The new year has begun… Now is the perfect time to reflect, reset, and create a vision. We can help you set inspiring 2025 goals and travel plans. Whether you’re focusing on personal growth, professional achievements, or unforgettable adventures, setting intentional goals helps shape the year ahead. Here’s how to set inspiring goals and start travel planning Step 1: Reflect and PlanStart by reviewing your five and ten-year plans. (If you don’t have long-term plans, now’s a good time to write your short and long-term goals.) Ask yourself: Are you on track? What areas of life need more attention—career, family, health, or hobbies? Which goals have shifted, and what activities still energize you? Jot down what worked in 2024 and what didn’t. Use this reflection to guide your 2025 aspirations. This enables you to create goals that are both meaningful and realistic. Step 2: Travel Dreams for 2025Nothing inspires the year ahead quite like travel! Get your calendar out and start mapping out key dates, holidays, and available vacation time. Think about: Where should we go? (see our Travel recommendations) Who will join us? What specific activities do we want to experience? What are our preferred adventures and realistic budget? Some of our dream destinations for 2025 include: National Parks – From the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone, nature’s beauty awaits. Maine – A summer by the coast, filled with lobster rolls, kayaking and hiking. Ski Trips – Lake Tahoe, Park City, Whistler, or the Alps in Zermatt. Europe – Christmas markets in Amsterdam, Cologne, and Strasbourg. Spain and the Azores – Adventure and relaxation combined. Step 3: Make It HappenOnce your destinations are chosen, start researching flights, lodging, and experiences. Use Pinterest boards, our travel blogs, and local tours (like Viator or Travelocity) to organize your plans. Many people have transitioned to do their planning and organizing online, but we still find it helpful to type or write out details on a planning sheet and keep all of your information gathered together in a trip folder. This is especially helpful if you are planning multiple trips. Let 2025 be the year of intentional plans and unforgettable experiences. With thoughtful goal setting and exciting travel plans on the horizon, this year is sure to be full of growth, joy, and grand adventures!
Wrapping Up The Year With Our 2024 Favorites
It’s a wrap for 2024 – the perfect time to reflect on our favorite moments, discoveries, and projects from the past year. We’re celebrating life’s little wins and sharing inspiration that makes your every day a little brighter. Here are our top 10 favorites from last year: Recipe – The go-to comfort food this year was our easy French Onion Soup. Rich, flavorful, and perfect for cozy nights. Act of Kindness – helping to fly supplies into western NC after the hurricane (picture above). Outfit – Travel in style with our favorite black knit travel outfit—elegant, effortless and extremely comfortable. We layered our chic “CIAO” t-shirt, which became an everyday favorite. Finish with our favorite shoe, the Adidas Samba OG in brown tweed stole the show. Stylish, versatile, and oh-so-comfy especially paired with our fav no-slip socks. Place Visited – Barcelona took our breath away, especially the iconic La Sagrada Familia. If it’s not on your list, add it! DIY Gift – Mod Podge Shells were the surprise hit of the year. Easy, creative, and heartfelt with shells from our Maine adventures. Book – Leader by Accident by Jim Rafferty was a standout read, offering insightful lessons on growth and leadership. Gifted Item – The portable charger with built-in cables saved the day on more than one occasion. Entertaining Essential – Hands down, the key to a great drink is ice. We absolutely adore our everyday workhorse, the GE Profile Opal Ice Maker. Project – Our bathroom reset project brought a fresh, functional feel to the home. Kitchen Accessory – The Le Creuset cast iron pot proved to be the ultimate kitchen upgrade—perfect for everything from soups to short ribs. Shookhill 2024 Wrapped! We are looking forward to creating, cooking, sharing our adventures, tips, and secrets in 2025. Here’s to a new year filled with inspiration and joy!
