5 Questions to Make 2025 a Year of Confidence and Happiness

Do you start the New Year hoping to feel more confidence and happiness in the coming year?

As the new year begins, it’s easy to dive in with ambitious plans to change how you feel about yourself, spend more time on self-care, or finally achieve the confidence and self-worth you’ve been seeking. Yet, by February, many of us feel deflated, as if we’ve fallen short once again.

Perhaps you set unattainable goals that left you feeling like a failure, or you reached your targets only to realise they didn’t bring the joy or sense of self-worth you expected.

This year, instead of focusing on fleeting fixes like diets or detoxes, let’s take a deeper look at what truly impacts your confidence, happiness, and positive body image.

It’s time to pause, reflect, and set meaningful intentions for 2025.

If you’re looking to build confidence and happiness in 2025, these five questions will help you reflect, grow, and set meaningful intentions for the year ahead.

1. What Made You Happy in 2024?

By reflecting on what brought you joy in 2024, you can plan experiences that help you build confidence and self-worth in 2025. What lit you up, made you smile, or helped you feel truly at ease in your own skin?

Exercise to try:

• Scroll through your phone’s photo gallery. We naturally capture moments that make us happy, so your photos are an excellent way to jog your memory.

• Write down what made these moments special. Was it spending quality time with loved ones, exploring new places, or simply enjoying a quiet moment with a good book?

Why This Matters: Happiness often comes from prioritising meaningful experiences over external validation. By identifying what brought you joy, you can plan to create more of those moments in 2025. For example, if spending time outdoors boosted your mood, plan regular walks or nature outings to reconnect with that feeling.

Body Image Tip: Consider moments when you felt confident or at peace with your appearance. What were you doing, wearing, or focusing on? These can offer clues to how you can create a positive body image this year.

2. What Made You Unhappy in 2024?

Just as it’s important to identify what made you happy, reflecting on what drained your energy or negatively impacted your confidence is equally crucial.

Ask yourself:

• What situations or habits made you feel less than your best?

• Were there people, environments, or thoughts that made you feel self-critical or out of alignment with your values?

Why This Matters: Awareness is the first step in creating change. While you can’t control everything, you can take steps to minimise the impact of toxic relationships, unhelpful habits, or overwhelming commitments.

Body Image Tip: Reflect on the ways your thoughts about your body influenced your self-worth. Did social media comparisons or endless negative self-talk make you feel unhappy? Consider curating your online spaces or practising self-compassion to leave those feelings behind.

3. What Lessons Did You Learn in 2024?

Every year leaves us with lessons. Some come from triumphs, others from challenges. By recognising these lessons, you can carry their wisdom into 2025.

Exercise to try:

• Reflect on what you’ve learned about yourself and your relationships. For example, did you discover new strengths, recognise a pattern of behaviour to address, or realise the value of setting boundaries?

• Write down how these lessons can guide your choices in the coming year.

Why This Matters: Learning from the past allows you to grow and create lasting changes. For instance, if you learned that you’re happiest when practising self-care, make it a non-negotiable part of your routine this year.

Body Image Tip: Think about moments when you challenged negative body image thoughts or embraced your body as it is. How can these lessons inspire you to continue building your self-worth and fostering a positive body image in 2025?

4. What Do You Wish You’d Made More Time For in 2024?

Often, the things we value most get pushed aside by busy schedules. Looking back, what activities or experiences do you wish you’d prioritised?

Exercise to try:

• Make a list of everything you wanted to do more of but didn’t. Perhaps it’s spending time with family, taking up a hobby, or focusing on self-care.

• Ask yourself how you can consciously create space for these in 2025. Block out time in your calendar or set small, actionable goals to make them a priority.

Why This Matters: True confidence, happiness, and self-fulfilment come from aligning your time and energy with what truly matters to you. By planning for these moments, you’re more likely to make them happen.

Body Image Tip: If you wish you’d spent more time appreciating your body or celebrating what it can do, consider starting a gratitude practice focused on your body’s abilities and strengths.

5. What Do You Want to Do Less Of in 2025?

We all have habits, behaviours, or thought patterns that don’t serve us. Identifying what you want to leave behind is just as important as setting intentions for what to embrace.

Exercise to try:

• Create a list of what you’d like to do less of, whether it’s scrolling social media, overcommitting, or engaging in negative self-talk.

• For each item, write down one actionable step to help you reduce or eliminate it. For example, if you want to spend less time on social media, set time limits or unfollow accounts that trigger comparison.

Why This Matters: By letting go of what doesn’t serve you, you make space for what does. This helps you create a life that’s more aligned with your values and goals.

Body Image Tip: If self-critical thoughts about your appearance are on your list, consider tools like affirmations, journaling, or joining a supportive community (like my Beyond the Mirror membership) to help you build self-worth and a positive body image.

Lets make 2025 your best year yet!

Building confidence and self-worth in 2025 starts with asking the right questions and focusing on what truly matters to you.

Working through these questions will give you clarity on what matters most for the year ahead. Don’t feel pressured to tackle everything at once; focus on what feels most meaningful to you and take small, consistent steps toward your goals.

This year, let’s shift away from superficial resolutions and embrace lasting changes that honour your needs, values, and self-worth. Remember, confidence doesn’t come from changing how you look—it comes from changing how you see yourself.

Are you Ready? If you’re ready to embrace true confidence, happiness, and a healthier relationship with your body, consider joining my Beyond the Mirror membership. This supportive community is designed to help you redefine your self-worth and create a life that reflects your true self while fostering a positive body image.

Start Your 2025 with Confidence by becoming a member of the Beyond the Mirror Membership. You got this!