A Year of Progress: My 2025 Reflection and 2026 Goals

27th December 2025
As we come to the end of the year, I always take time to reflect and plan.I’ve been writing my goals publicly for well over 15 years now, and every year I do the same thing: I look back honestly and ask myself, did I actually achieve what I set out to do?

How 2025 looked on paper?

In total, I had 58 goals for 2025.
  • 48.3% Green (I achieved the goal)
  • 22.4% Yellow (I made progress)
  • 27.6% Red (I bombed… or decided it wasn’t the right thing to do)
I’m sharing this because I think it is important to show that not everything worked. Some things just didn’t happen. A few things simply weren’t the right fit or the right time, and that’s okay. Some of them were very ambitious and I was simply too exhausted to start new projects. The red goals don’t mean failure. They mean learning. They show me where my energy went, what took priority, and what I perhaps tried to force when life had other plans. It looked good on paper, but not in reality. If you want to see the specifics, you can view my goals (well… the most public ones) here: View my goals spreadsheet.

What I learned from 2025

If I had to sum up the biggest lesson of the year, it would be this:
I can’t do everything, and I don’t need to.
2025 was a strong year for work and adventure, but it came at a cost. I’m tired. My balance tipped too far one way. And my body (especially my left foot!) has been quietly reminding me that I need to slow down and look after myself properly. Which leads me neatly to 2026.

My focus word for 2026: Protect

Protecting my peace. Protecting my energy. Protecting my health. Protecting the people I love. This word will guide my decisions next year. It means:
  • More self-guided work, rather than leading everything and focus on building the club side of things rather than bigger adventures (I will still do them, just not as many and not back to back!).
  • Stronger boundaries (limit social media, news, scrolling!).
  • More intention with how I spend my time and energy.
It also means remembering that being kind doesn’t mean being available to everyone, all the time.

My goals for 2026

My actual life plan goes on for 28 pages and I follow the Michael Hyatt Living Forward method, adding a few “Julia Doherty” bits into the mix. It starts with an eulogy, then you set your life accounts, create quotes per account, write your current reality, and then set goals for the upcoming year. I’m very aware that life doesn’t happen in neat bullet points. These goals aren’t about perfection, they’re about direction. They’re here to support my focus word for the year: Protect. The accounts below are listed in importance to me, starting with what I view as the most important. You do not need as many accounts as this.  A good life plan can be successful with just four or five accounts.

1) Self-care & health

This is the big one for 2026. I’ve realised that when I don’t protect my own wellbeing, everything else slowly unravels (like the oxygen masks on an airplane – you need to put yours on first so that you can help others). Next year is about doing the simple things consistently, not in giant leaps like I usually do. If you’ve read any of Hal Elrod’s books, he often talks about the 1% change, do 1% better than yesterday, every day, and you’ll see a difference over time. I’m committing to continue journalling and meditating each morning, because when I don’t, I feel out of sync very quickly. I’m also being far more intentional with my phone use: less scrolling, fewer distractions, more presence and utilising the focus modes on the iPhone. When boredom creeps in, I’ll reach for a book, a jigsaw, or just sit with my thoughts instead of my scrolling. I tried it in a hospital waiting room last week for an hour… it’s going to be a challenge, for sure. Physically, I need to step things up, but gently. I want to move more, improve my fitness (min of 12k steps a day), and most importantly, look after my foot properly (I’m now in the NHS system for this, so fingers crossed!). I won’t be pushing through pain just to “get things done”. Another goal is to start a new hobby that isn’t anything to do with Adventure Geek.  Maybe a Tai Chi class, metal detecting, or something else that’s just for me (i’m open to ideas). I’ll also continue eating well, cooking fresh food, and keeping takeaways as an exception rather than the norm. Protecting my health is non-negotiable in 2026.

