Set Meaningful 2025 Intentions: Your Comprehensive Blueprint for Personal Growth, Health, and Sustainability
“When you’re younger, it’s easy to underestimate how fleeting the days can be. Each choice matters. Each day matters.
When you’re older, it’s easy to underestimate how much opportunity you still have. Don’t talk yourself out of it. It’s never too late to start.”
ABSTRACT
Kick off the new year with purposeful New Year’s intentions that elevate personal growth, fitness goals, and mindful living practices. Discover how to balance work-life demands, adopt a whole-food diet, and commit to sustainable living strategies. From mental health objectives and relationship building to time management and reducing single-use plastic, these resolutions will keep you accountable, foster professional development, and strengthen emotional well-being in 2025 and beyond.
Keywords
New Year’s intentions
New Year’s resolutions
Goal-setting for 2025
Personal growth goals
Healthy lifestyle changes
Fitness and exercise routine
Mindful living practices
Plant-based diet benefits
Sustainable living tips
Emotional well-being strategies
Mental health intentions
Relationship building
Work-life balance
Professional development goals
Time management strategies
Accountability partner
Hiking and outdoor activities
Reducing single-use plastic
Sleep and recovery routines
Civic engagement
Introduction
It’s time for the annual release of my intentions. While I hope it is a template for your New Year's resolutions or goals, I’m selfishly seeking an accountability partner: You! We all need one, right? Joking aside, I publicly post my personal and professional intentions to heighten my commitment to myself. It has become a public contract I must uphold, and I hope you do the same. I’m kind to myself, though. I rarely meet every intention on these exhaustive lists, and that’s okay. They set my focus and pushed me further toward achievement- a position always better than where I started. I encourage you to dissect each section and reflect on your priorities, demands on you, wants, and needs. Create a list for yourself. You might be surprised by what you can achieve by setting an intention.
THE Principles TO GUIDE MY INTENTIONS
Examine my focus and efforts toward current relationships and reallocate more time to each if necessary.
Review and adapt my present routines to support optimal health.
Define a life that serves my needs and contributes to society and humanity's greater good.
Act and think with a baseline of empathy, compassion, and kindness.
Seek understanding of myself and others before judgment.
Choose the most appropriate path despite the effort or personal sacrifice.
Celebrate equality and diversity of living things and perspectives.
Take control of my attention.
Define the boundary lines of overextending myself personally and professionally.
Reach new fitness heights with a personal trainer in Denver. / Photo: Oleksandr P
LIST OF MY IntentIONs
Area 1: My Physical Health Intentions
My EXERCISE IntentIONS
Specific Health Objectives
Increase cardio endurance by achieving at least 10000 daily steps per day, two cardio sessions per week on the Peloton bike or Helix (unless I hike, then one session), and thirty hikes of six miles or more by the end of the year (or less mileage with at least 2000 feet of gain instead).
Hike thirty Colorado trails in 2024 (with limited repeats of 2022 and 2023 trails) and make exceptions for friends and family to join!
Hike five 14ers and five 13ers by the end of the year.
Complete five strength/muscular endurance sessions, two cardio sessions (including a hike), and three abbreviated range-of-motion focused sessions of the lower limb each week.
Specific Exercise Plan
Monday
45 min Strength Session
Circuit Muscle Focus: Chest (Low Rep), Core, Hip Mobility/Range-of-Motion Routine
Tuesday
45-minute Strength Session
Circuit Muscle Focus: Back (Low Rep), Core, Range-of-Motion Routine
Wednesday
45-minute Strength Session and 10-20 min interval on a cardio machine
Circuit Muscle Focus: Legs/shoulders (Low Rep), Leg Routine, Core, Hip Mobility/Range-of-Motion Routine
Thursday
45-minute Strength Session
Circuit Muscle Focus: Biceps (Low Rep), Core, Range-of-Motion Routine
Friday
45-minute Strength Session
Circuit Muscle Focus: Triceps (Low Rep), Core, Hip Mobility/Range-of-Motion Routine
Saturday or Sunday
Hike with at least 2000 feet of elevation gain and 6 miles of length
Every Day
10k steps, a plank, and at least 10 pushups per weekday
My Recovery IntentIONS
Specific Recovery Objectives
Sleep 7.5 hours every night and rest from workouts on Saturdays and Sundays (unless a hike)—specific intent: In bed by 11:15 pm and waking up by 7:00 am (no snoozing). Complete a late-night bedtime routine by 10:30 pm. Limit water consumption 2 hours before bedtime.
Schedule 3 “Take a Deep Breath” phone prompts per day on Google Calendars or another app. Once I see the notification on my phone, I must stop and take a deep breath no matter what I’m doing.
My Dietary IntentIONS
Overarching Goals:
To minimize inflammation, triglyceride levels, and fluctuating blood sugar levels resulting from dietary choices. Specifically, maintain triglyceride levels of 150 or lower without a statin. This number is typically genetically higher than the other numbers. Thanks, Dad! I’m responsible for anything above 150, though.
Reduce stress and anxiety levels by lowering caffeine to 1 cup/half mug and prioritizing sleep.
Specific Daily Dietary Objectives
Never feel stuffed or starved; eat within 5 hours of the last meal (unless overnight).
Assess the cues for current snacking habits and change the influences that lead to this behavior.
Stop eating a meal at the first sign of feeling satisfied.
Mindfully prepare the size of my 6-year-old’s leftovers, and don’t eat his leftovers :).
Limit sips of alcohol to 3 days or less.
Alternate sips of water and alcohol when indulging.
18 out of 25 meals per week are whole food plant-based foundations and free of oil, meat, processed foods, and refined sugars.
Only 1-2 servings of dairy per week (less is better).
