I don’t offer a lot of personal reflection posts anymore (that’s not what the Internet seems to want), but as 2025 has now ended and 2026 begins, I wanted to take a moment to consider the year that just, gratefully, ended.
I also hesitate to reflect on 2025 because it was not the best year. I worked hard to maintain optimism and be a light in a brutal world wide web – but, truthfully, 2025 just sucked.
My mom had (and hopefully has officially beat) breast cancer; my youngest tore his ACL while we were in another country in the middle of a once-in-a-lifetime soccer adeventure; two other family members had medical emergencies; Mr. Family Trip broke his ribs mountain biking; our dog had a cancerous spot that was removed; and on top of all of that, the federal government’s newest decisions have unfortunately negatively impacted my work, which has been a constant cloud.
Some years are like that, I suppose. Some years are hard, regardless of all of our many blessings. Perhaps due to its challenges, 2025 needs to be examined more than any other! Diamonds are, afterall, chunks of coal that did well under pressure.
I have enjoyed writing these posts in the past, and I love reading the wisdom from others when they share their reflections, too. Thus, here we are.
A Quick Recap:
This year, I traveled to:
- Acadia National Park,
- Belize,
- Spain,
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park,
- Cleveland,
- Fallingwater,
- Ohiopyle,
- Sri Lanka,
And spent lots of time outside. Alas, we sold our beloved pop-up camper (two teenage boys no longer fit), but still hiked a lot. There were obviously a lot of beautiful things in 2025, too.
The most popular articles on the website this year were:
Here is what actually worked for me in 2025:
1. Changing my approach to health.
This was really hard in a world of GLP-1s being everywhere and people around me shaving off 20 pounds in months through these medications. But I worked this year to reframe my approach to health, from control and being thin to strength and performance. (Honestly, it’s a constant self-confidence battle and aging is real.)
I enjoyed Burn Boot Camp, even though the price tag made me opt out after a while. But I still work out at home on a consistent schedule. I work out because I love to move and I feel better when I do.
2. Journaling (almost every day) and capturing the “glimmers” every night.
I have been a journaler almost my entire life, taking a break for a few years but returning in earnest around 2017. Some days, my journal entries are just weather reports, or all the things on my mind, or recording what I did the day before, or really working through an issue. I have no expectations: just a cup of coffee, early morning quiet before the kids wake up, and 15 minutes to write.
I still do paper planners and took to writing down at the end of every day things that happened that day I enjoyed (the “glimmers”). In a year full of challenges, this ended up being a big boost for my mental health.
3. Lots of reading!
I plowed through over 50 books this year, and that has been the norm for many years now. No hacks or tips here. I am a person who does not enjoy television or movies but has always loved to read (everything about it!). I keep a Goodreads list of what I want to read, so I always have ideas ready. I read intuitively (what I am in the mood for when I want it) and don’t put pressure on myself. It just works for me.
4. Yoga.
This has been a hobby I have had for over a decade now (even studying for my 200-hour yoga teacher training certification and teaching for a couple of years). But this year, I made my class attendance a weekly routine (I HATE routine, for the record) and hit over 200 lifetime classes at my local studio before the end of the year. I love what yoga offers for my life, health, and mind.
5. Conscious consumption.
I track calories and what I eat in My Fitness Pal, not for the purpose of losing weight, but for making conscious decisions around what goes in my body. (When you track it, you’re more aware.)
I have never been an all-or-nothing proponent (no Dry January, and I found my juice cleanse and my clean eating forays to be informative but too restrictive). Ultimately, I have landed on conscious consumption. I want to be aware of what I am putting in my body and why. When we have Five Guys burgers after hiking, it is because it is fun, a treat, and I am craving salt and sodium. When I feel bloated and gross on other days, a dinner of chicken broth, rice noodles, and kimchi helps. I don’t eat or drink to numb, but I don’t treat food as an enemy either.
What I Want for 2026 (Some goals):
Obviously, I could spend this part talking about wanting to really seize every minute, to live loud and full, and to be sure not to take anything for granted. Yet that’s too cliche and not the whole truth.
Because I know this year is a year of slower and quieter. Not as much massive travel (I wrote about this in my newsletter, and how it wouldn’t be a year of an-adventure-a-month for various reasons – how I am embracing microadventures).Â
Also, cliches aside, there are some practical hopes I have for this year.
1. I am using Powersheets again this year to become more focused.
I am on a constant journey to improve my life, and I definitely try to be perfect and to “win” at everything. Which is unhealthy at best. I am back to using Powersheets again this year, after a break, to help me keep all the good things I want to keep, but also to control what I try to add. I crave adventure and experiences, have a million things in life I want to do, and take on too much in the pursuit of a robust life. This process helps me dial that down a bit while still making consistent progress on tougher goals.
2. I want to grow this website.
I am no stranger to blogging, starting way back in 2009 in the heyday of blogging and being a content marketer and content consultant who spoke at big conferences and had dozens of clients. But the Internet has changed so much, even in the past year, and I have always used this blog as a creative outlet.
I am proud of it, though. I think there is a lot of good content here. This was never meant to be a travel blog or parenting blog only, but the sort of magazine-style blog covering a little bit of everything, the sort of blog I want to read. The challenge is that it is just a hobby for me and that’s not changing, I hate social media, and I don’t have a lot of money or time to invest here. I’d like to explore ways to grow the reach of The Family Trip Online, and it’s going to take creativity.
3. Begin a daily meditation practice.
I have said this for literally four years now. But this is it, this is the year. I can feel it.
4. Continue to enjoy the people in my community and where we live.
We have been here in our house and in this town for six consecutive years (the longest ever for us!). I have found this past year really unlocked relationships and friendships in a precious way. I want to give back to my community this year in some way and be the sort of person who makes it a better place. I love it here.
5. Establish better boundaries, starting with texting and messaging habits!
Given everything going on with family and health issues this year, I became GLUED to my text messages. My phone was everywhere with me all the time. I would stop mid-workout to read texts. I’d like to change that habit, for my own sanity.
I do still have some amazing adventures coming up in 2026 (despite a slower year, so follow on Instagram where I usually share those), and some more posts to share.
We rang in the new year with a delicious home-cooked meal and chocolate fondue, and we spent the first day of 2026 on a First Day Hike together – both family traditions we have come to cherish. I feel hopeful.
Thank you for reading and for sharing The Family Trip Online with friends.
And, as always, if you have ideas for content you’d like to see, drop a comment or send an email to info@thefamilytriponline.com.
Happy New Year. May it be the best one yet!