by Ashley
We’re officially halfway through 2025, so I thought it was a good time to check in on my goals for the year. This is a great opportunity to reflect on what’s going well – and where I still have some work to do.
Goal #1: Travel Less.
Grade: C+
I traveled so much in 2024 that I’d hoped to scale back this year. I’ve pre-written and scheduled this post, but as this is published I will just be wrapping up a week long trip in Hawaii! While I originally thought this would be my only trip of the year, that has not turned out to be the case.
So far, 2025 has included quite a few mini-trips:
- January – Trip to Austin with the kids after my Dad was put on hospice
- February – Weekend road-trip with the kids to visit family in El Paso (so glad we went because…)
- April – Family trip back to El Paso for my husband’s grandfather’s funeral (we were able to see grandpa before his health suddenly declined!)
- May – Trip with my sister to spread my Dad’s ashes in Utah
- June – Work trip to DC
- June – Family vacation in Hawaii
Honestly, I would’ve given myself a lower rating (traveling every single month feels like an “F” when the goal was to travel less). But I will never regret traveling to see family when their health is ailing (like our January and February trips), or traveling for family funeral and memorial-related visits (like our April and May trips). These trips were rooted in love and family, and I’d make them again in a heartbeat.
That said, I’m hoping things calm down a bit and we can stick closer to home for the remainder of the year. Fingers crossed!
Goal #2: Investments.
Grade: A+
We’re going strong with our investments! We have a diverse mix of accounts – from high-yield savings and CDs to mutual funds, retirement, and single stocks. We’ve started tracking our net worth with the intention of working toward our goal of purchasing a rental property in the next 12 months. I feel really good about our progress here.
Goal #3: Open an LLC.
Grade: A+
Just last month, I officially opened an LLC! I’m so excited to use it as a foundation to expand our business portfolio. We plan to use the LLC when we purchase our rental property. And although I haven’t mentioned this here before, I’ve been working behind-the-scenes on a book proposal with a goal to finish it by the end of summer. If (when!) it sells, I’ll do that through the LLC, too.
Another benefit? I hope to eventually employ the girls as they grow – helping with clerical tasks, social media content, and more. I’m eager to get them started with Roth IRAs once they’re able to contribute to the business.
Goal #4: Interview (& hire?) a financial planner/wealth manager.
Grade: A+
At the beginning of the year, we started the process of interviewing several financial planners. I likened the experience to dating. We had “first dates” with 5 different companies, and went on “second dates” (where we provided all our financial details and received sample plans) with 2 different companies.
In the end, we didn’t hire anyone. One company we liked more in terms of personality fit, but their returns averaged only 5% – which I can get from a high-yield savings account! The other seemed stronger on the financial side, but I didn’t love the advisor’s personality and there were some glaring holes in the plan (no allowance for new-to-us cars, college savings, etc.). Sure, these things can easily be updated and changed, but it just felt like he was maybe a little bit flustered and over his head – not a great fit.
Even though we didn’t end up hiring anyone, I still give myself an A+ for having gone through the full process and making an informed decision (even though the decision was not to enter into an agreement with anyone at this time).
Goal #5: Invest in what matters.
Grade: B
I’d already started buying more high-quality meats and produce, but I have not made a huge amount of progress on switching to other “clean” products like sunscreen, makeup/moisturizer, etc. I’m a little embarrassed to admit this now, given that we’ve been on a beach vacation slathered in chemical sunscreen. Probably should’ve thought that through.
Still, it’s not a failing grade. I have switched to aluminum-free deodorant, and replaced our old toxic (i.e., non-stick with scratches) bakeware for higher quality ceramic-based products. This will continue to be a work in progress
Overall Thoughts
I’m happy with where we’re at overall. For the remainder of 2025, I hope to travel less (for real, this time!), continue our saving and investing, and make more thoughtful purchases when it comes to what we put in and on our bodies.
How are you doing with your 2025 goals? Are there any changes you want to make in the second half of the year?