Minimize the consumption of anything processed (including vegan and vegetarian products....choose whole food plant-based options as often as possible).
At least 75% of meals per day must be plant-based.
Calories: 600-800 per meal.
Plate Ratio: 25-50% Vitamins, phytonutrients, and other micros and macros, 25-40% Protein, 15% Good Fat, 25% Fiber.
Always choose wine as a primary option when consuming alcohol. Limit beer drinking to 32 ounces.
Specific Social Dietary Objectives
Use the Daily Dietary Objectives above as a baseline when eating out (and no matter whom I’m with).
Eat a complete small meal before snacking (to avoid snacking).
Restrict extracurricular eating/treats to 4 servings per week.
Set your emotional and mental health intentions with a personal trainer. Photo: TMS Sam
Area 2: My Emotional and Mental Health Intentions
My Reflection IntentION
Specific Objective
Identify one positive characteristic of the day while brushing my teeth in the morning.
My Attention IntentionS
Specific Objectives
Limit social media interaction to 3x daily unless I receive a message (preferably on my desktop). Set alerts for private messages to minimize constant checking.
Limit email actions on my phone to alerts that require a response within 60 minutes.
Maintain two or fewer emails in my inbox by unsubscribing from unnecessary emails and being more efficient with email templates and correspondence. Clean out any extra emails every Friday by 1:00 pm.
If I desire to read the news more than once on my phone, listen to a podcast or audiobook instead.
My REFRAMING IntentION
Specific Objective
Replace all complaints with constructive criticism or reframe the message to reflect a positive light. After a complaint, mentally present one counter-argument.
New Years Resolutions 2025 / Photo: Git Stephen Gitau
AREA 3: My Relationship IntentIONS
Overarching Goal: Foster positive and meaningful relationships that support and enhance my life.
Specific Parent/Husband Objectives
Make myself more physically available by removing electronic devices during interactions. Allow at least 1 hour of connection with my wife and son after work. Utilize the features of the Garmin watch to limit phone time. Put down the phone when conversing.
Hug more! Always hugging on hellos and goodbyes….and random in-betweens!
Schedule two date nights with my wife sans son per month. No offense, Preston!
Plan at least 2 hands-on 30-minute activities weekly with my son (e.g., building, art, and science projects).
Specific Friends, Family, and New People Engagement Objectives
Engage in more meaningful conversations with friends, family, and new people (even if I’m only spending a minute on the elevator with them) and foster new relationships with people who embody empathy, compassion, and kindness as a foundation for their behaviors and perspectives.
Contact my inner circle of family and friends at least once per month via phone call, text, or in-person meetups. Call someone new on the way to and from my weekly hikes.
New Year's Goals / Photo: Pixabay
Area 4: My Environmental and Regenerative Agriculture/Civic Duty Intentions
Overarching Goal: To reduce my carbon footprint and steer a new conscience about the environment and agriculture.
Specific Whole Food Plant-Based Diet Objectives
Secure a 75% plant-based diet foundation by ordering my groceries online every Sunday afternoon. Reminder to myself: This is the most effective action any individual can take to influence global warming and preserve our environment while striving for optimal health.
Specific Waste/Pollution Reduction Objectives
Minimize using Ziploc bags and any single-use plastics using Pyrex containers and metal silverware.
Purchase in bulk and order several items in advance and online simultaneously.
Use biodegradable bags for trash.
Place all expired food in our compost bin and recycle all appropriate items.
Limit the wasted food by reviewing the sizes of prepared meals and prioritizing current produce and leftovers.
Replace most car travel within ten minutes of walking and minimize car usage to only 8000 miles per year.
Take my son on at least four hikes (e.g., with rock and water features but little elevation gain).
Identify and test multiple methods of water-use reduction.
Specific Civic Participation Objectives
Secure a local government position and contribute to a sustainability agenda.
Coordinate a multi-city effort to develop efficient, sustainable systems.
Develop collaborative community partnerships to drive sustainable practices.
New Year Goal 2025 / Photo: Bhargava Marripati
Area 5: MY Travel INTENTIONS
Overarching Goal: Expand my connection to various cultures and experience in new environments.
Specific Domestic Travel Objectives
Visit and stay overnight outside of Denver every 6-8 weeks! Make Colorado destinations, including Telluride and Crested Butte, a priority this year. Review our travel plans on the 1st of every month.
Plan three 2-day Colorado hiking trips (back-to-back 14ers).
Specific International Travel Objectives
Visit and stay overnight in a European city, London, or Mexico City by the end of 2025. Book our flights and travel plans by the end of the 2nd quarter.
Resolutions 2025 / Photo: Thought Catalog
Area 6: MY specific professional intentions
Overarching Goal: Adapt my professional life to maximize my satisfaction and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of my efforts. Foster a working retirement mentality.
Specific Efficiency Objectives
Reassess all email templates by February 1st and adapt as needed to increase response time and limit phone and computer time.
Double-check every message and schedule confirmation before sending. This a reminder to slow down!
Complete the “10-Year Project” by April 2025 (instead of taking ten years to complete it).
Specific Effectiveness Objectives
Complete the accessible resources project for quick client reference by April 1st.
Specific Time Management Objectives
Maintain strategy to manage most of my professional-related efforts between 8 am and 5:30 pm on weekdays (no weekends).
Maintain the specific number of hours necessary for the success of my business (140 hours of one-on-one personal training monthly, 1540 hours yearly).
Take personal time off without guilt and without loading the schedule before and after.
Specific Education Objectives
Complete the Stretching and Flexibility Coach certification by April 1st.
Read or listen to at least 8 social psychology books, 3 political/civic-themed books, and 2 health and fitness books.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
