Real-Life Goals for the Rest of 2025

It’s early July as I write this, and I’ve come to realise that goal setting doesn’t belong only to January. This midpoint of the year—a little breath between the rush of spring and the rhythm of autumn—feels like the perfect time to pause, recalibrate, and gently ask:

What would make the rest of this year feel more meaningful, more grounded, more like my own?

In this post, I’m sharing my own real-life goals for the second half of 2025—some personal, some creative, some professional. But I’m also sharing a guide to setting goals that feel intentional, not overwhelming. Because goals don’t need to be about pressure or productivity—they can be about purpose, peace, and the kind of life you want to build.

So if you’re craving a fresh start, a sense of direction, or simply a softer approach to goal setting… I hope this helps.

Here’s what I’m working towards over the next six months:

🖥️ Blog & Digital Shop Goals

1. Reach 7,500 Followers on Instagram (Currently at 6,800)
This isn’t a vanity goal—it’s about building an engaged, meaningful community around slow and intentional living. I’ve found so many wonderful people through Instagram already, and I’d love to grow that little circle. If you enjoy my posts or stories, sharing them or recommending my account to others would mean the world. Every follow counts, truly.

2. Develop and Grow My Digital Shop
I’ve always dreamed of having my own creative business—and after years of ideas (cards? painting? printmaking?), I’ve finally landed on something that feels just right. Maybe it’s the teacher in me, but I love a good printable. I’ve started creating seasonal calendars, mindful journaling pages, and reflective lists—small, thoughtful tools for slower, more intentional living.
These printables will be available at very low cost through both my blog and my Etsy store, with free downloads shared often too. There’s never pressure to buy—this is just something I’m building slowly, from the heart.

3. Write Weekly Blog Posts
I want to treat my blog more intentionally—as a genuine part-time job, even if the earnings are modest. I’m currently on carer’s leave until February 2026, after which I’ll be on extended unpaid leave from my teaching role. Contributing to our family income, even in small ways, really matters to me.
But more than that, I love writing. I want to continue creating meaningful, reflective content on slow living, small joys, and everyday life. Writing one blog post a week feels like the perfect balance.

4. Launch a Regular Friday Newsletter
I’ve dipped in and out of newsletters before, but I’m committing now to a consistent Friday send-out. It’ll be a warm, simple roundup: links to blog posts, Instagram highlights, a little life update, maybe a free printable or two, and a peek at new arrivals in the shop.
This space will be an extension of everything I already share—just a bit more personal, cosy, and direct to your inbox. (You can sign up in the sidebar of the blog if you haven’t already!)

5. Soft Launch a Free Resource Library
Alongside the digital shop, I’d love to create a free printable library—something blog subscribers can access anytime. Journaling pages, mindfulness prompts, checklists, calendars. Helpful, lovely little tools that reflect the spirit of this blog.
It’s a way to give back, and also to grow this community in a thoughtful way.

🌿 Well-Being & Daily Rhythm Goals

6. Prioritise My Wellbeing
I’m 46 now, and I want to take my health seriously—not out of fear, but out of respect. For my body, my mind, and my family.
That means:

Walking 5+ days a week (with or without my weighted vest)
Strength training at home 3–4 times a week
Prioritising early nights and restful evenings
Less mindless scrolling or YouTube “background noise”
More intentional use of my downtime (reading, writing, stillness)

7. Build a Gentle Morning and Evening Routine
One of the biggest gifts I’ve given myself is a peaceful morning. I get up before anyone else, have my tea in quiet, and plan the day. It changes everything.
But my evenings still need work. I want to stop defaulting to screen time once dinner is done and instead use that time—just an hour or so—for something nourishing. A bath. A chat. Reading in my armchair. A bit of writing. Whatever feels good.
Consistency, not rigidity, is the goal.

🎨 Creativity & Personal Joy Goals

8. Make Time for Creative Hobbies
For a long time, I lived in survival mode. High stress, constant overwhelm, not much room for creativity. But I’ve slowly reclaimed that part of myself—the part that loves to paint, write, sew, and dream up cosy corners of our home.
This summer and beyond, I want to carve out time in the evenings for creative hobbies. Not scrolling. Not mindlessly watching something. Just creating for the joy of it.

9. Read More Books (Not Just Listen to Them)
I’m an audiobook lover and probably get through several a week—but I’ve missed the feeling of actually sitting down with a physical book. I want to return to that: curling up with a novel, reading in bed, jotting notes in my reading journal.
I’ve got a few books lined up already and a gorgeous journal ready to go. Now I just need to create the time and the habit.

