a year of doing
and choosing progress over perfection.
“For me, it’s DOING. In 2025 I want to DO.”
I said this to myself and to my friends at the vision-boarding brunch as the answer to the question, “What’s one word that serves as your theme for 2025?”
Come to find out, that same theme aligned with the theme for the year at my church. Every year, I choose a word that serves as a guiding principle for me. A theme to anchor my decisions, actions, and aspirations.
why “doing”?
2024 was the year I started being open to messy attempts, somewhat bold starts, and embracing my process over the outcome. I began to prioritise my growth over anything else, because I realised what mattered most to me.
Later in the year, I started to choose to act rather than wait for the perfect moment. And in doing that, I learnt more about myself and the world than I could ever anticipate.
So in 2025, the goal is to pursue this fully as I become the best version of myself. This isn’t just about being busy or trying to be productive. It’s about leaning into acting over ideating, allowing myself to be imperfect, and letting that momentum help me move forward.
Many times I’ve been stuck in the cycle of planning, overthinking, and waiting for the perfect time to do it. This has been very unproductive for me, and this year, I plan to disrupt that.
what a year of doing means to me
A year of doing means starting where I am, with what I have, with/without fear, and trusting the progress that will follow. What does that mean?
1. taking the small and bold first steps:
I no longer want to wait for the stars to align. I want to start small, start big, start with fear, start bold, start imperfect, start perfect. Regardless of how I feel, I want to start. Rather than procrastinate, I will do. Rather than overthinking and overplanning, I will start executing with what I can.
If you’re one to get stuck in the planning loop like me, this is an important first step for us.
2. it’s okay to experiment:
Doing means experimenting and learning as I go. I’m learning to be comfortable with the fact that not everything I try to do will succeed, and that’s okay. Rather than treat failure as a roadblock, it’s time to take it as feedback. Without feedback, growth cannot happen.
3. prioritising progress over perfection:
Waiting for perfection can be paralysing. This year, I’m giving myself permission to do things messily and figure it out along the way. To grow, we need to experience the process and progress, and if we always look for perfection, it’s harder to achieve progress and in turn, growth.
4. celebrating every win:
A year of doing also means a year of celebrating. Everything I do, no matter how small, now counts as a step towards growth. So this year, I’m definitely taking the time to acknowledge those wins and honour all my efforts behind them.
why doing matters
By choosing to act, we open ourselves to possibilities that might even be bigger than what we ever imagined. If we don’t do the things we want to, we could miss opportunities we never even imagined we could have.
It pushes us out of our comfort zone and into the space where real growth happens. It’s saying yes to the things that scare us, trying new things, and building consistency in the things that matter to us.
It’s trusting that forward motion, no matter how slow, will lead us closer to the life we envision for ourselves.
how you can join me
If this theme resonates with you, I invite you to adopt your own version of “doing.” Ask yourself:
What’s something I’ve been wanting to start doing?
What small step can I take today towards that goal?
How can I let go of perfection and focus on progress instead?
2025 feels like a blank canvas, and I’m ready to cover it in growth. Here’s to a year of courageously doing and discovering what’s possible. 🥂
lulu’s recs for the week
A few things to check out in your free time 👀
To read
How to know what to do by Imade Iyamu: I think this is really good practice and an interesting read if you ever want clarity.
A framework for choosing by Linda Ikechukwu: I recommended this last week, and I’m recommending it again. I love to go back to this article every now and then, because I'm an indecisive queen.
To watch
Joy: The Birth of IVF (Netflix): This was such a heartfelt and insightful movie, and the best part is that it’s based on the true life story.
To listen
Lulu’s Yap station: The best podcast EVER🙂↔️
As always, I wish you the best week ahead!
Love, Lu.
Not waiting for the stars to align is a part of my choice for 2025 too. That and not waiting to be 'in the mood' to create.