE WALL, The Lobster House will be done {except for the kitchen cabinets}.
Secret Goals
And then there’s the three personal goals I set for myself that we’re not going to talk about {but that I want to declare} until the end of the year.
I just had to write them down. Announcing my goals always keeps me motivated. 🙂
- Super Secret Goal #1
- Super Secret Goal #2
- Super Secret Goal #3
So those are my goals for this year.
Slow down. Be kinder to my body. See some new things. Play in the dirt. Carve out more time with the HH.
Seems pretty do-able, don’t you think?
How about YOU? What’s at the top of YOUR list for this year? What do you hope to accomplish?
~Mavis
Eileen says
Though I love your goals, Monday morning is my favorite time to get up and read your “what we ate last week” time with my coffee. It always gave me ideas for my week of coming up with dinner ideas. I sure hope to see some of your fun meals this year.
The ‘aching bones’ thing is real as one ages. Being a good decade plus older than you and having a lot of energy in my head, it has been hard that the body just can’t or tires out faster than my head ideas.
I too am a rug hooker and hope to finish several rugs this year as well as start to seriously start dying fabric.
Happy New Year!
Looking forward to reading how your year progresses.
Erin says
Happy new year! My goal for 2026 is to align more with the seasons. Rest during the winter. Come out of hibernation in the spring. Play in the summer. Slow down in the fall. I want more space to be creative & to feel like I have the brain capacity to just be present.
J in OH-IO says
Go, Mavis, Go! Thank you for taking us all along- love your blog! You and HH are an amazing team of energy and organization! Happy New Year!
Kath says
Your goals sound great! What are Lucy’s goals?
Peggy says
Cosmos and sunflowers, you won’t be sorry.
suzanne says
Cosmos are lovely as are zinnias. I’m also a huge fan of anything celosia. All are incredibly easy to grow from seed with a very long bloom time. The huge range of colors is a bonus as well.
Mavis Butterfield says
I remember seeing some pale green zinnias in a catalog. Thanks for the reminder!
Jill says
Careful where you get your zinnia seeds from. I had a bag of 5000 zinnia seeds. Oh, how excited I was to see those babies. Instead, I got 5 million bachelor buttons in light blue…matched the house. I thought I was losing my mind as I kept looking at that bag. Yes, it clearly said zinnia seeds. It was a beautiful sight and the neighbors all loved it but I all could think was that God was playing games with me, lol. I don’t know what I am going to do this year. My husband thinks the zinnia flowers will show this year. I am doubtful, very doubtful.
Norma says
I was going to say Zinnias. I got a greenhouse and all I want to plant is Zinnias. So easy to start and grow great and a beautiful cut! I am addicted
Deb K says
Me too!!
Susan says
On the aching body, I have also reached an age where this is happening. But, I’m not going down easily. I have found myself a naturopath / functional medicine dr who looks at about a trillion more things than my GP does. Hormones are dropping, I’m replacing them because I want to content for good health as I age. We ladies get hosed when we lose our estrogen. I’m going to replace mine and keep going! (50 yrs old)
Kathy Hort says
Susan, I came here to say the same thing. There are so so so many things that estrogen, progesterone and testosterone keep in check, then when we hit a certain age and they decline we experience all kinds of not so great things. Its amazing when you start delving into what all these hormones control. Stuff you would never even associate with them. And yes, we women get hosed, LOL!
wendy panozzo says
I also wanted to mention the Estrogen/Menopause connection. My feet used to hurt when I woke up in the morning and took a minute to go away. I had frozen shoulder etc.I basically felt like an elderly woman. I am now on hormones and feel fantastic! It’s like the tin man needing his oil. Estrogen is our oil! I started at 54.
Margo says
I didn’t get to cross off any of my goals for 2025. This past year woke me up as to what’s really important and priorities changed when my hubby received a diagnosis of cancer. Since then it’s been lots of doctors and treatments, but he’s doing well right now and I’m grateful. Since we still don’t have any idea how this will play out long term we are keeping goals simple. So, my goals for this year are much more basic. I want to spend time with our grown kids and grandkids, maybe even do a little traveling if health concerns allow. I want to hold my newest great-grand (to be born this summer). I’ve wanted to make memory boxes with pictures of family and a genealogy for my boys and complete a “next of kin box” in case of our demise to make things easier. I want to return to my garden and plant more veggies and flowers than I was able to last year. Other than that I want to continue to participate in my community, remind myself of how extraordinary and blessed my life has been, hug my hubby every morning, and to remember to be grateful for every day.
Joely says
Sending you healing thoughts and lots of time with those you love.
Mavis Butterfield says
Hugs to you Margo. I hope you get to do all those things this year. 🙂
Annette says
Praying that your husband has a total healing.
Jennifer says
I know the HH said no treadmill, but at least Google a recumbent stepper. Dh had one after he had a stroke and it did wonders for flexibility and mobility. It works both arms and legs but in a very smooth way, if that makes sense.
