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Recap and Outlook – 2025

2025 in Review

It is once again the time to take a breather, find some time in real life to sit down, focus and reminisce on all things 2025. Easier said than done sometimes. After reading through my recap for 2024, there was a lot I agreed with. There were a lot of goals accomplished. There was a lot from a writing perspective that never ceases to amaze me – from what I was dialed in on, my vocabulary for the year, my maturity or growth, what I was prioritizing, and what things came to fruition. It is a treat to look back a year or two and watch – remember – how far those around me and I have come.

This year, 2025, I would say was not such a blur like 2024. It was definitely a year of board games. It was also without a doubt a year of massive detour and adapting. Things were still done, people still seen and memories still made, but the tone of this year was different and came with its own unique challenges. Challenges I do not need to write, but are known.

Nevertheless, seeing the format from 2024, I wanted to bring that into 2025 to give me a chance to stroll/scroll down memory lane and show appreciation and clarity for a Year in Review:

  • The “quality over quantity” was alive and well in 2025 and becoming more of the status quo
  • The emphasis on Friends and Family hit full stride, and I hope this grows stronger every year
  • Mila continues to amaze me and I am very proud of her, especially this year juggling things we were not planning for
  • Watched the entire 1-17 seasons of Always Sunny and it was epic
  • I attended PAX for the first time and loved it
  • This year I may officially call the squad no more, and that’s OK
  • I’ve had to put more effort into things to get results I want
  • My brain felt like it was at capacity sometimes throughout the year and doom scrolling happened more than I’d like to admit
  • I saw how fun, but addicting, playing one of my favorite games could be even at my age (DayZ)
  • Sports were consistent, but it was my worst year being consistent with working out and stretching/yoga
  • Our families’ next generation is growing
  • Travel took a hiatus, but local/domestic gatherings were plentiful and D&D campaigns live on
  • Traditions remain intact and are aging like fine wine (NYE, Halloween, Epcot, Chilis, Friendsgiving)
  • This year was more of a passenger than driver

Decisions to Make

So reading through what I wrote, it looks like a mixed message or feelings about the year. And I’m sure there are some one liners I’m missing on the list above, but it’s good enough and gets the main points across. Overall, the year was positive for what it was. Could it have been better? For sure. Worse? Absolutely. 

Either way, my job is to take 2025 as a history lesson and see where I need to go. And it’s not all about changing and reinventing. There is a lot that can, and should, remain steady. I’m writing this a few weeks into 2026 and can already say that in which I’ve changed or kept the same this year is already kicking ass.

The decisions that I need to make in 2026 boil down to time and energy. I don’t want to make this super analytical, but it was very apparent in 2025 the amount of idle time I had accumulated. I’m not sure what spurred this on, but it had obvious affects on my mental and physical health (nothing major, but noticeable to me). It put me in this cycle of a feeling of procrastination – wanting to take action – becoming overwhelmed – back to procrastination. Even with this vortex, things got done 🙂 But this is not me. Therefore, the decision I’ll make in 2026 is to bring more structure back. That’s it – and I’ll lay out more detail in the goal setting.

Goal Setting

I’ve already typed way more than I was planning for a recap/outlook, but sometimes the thoughts are flowing and it’s best to get ’em down. I believe this will help me to be the best version of myself, to be the best I can be for others:

  • Support Mila the best you can
  • Use that damn whiteboard again and plan out major events in 2026
  • Continue to limit phone/socials – it works
  • Run that marathon with Kolbe and then make it a thing
  • The mornings are for you – get back to it
  • Write it down
  • Take more pictures and videos even if it feels awkward
  • You do not have to do everything all at once
  • Bring big brain ICE’ing back

Ready, Set

Funny, at our NYE party for 2026 everyone was saying a word to bring into the new year. I said ‘Activacion’ as a joke and throwback. But maybe there’s some truth in it. To get back in the zone, and become the driver once more. What will you make of it?

-ML

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Michael Lakus

IT professional, athlete, musician, ponderer of many things... Born and raised in Florida, I began traveling internationally after college. I created this site primarily to remind myself of where I've been and to share my experiences on traveling with a quirky, stress-free, travel attitude.
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