Hey everyone!
Welcome to the first blog post of 2025! I’m so excited to kick off this year with you all. It’s been about three weeks since my last YouTube video went live, and I thought it was the perfect time for a life update and to review my 2024 goals—which ones I accomplished and which ones I didn’t quite reach.
Think of this post as a reset button. The end of 2024, the beginning of 2025—this fresh year that’s just getting started. I encourage you to use this as motivation to check on your own goals, see which ones worked out, which ones didn’t, and prepare yourself in the best possible way for what lies ahead in 2025.
I’ve got my coffee beside me as I write this (probably my third cup today, but who’s counting?), so I suggest you grab your own coffee, tea, matcha, or whatever makes you happy, and let’s dive in!
If you’re new here: Hi! I’m Flor. I live and work in New York City, a place I’ve called home for over 6 years now. On my channel and blog, I love creating content about life in the city—showing you new areas, neighborhoods to explore, things to do if you’re visiting, or just virtual tours if you want to experience NYC vicariously through me. I also talk about the behind-the-scenes of being a content creator, share my personal life updates, books I’m reading, my life as a mom, and everything in between.
The Video Version
If you prefer to watch rather than read, here’s my video going through all of this:
Life Update: What’s Been Happening
So what’s been going on since December 20th until now (January 14th when I filmed this video)? Let me catch you up!
Snow in NYC!
The first big thing I want to share is more of a city update than a personal one—we got SNOW on December 21st! This was huge for so many reasons. First, it happened on the first day of winter, which felt perfectly timed. But more notably, we hadn’t had snow in December in New York since 2019.
With global warming affecting our weather patterns, New York gets less and less snow each year—not just fewer snow days but also less actual accumulation when it does snow. So this was a beautiful treat. The entire city seemed happier, with everyone out walking and kids playing in the snow.
I absolutely love snow days, probably because I grew up in Argentina where it almost never snowed (in my 20+ years living there, we had exactly ONE snow day). Snow still feels magical to me, and I don’t think I’ll ever take it for granted.
Then on December 24th, we got more snow—giving New York its first white Christmas since 2009! Fifteen years without a white Christmas, and I was here to experience it. Pure magic.
Christmas Celebrations
We celebrated Christmas with our usual traditions, plus had Tom’s sister visiting from abroad. She hadn’t seen snow in years, so she got to experience that magic with us too.
Tom, my daughter Julia, and I took our annual Christmas photos in matching pajamas—a tradition we’ve only been doing for three years since Julia was born, but one I absolutely cherish. My mom started it by gifting us matching pajamas before Julia’s first Christmas, and though it’s getting more challenging each year to get a toddler to cooperate for photos, I love having these memories documented. Time really does fly, especially when you have a child, and these seemingly small traditions become so meaningful.
Getting Sick & New Year’s
Unfortunately, right after Christmas, I fell ill with what I think was the flu. I tested negative for COVID but had all the classic flu symptoms—fever, sore throat, body aches, and extreme fatigue. I was basically bedridden for two full days (December 26th and 27th), which is incredibly challenging for me. Not only because I have a toddler, but because I’m naturally the type of person who always wants to be doing something—working, tidying, reading, anything but lying still.
The good news is I recovered fairly quickly, likely because I got my flu vaccine back in October. (Consider this your reminder to get yours if you haven’t already!)
I was grateful to feel better by New Year’s Eve. It might sound superstitious, but I really wanted to enter 2025 feeling my best self, healthy and ready for what’s ahead.
New Year’s Eve itself was very low-key. With a toddler who goes to bed around 8 PM, our options are limited! Tom’s sister had left before NYE, so it was just our little family. Julia went to bed at her usual time, and Tom and I stayed up just long enough to say «Happy New Year» before heading to bed ourselves—knowing we’d be up at 7 AM with a toddler regardless of what day it was!
A Slow Start to 2025
I had a pretty easy and slow start to the new year, which I always appreciate. Not having to rush back to work on January 2nd is a privilege I don’t take for granted. Having those extra days after the holidays to just be home, be with family, be with my thoughts—it’s something I didn’t have in previous jobs, and I’m grateful for it now.
Those first few days of 2025 were spent watching YouTube videos about Notion, planning, productivity, and to-do lists. I always take time at the beginning of the year to check my systems, my methods, my goals, and make sure everything is positioned for me to be my best self in the coming year.
