'Retreat' before you move ahead in 2025

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As the calendar inches towards a new year, many people follow the same pattern: set goals, aim high, and go full steam ahead. However, most New Year's resolutions vanish by the time we book the Valentine's dinner.

And that’s a top-quartile performance :)

Hence, I’d like to propose something counterintuitive but incredibly powerful - Retreat before you begin the new year.

But it’s not the kind in Bali or the Himalayas. It can be created right where you are.

The Science of Reflection

According to a 2014 study published in the Harvard Business Review, employees who spent just 15 minutes reflecting on their work at the end of the day showed a 23% performance improvement compared to those who didn’t.

Reflection doesn’t just clarify past actions—it enhances future decisions.

So, before setting grand plans for the new year, carve out time to declutter your mental and physical space, reflect on the highs and lows of 2024, and intentionally choose what to carry forward.

I prepared a practical guide with 3 actionable segments to make 2025 shine brighter for you and me.

Segment 1: Marie Kondo, your physical space and digital life first

Decluttering is not just about sifting things; it’s also about freeing mental bandwidth.

• Identify 1 work habit that didn’t serve you in 2024. Make a resolve to stop doing it, e.g., saying yes to low-priority meetings or hanging out with people with time-wasting filler conversations. Stick to it. One is easy to do. No?

• Organize your inbox by unsubscribing from irrelevant newsletters (not this one:) and organizing emails into folders. It's a mountain, but just start deleting. 

• Donate or discard 10 items you haven’t used in the last year (e.g., books, gadgets, shoes, or clothes). Make space for new in your life. Allow it.

• Let go of 2 negative or draining relationships by gradually reducing contact. Work on your ‘letting go’ muscles. Name them now. Come on.

• Create a new workspace by removing everything non-essential and adding one inspiring item (e.g., a vision board or plant). I added a bowl of crystals.

• Digitally declutter by organizing photos, organizing your desktop icons, and cleaning up your phone apps. Oh, the sound of the bin shredding digitally :)

Segment 2: ‘Reflect and Refocus’ to etch learnings

Schedule a day in December for a personal retreat. There should be no distractions, just journaling, reading, meditating, and reflecting. You worked hard in 2024, and you deserve this. Go for it.

• List your top 5 achievements of 2024, big or small, and write down the key habits or decisions that contributed to each. You are good. Kudos!

• Identify 1 skill or strength you leveraged in 2024 and identify 2 ways to build on it next year. Double down.

• You can send 10 handwritten thank-you cards to people who helped you grow in 2024 or just call and say Thank You. It works wonders.

• Schedule 3 coffee/lunch dates with friends or mentors you want to reconnect with beyond buddies. The diversity of inputs matters.

• Choose 1 setback to revisit and its corrective action (e.g., apologize, repair a relationship, or try again with a fresh approach). Learn actually.

• What patterns or themes stood out in 2024 (e.g., self-doubt, overcommitting, undervaluing yourself, or hustle)? Just notice the pattern. They usually repeat.

Segment 3: Now, let’s build 2025 with intention

• Name the new chapter. Select a word or phrase for 2025 and create a visual reminder (e.g., a phone wallpaper, sticky note on your desk, or artwork for your home). Mine is Phoenix :) What’s yours?

• Write down 3 specific goals for each area of your life - e.g.,

  • Professional: “Enroll in a course on demystifying AI by March 2025.”

  • Personal: “Run a 10k by November 2025 with a structured training plan.”

  • Relational: “Call my parents daily and have a weekly 30-minute call.”

• Reverse engineer your plan by breaking your goals into smaller tasks for each quarter (e.g., researching courses, signing up for a running group, or setting recurring call reminders). Mark critical weekly tasks that would allow us to achieve quarterly goals.

• Commit to 3 pivotal rituals, e.g., block 2 hours daily for deep work or learning. Dedicate the morning hour to the self. SIP investing. Sacred rituals.

• Book 3 new adventures for 2025 (e.g., a family trip, a solo retreat, or a new activity like paddleboarding). Be creative beyond resort vacations.

• Try 1 new experience every quarter that pushes you outside your comfort zone (e.g., public speaking, a cooking class, or volunteering). Mother of all - Start a new startup/side hustle :)

• List 10 new people you want to meet or support in 2025 and contact them. Make a cold and warm list and reach out to them.

• Use a physical planner or 365-day calendar to map the year's milestones. Seeing the whole year charted out with key milestones mapped with dates, fires, and wires neurons differently.

The key to a successful retreat isn’t perfection—it’s committing to it.

Retreating allows you to release what no longer serves you, reflect on the lessons of the past, and design a life that feels deeply aligned with your values.

So, breathe, grab your journal, and start your retreat. The best is yet to come in 2025!

Leave comments or DM for anything. Lots of love!

___Why is it called /SALTT______________

^{In Roman times, salt was prized as much as gold—it was essential and invaluable and paid as a “salary.” Earning your salt means adding real value, which is crucial. The phrase still resonates today, but perhaps with an even deeper meaning. Earning our salt is not about compensation only—it’s about contribution, fulfillment, and the courage to live with intention.}