Sue says
It took me a few years and multiple treadmills gathering dust, but eventually I started using mine on a regular basis and I love it. I mean, walking out in the real world is great, but there are times when the weather’s bad, or it’s dark, or you have something in the oven, or aren’t sure how long you can go before something starts to ache, when walking indoors makes such a difference, knowing you can stop if the foot hurts or the oven timer dings or whatever. I get many more miles in this way. And with a good set of headphone/earbuds, and no worries about hearing traffic, treadmill walking is a great time to fit in more audiobook listening too!
Amanda says
Amen to all of this!
Nancy says
I’ve always liked bleeding hearts and hollyhocks for some old fashioned flowers in the pink category.
Mavis Butterfield says
I LOVE Hollyhocks!!! Thanks for the reminder.
Jules says
This seems to be a common theme I’m hearing from various people I know too — slowing down and putting down the phone. As we were talking over goals as a family this last week,we picked 4 areas to focus on: physical health, spiritual health, mental health and relationship health. So I will be walking/jogging regularly this year; I plan to read through the Bible this year; I’m going to put down the phone and do something else in my downtime or while waiting for something; and the husband and my dates are going to not be to the same place we always go, time to shake things up!
Heather in Nevada says
I would suggest looking into a rebounder. Ours can be folded and stored away, but it gets used almost daily so it is always out.
My goal is to get through dominant shoulder surgery at the end of January and then PT. We will see what happens after that.
Gigi says
I fell back in love with marigolds and especially the giant variety. Also, dahlias from seed. I second the hollyhocks and zinnias.
Jean C says
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but my experience with dried beans as they don’t last forever. “Old” beans often cannot be tough – regardless of how long you soak them, boil them or crock pot them. Depending on their age, they can be impossible to soften.
Mel says
I recommend Blue and Black Sage! The flowers are electric blue, and hummingbirds love them! It’s a perennial as well.
My goals for the year are to:
1) Eat healthier. I’ve had a version of this goal for the past couple years, but we have been in hardcore survival mode since our son was born due to all his medical and therapy needs, so it’s always gotten derailed. I think I’ve identified some of the pitfalls where I can fix the things that derailed it. We sort of soft-launched this goal a few days ago with good results.
2) Organize all the toddler art and photos. It feels like a huge task, but I’ve already started a bit and am about 20% done.
3) Celebrate holidays more. This is a recurring goal as our son gets more aware of holidays and we climb out of survival mode. We have a crazy project planned for Christmas that I’m super excited about and will probably take the whole year to pull off. We’ve started, but it’s a multi-step endeavor and room for lots of technical difficulties.
4) Re-learn Christmas carols. I used to know so many, so I’m going to work on re-learning them.
5) Drink water. Same deal as the healthy eating–always gets derailed, but I think I have a better strategy.
6) Cook and bake more, especially with the toddler. I used to make absolutely everything from scratch. I definitely can’t do that now, but a small amount at least.
7) Clean and reorganize closet over Spring Break.
8) Celebrate the other things we manage to get done. I can’t plan for much right now, but every now and then something falls into place, so I’m counting those instances as accomplished goals even if they are spur of the moment instead of set in advance.
Randi Seaberg says
I recently saw (on a late night Instagram scroll) a company that will make a paint by number canvas of your pet (you send in a photo). I think Lucy needs her own painting in the gallery! 🙂
Jessica says
My daughter gave me a paint by number of my favorite picture of the two beagles I lost in 2024. I haven’t started to paint it yet as I have so many other projects to do but I am looking forward to having my ‘beagle boys’ in my wall!
Annette says
Grow butterfly milkweed for a pop of color, and for the pollinators.
Kathleen W says
Miranda Esmonde White is a former Canadian ballerina who has a show on PBS called Essentrics
Best exercise program for stretching and strengthening You will definitely feel a difference if you do them Also there are dvds if you don’t want to do them at 6am
Joyce Dvorak says
Happy New Year! Maybe columbine for spring, lavender and poppies for summer into fall? They can be pastel or jewel colored, depending on your interests.
andrea d says
With my kids getting older and starting to have busy lives of their own, one big goal this year is family night. One night a week where we slow down and eat dinner all together. It’s been harder to get together as everyone is on their own schedules, but I want to make intentional time together a priority.
Thank you for bringing us along on all your projects and adventures!
Janice says
I love the back to basics theme. My goal is to eat down the freezer and pantry and get my paperwork organized. I do use coupons and cash back apps and stock up when items are rock bottom clear out prices… this week I got 11 bags of boomchica popcorn for free with coupons, which have been shared with family and friends. I am going to revisit my goals each week when you post your update. Happy new year!
Emily says
I love zinnias and daisies. I suggest both for the cottage garden. Zinnias come in tons of colors and are easy to grow from seed and to save seed from to plant more for next year. Butterflies and hummingbirds love them. Daisies just make me smile.
Mavis Butterfield says
Daisies make me smile too. I especially love Shasta daisies because they are easy to grow and can grow tall.