2) Personal growth & learning

Learning has always come naturally to me, but I want to be more intentional about how I learn next year. Much of my learning will happen while walking or driving — podcasts and audiobooks suit me far better than sitting still with a book. I want to stay curious about people, places, mental wellbeing, and the outdoors, without feeling the need to constantly share or perform what I know. I also find that I learn from other people when I take the time to properly listen. I’m also making a conscious decision to keep my voice mine. AI is a brilliant tool, but in 2026 I want my writing and communication to sound like me, even if that means the odd typo or ramble. Real. Authentic. Always. I love AI for strategising, polishing content, and dream analysis (try it if you’ve had a vivid dream — it’s awesome!), but I’ll be fully me when chatting to people online.

3) Happiness

Happiness is something I protect fiercely now. Life is too short to be miserable. For me, happiness doesn’t come from more stuff or more success, it comes from peace, simplicity, feeling safe, and good people around me. In 2026 I’ll continue to give negative energy a wide berth, avoid gossip, and choose calm over chaos wherever possible. I love Ed Sheeran’s line in the song Saving Lives: “’Cause human beings are destined to radiate or drain.” It’s so true. For me, I want to surround myself with people who radiate, not drain my energy. I want to stay present when I’m with people, listen properly, and enjoy the small, ordinary moments that actually make life rich.  I will “look up” more.

4) Rachel

My relationship with Rachel is one of the most important parts of my life, and I don’t ever want to take it for granted. We’ll continue our Tuesday night dinners, they’re a constant I really cherish. I want to keep creating memories together, whether that’s a big adventure or something as simple as cooking a meal and watching a film. I’d love for us to have at least one holiday abroad together in 2026. And most importantly, I’ll continue to be there for her and the pups,  listening, supporting, and protecting our relationship by staying present and healthy myself.

5) Family

Family matters. In 2026 I want to be more intentional about time with Mum and Richard. That means getting dates in the diary early rather than hoping things will “just happen”. Sunday dinners, days out, cleaning Mum’s garage, and one-to-one time.

6) Friends

I’m incredibly grateful for my friendships, and I don’t take them lightly. Next year is about nurturing the friendships that feel mutual, supportive, and easy, the ones where you can pick up where you left off. I want more shared experiences, more dinners, more games nights, more laughter, and less obligation. I’ll continue to show up for my friends, but I’ll also protect my energy and avoid spreading myself too thin.

7) Adventure

Adventure is part of who I am — it always has been. In 2026 I’ll keep exploring, travelling, and saying yes to new experiences, but with a bit more listening to my body. Campervan trips, festivals, and adventures with friends will all feature, alongside trying new things that aren’t necessarily walking or hiking. Adventure doesn’t have to be extreme. Sometimes it’s just doing something different. I’m looking forward to completing a few new Caminos that I haven’t done yet, as well as a few surprises that I won’t share here. Watch this space.

8) Work & finance

Work matters to me, but so does sustainability. In the next week I will step back and properly plan the future of Adventure Geek. It’s grown into something much bigger than a walking club, and I need to protect both the business and myself by working smarter, not harder. That means exploring residual income, working more with AI, improving systems, and making decisions that reduce physical and mental pressure. Personally, I’ll continue managing my money carefully, keeping things simple and staying in control. It looks like I have no option but to be VAT registered, which is complicated for the travel industry. I have a new accountant that I’ll be working with in 2026 and I’m super excited about the future. I’ll also be looking at outsourcing some admin so I can grow the business in the right direction. I’ll write a separate plan and blog about the upcoming Adventure Geek changes, so keep an eye on the website.

9) Home

My home is my sanctuary, and I want it to stay that way. In 2026 I’ll continue making small improvements that make my home feel calm, tidy, and welcoming. A bit of decorating, better organisation, and finally sorting the sheds are all on the list. I want a home where people can drop in without stress, and where I feel relaxed and grounded every day. My home has a good vibe, and I want it to stay that way.

Final thought

If there’s one thing I’m taking into 2026, it’s this: Not everything deserves my energy. Protecting my peace doesn’t mean shutting the world out — it means choosing what I let in. Protecting my health means listening sooner, not later. Protecting the people I love means showing up well, not exhausted. So in 2026, I’ll be asking myself one simple question more often:
Does this protect what matters most?
If the answer is no, I’ll be brave enough to pause, step back, or let it go.
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