My Birthday
January 7th was my birthday! We spent the day walking around Central Park, enjoying the snow (though it was VERY cold, so not a long walk). We had lunch at Sant Ambroeus, an Italian place I’d been wanting to try for a proper meal. Then we did some shopping on Fifth Avenue because Tom wanted to get me a birthday present.
I’m not one of those people who go all out with «birthday month» celebrations or huge gatherings with 30 friends. I’m also not someone who completely ignores their birthday. I’m somewhere in the middle—I like small celebrations with just Tom and Julia (and Rio, our dog). That’s perfect for me.
And Finally…
Last week I had half a root canal done (I’ll need to go back in about a month). Not fun, but necessary—we have to take care of our health! I also shot a campaign for Instagram that you’ll probably see soon, so keep an eye out for that.
And that brings us to now! Mostly my time has been filled with resting, celebrating Christmas, getting sick, having my birthday, planning for the new year, and enjoying all the snow.
Reviewing My 2024 Goals
Now for the part I really wanted to share—looking back at my goals from last year. I had 19 goals divided into seven categories: Career, New Business, Health, Personal, Relationships, Leisure, and Academic.
Let’s break them down:
Career Goals
- Get to 10,000 YouTube subscribers – This didn’t happen. I’m around 3,000 subscribers now, up from about 2,500 when 2024 started. In retrospect, I realize this wasn’t the best type of goal to set because it’s not 100% within my control. I can control how many videos I make and publish, but I can’t control whether people subscribe. For 2025, I’m setting more actionable goals that are fully within my power.
- Launch 12 new or relaunched products – I didn’t specify what I meant by «products» when I wrote this goal, which was my first mistake. Always be specific! I think I meant launching my Lightroom presets, but I’m not even sure what the other products were supposed to be. Needless to say, I didn’t accomplish this goal.
- Partner with a kids brand, high-end brand, cruise, hotel, or airline – I would consider this one accomplished! We traveled to the Dominican Republic and stayed at a hotel that we had booked ourselves, but I reached out to them beforehand and secured some upgrades and perks through my work. It wasn’t a 100% partnership, but they liked my profile and content, and we got to collaborate. I want to focus more on this type of work in 2025.
- Attend more New York Fashion Week shows – While I’m not sure I attended more shows quantity-wise, I did get invited to some new shows I hadn’t been to before. The September NYFW season was one where I finally felt happy again with the shows I was attending and how I felt in my clothes. So I’d consider this a partial success.
- Reach a specific income goal – I didn’t hit the financial target I set for myself, which is disappointing. When you work for yourself, reaching income goals means you’re growing year-over-year and pricing yourself appropriately for the work you do. I’m not beating myself up about it, though—just channeling that energy into making 2025 more successful.
- Secure my first YouTube partnership – This didn’t happen either, and realistically, I don’t think it’s happening anytime soon. I love YouTube and creating content here, but I’m also pragmatic enough to know my audience isn’t large enough yet to secure partnerships solely through YouTube. It’s still something to work toward, but it’s not in my 2025 goals list.
- Book a specific number of paid brand partnerships – I didn’t reach this goal either. I did work with many brands on gifting opportunities, which can be valuable in their own way (especially with a toddler or when looking for NYC activities), but I would have preferred more paid partnerships. I’ve put a better strategy in place for 2025.
New Business Goals
- Launch a podcast and new product-based business – These didn’t happen. I think I was being incredibly ambitious trying to accomplish all this in one year.
BUT—I did manage to register my brand name as an official trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office! This was something I started in January 2023, and it typically takes 10-12 months to get approved. I had to make some adjustments along the way, but finally received official approval on January 7th this year (a nice birthday present!).
Now I have six months to prove I’m actively using the trademark in business, which is excellent motivation for 2025. While I didn’t accomplish my original goals, registering the domain, setting up social media accounts, and completing the trademark process were all important first steps toward launching this business.
Health Goals
- Get in better shape and lose 12 kilos (26.5 pounds) – I actually accomplished this one! I didn’t share my specific weight loss goal publicly at the beginning of last year because I know these topics can be triggering for some people.
I want to emphasize that this was something I did entirely for myself. There was no pressure from doctors, my husband, or external sources. I wanted to feel better in my body and clothes. As someone who creates visual content constantly, you end up looking at yourself a lot—probably too much—and it’s easy to compare yourself to others or to previous versions of yourself (I’ve been posting content online for almost 15 years now!).