🌱 Mindset & Lifestyle Intentions

10. Keep Showing Up—Even When It’s Not Perfect
This one might be the most important. I’m learning that consistency matters more than perfection. That progress is often slow and invisible. That doing something imperfectly is always better than not doing it at all.

So I’ll keep writing blog posts, keep sharing reels, keep connecting with you here and on Instagram—even when life is busy, even when I’m tired, even when things don’t look polished.

Because this work matters to me. And I believe it resonates with others, too.

If any of these goals resonate with you—or if you’re wondering how to set your own real-life goals for a more intentional second half of the year—keep reading. I’ve included a gentle, practical guide just below.

🌿 How to Set Real-Life Goals for a More Intentional, Enriching Life

Setting goals doesn’t have to feel like pressure. It doesn’t have to mean bullet journals filled with colour-coded charts or ticking off milestones at breakneck speed. Here, we’re not trying to optimise ourselves into oblivion. We’re simply asking:
What would make life feel more meaningful, more peaceful, more like your own?

These aren’t “hustle” goals. These are real-life goals—the kind that nourish your days, guide your energy, and help you reconnect with what matters.

I’ve created a simple, calming printable you can download to reflect on your own real-life goals for the rest of the year. It’s the kind of thing I’d sit down with over a quiet cup of tea, and I hope it helps bring you clarity too. You’ll find down towards the end of the post – free for you to download or print.

Here’s how I’m approaching it, and how you might too:

✧ 1. Reflect on How You Want to Feel

Start with feelings, not outcomes.
What do you want life to feel like this season?

Do you want more:

Calm
Purpose
Connection
Joy
Creativity
Fulfilment
Rest
Structure
Progress

Let that guide your goals. For example:
If you’re craving connection, a goal might be to host a monthly dinner with friends.
If you’re yearning for calm, it might be to begin and end the day without screens.

This is your compass.

✧ 2. Choose No More Than 5–10 Goals

(And Honestly? Five Might Be Perfect.)

You don’t need a big list. In fact, the fewer goals you set, the more likely you are to truly focus on them.

👉 Some people love structure and want ten, split across categories like:

Personal
Wellbeing
Creative
Home
Work

But for many of us, five is the sweet spot—enough to give shape to your season without it becoming a burden.

If your ten are really five with sub-points? That works too.
It’s not about numbers—it’s about clarity.

✧ 3. Make Room for Soft Goals

Not every goal has to be measurable.
You can absolutely include softer intentions like:

Make space to paint again
Read more novels
Start the day with quiet
Be gentler with yourself

These “soft goals” are just as powerful, if not more so, than specific deadlines. They honour your inner world.

✧ 4. SMART Goals Can Wait

You don’t need to make every goal a SMART one (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
That’s useful in work settings or time-sensitive projects—but for life goals, gentler, more soulful intentions work beautifully.

Instead of:

“Write 12 blog posts by November.”

Try:

“Make writing a weekly practice again.”

It shifts the focus from productivity to presence.

✧ 5. Check In—Don’t Just Check Off

I like to return to my goals every couple of weeks and simply ask:

Is this still serving me?

Sometimes you realise something you thought was important… isn’t. Or something new matters more.

Give yourself full permission to:

Adjust goals
Replace goals
Delete goals (yes, really)

You’re not failing if a goal no longer fits.
You’re evolving. You’re listening. That’s success.

✧ 6. Build in Ease

Leave white space.
Make room for quiet days, messy days, real-life days.

These aren’t goals to cram into every crevice of your calendar—they’re intentions to guide your days with more meaning and less noise.

So maybe by December 31st, you’ll:

Have done half of them.
Tried a few and dropped the rest.
Pivoted completely.

That’s okay. These aren’t “all or nothing” goals.
They’re gentle directions, not destinations.

🌿 Here’s your free printable Intentional Goal Setting worksheet

Intentional_Goal_Setting_Template Download

✧ A Final Note

Your life doesn’t need improving to be worthy.
Goals aren’t about fixing who you are—they’re about supporting who you’re becoming.

So let this be your reminder:

It’s safe to dream softly. To grow slowly. To walk at your own pace.
Your goals can be small. They can be seasonal. They can even be secret.
But if they feel real and right to you—they’re more than enough.

Thanks for reading all the way to the end—what a joy to share these hopes and goals with you.

Do you have a few gentle goals for the rest of this year? I’d love to hear them—leave a comment below, or send me a message on Instagram. Let’s cheer each other on, slowly and steadily.

Here’s to a meaningful second half of 2025. 💛

Chat soon,

Ciara