I wanted to feel lighter when running, picking up Julia, or climbing subway stairs. I wanted my clothes to fit better. I’m still at a healthy weight for my height and age, and I accomplished this goal through healthy eating and regular exercise.
- Run a 10K by the end of the year – I didn’t accomplish this one, unfortunately. I was running quite a lot and completed the Couch to 5K program, but after finishing that structured program, I felt lost. I didn’t know how many days I should run, how far I should go, etc., and I fell off the wagon.
The good news is that running was amazing for both my physical and mental health. It gave me time alone with my thoughts, listening to podcasts or music, and I felt strong. I recently discovered that the app I use has a 5K to 10K program, so I’m putting «Run a 10K» back on my 2025 goals list!
- Stay as healthy as possible and do regular checkups – I did accomplish this one! I included it because I never want to take my health for granted. I went to all my regular checkups—OBGYN, endocrinologist (I have some conditions that require monitoring), eye doctor, primary care physician, and dentist. I’m happy I prioritized my health and am setting a good example for Julia.
Relationship Goals
- Spend quality time with Julia – Accomplished! While this goal wasn’t very specific, I did have several mommy-daughter dates with Julia throughout the year. I plan to do even more in 2025 now that she’s older, can walk, and understands so much more.
- Spend quality time with Tom – Also accomplished! We had several lunches and brunches, just the two of us, throughout the year. As they say, you can get money back, but you can never get time back once it’s gone. I’m glad we prioritized our relationship.
- Nurture friendships with friends in NYC – I’m counting this as accomplished. The beginning of the year was tough—I was reaching out to people suggesting coffee or dinner dates and getting radio silence. But around March/April, I found a book club where I knew two members from content creation. I asked if I could join, and they welcomed me in.
This group of women are mostly around my age (some younger), and many are in similar life stages—married, with pets, thinking about buying homes, etc. Our monthly book club meetings have been wonderful, discussing our lives, relationships, jobs, and books. I put myself out there to make these connections, and I’m thrilled it worked out. After wanting to join a book club for years, I finally found my people!
- Nurture relationships with friends and family abroad – Accomplished, at least the family part! We traveled to Argentina in July for my grandfather’s 90th birthday. It was incredible to gather with my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, sister, and have everyone meet Julia. Though it was a short two-week trip, we managed to see everyone who was important to us—people who made time in their busy lives to see us. I deeply appreciate that commitment, knowing we all have work, school, and other obligations.
Leisure Goals
- Travel more – Another non-specific goal, but I’d say we accomplished it! Besides Argentina, we took two memorable trips:
- Dominican Republic: Our first proper vacation as a family of three. We stayed at the Hyatt Cap Cana for about four days and had an incredible time. I definitely want to go back this year!
- London: We spent 3-4 days there in late September/early October. I hadn’t been to London in years, and my sister now lives there. My mom and aunt were visiting too, so we all got to spend time together. We explored museums, rode the double-decker buses, saw the London Eye and Big Ben, and visited lots of playgrounds for Julia.
Academic Goals
- Get better at German – I’d say I accomplished this! I’m now on a 425-day streak on Duolingo. I did use some «streak freezes» when I couldn’t practice, but for most of 2024, I practiced German almost every day or at least every week. German isn’t an easy language—it requires time investment to learn new words, verbs, articles, etc. I put in the work, and I’ve definitely improved.
The Final Tally
Out of my 19 goals, I accomplished about 10 (roughly 50%). But beyond the numbers, 2024 was truly transformative for me. There were significant changes in my mental health, physical health, family dynamics, career, and daily life in NYC. We even moved apartments!
Overall, I feel much happier, more content, and accomplished with what I did in 2024. Of course, I had days of frustration, sadness, and stress, but generally speaking, I’m proud of what I achieved—both the things on my list and the unexpected accomplishments that weren’t written down but made a big impact.
Looking Ahead to 2025
I’ve written about 20-25 goals for 2025, and I’d love to share those in a future post (or video!) if you’re interested. I’ve gotten much more specific with my goals this time around, which should set me up for greater success.
I’d love to know what your 2024 goals were! Did you accomplish them? What are you planning for 2025? Drop me a comment below—I genuinely love reading about other people’s goals, whether accomplished or not, and the lessons learned along the way. We can all grow from sharing these experiences.
Thank you so much for reading this far (I know it was a long one!) and for being part of this community. If you’re not already subscribed to my YouTube channel, please consider hitting that subscribe button and notification bell so you don’t miss any future videos.
Here’s to making 2025 our best year yet!
xo, Flor
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