A Year of Joie de Vivre: Crafting My Very Own 2025 Happiness Project (part 2)
Welcome back to part 2!
Have you ever heard of the french phrase “Joie de Vivre”? It’s pronounced ‘zhwah duh veev’ and it means “exuberant enjoyment of daily life” or more literally “joy of living”. And THAT is what I’m inspired to pursue for 2025. About a decade ago, I was enamored with the phrase of joie de vivre and adored it so much, I got a tattoo of it above my right knee. I loved how it sounded and found it interesting how the english language didn’t seem to have anything could fully capture that same sentiment. For me, it's more than just "joy of living"—it embodies an exuberance, a zest for life, and an appreciation for the simple pleasures and daily delights that make life wonderful.
In America, we might say "lust for life" or "living life to the fullest," but those just lack the same elegance and depth of joie de vivre. It feels lighter, more carefree, and rooted in an effortless enjoyment of life’s beauty. It's less about chasing grand achievements and more about savoring the present—whether it’s a good meal, laughter with loved ones, or a quiet sunset — a reminder and invitation to embrace the beauty in every moment.
With that in mind, for the last couple of weeks since I finished reading The Happiness Project, I’ve been considering the ways in which I can ignite more joie de vivre into my days. So, using the same framework Gretchen Rubin used in her happiness project, I present to you, my 2025 Happiness Project.
As a reminder, she brainstormed resolutions across various areas of her life. Then, she assigned a theme to each month, with subsequent specific, actionable goals under that theme. She would keep track of them throughout the month and ultimately to add and keep in her life.
My Monthly Themes and Actions:
January - Simplify My Space (Focus: Organize & Declutter) 📦
Goal: Start the year fresh by organizing/purging, creating order and feeling lighter.Actions: Swap our office & bedroom for better usability + functionality. Purge phone photos. Find 5 things to donate daily. Return 10 misplaced items to their proper place at the end of the day. Organize/declutter each room of entire house (inside and out). Establish new systems for clutter hotspots.
February - Be Well (Focus: Fitness & Wellness) 💪🏻
Goal: Invest in gentle consistency for my physical health and wellness.Actions: Follow fitness plan to remove guesswork + promote discipline. Prioritize sleep (at least 8 hours). Take supplements daily. Drink more water. Utilize wellness tools like red light therapy, dry brush and sauna.
March – Gather & Connect (Focus: Connection & Community) 🤝
Goal: Strengthen my relationships and build deeper connections.Actions: Host a themed party. Invite 2 new families over for a meal. Start a book club. Meet a new friend for coffee. Host a game night. Offer random acts of kindness. Go on an intentionally planner date night each week. Find a place to volunteer. Send handwritten letters or cards to loved ones.
April – Nourish & Savor (Focus: Nourishment and mindfulness in the kitchen) 🥗
Goal: Cultivate mindfulness and joy in cooking and eating.Actions: Cook solely out of 1 cookbook each week. Use a kitchen appliance that I’ve never used before. Learn to be a barista (master the art of latte art). Limit eating out. Buy a new cookbook. Eat nourishing meals, with minimized distraction, while sitting down.
May – Creativity & Curiosity (Focus: Ignite creativity + take the time for it) 🎨
Goal: Awaken my creative side and explore new interests.Actions: Learn calligraphy. Make a vision board. Write/blog daily (25 minutes for 2025). Research something I’m curious about and then present on it (😂). Read a book from an entirely new genre. Watch a new documentary.
June – Learning to Savor Summer (Focus: Try to like Summer) 🌞
Goal: Shifting my mindset around summer and embracing the season by finding joy in the sunshine by building confidence, and creating positive experiences despite past discomfort and dislike.Actions: Spend 100 hours outside. Watch sunrise or sunset each day. Go camping with Taylor. Garden. Eat outside weekly. Write down on gratitude about summer each day. Connect with water. Buy a new summer outfit or swimsuit. Take dogs for walks.
July – Rest & Recharge (Focus: Unplug and chill out) 🛋️
Goal: Prioritize relaxation, self-care and reduce stress by unplugging and being gentle/kind to myself as I turn 33.Actions: Take a solitude day (free from daily responsibilities). Be off phone for first and last hour of day. Stay off social media. Do a puzzle. Journal everyday. Prioritize restful living by slowing down. Re-read ‘The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry’.
August – Embrace the New (Focus: New experiences) 🌟
Goal: Step out of my comfort zone and welcome new experiences.Actions: Visit a new museum. Try a new coffee drink. Take a weekend trip to a place we’ve never been. Try a new restaurant or cuisine. Take a class in something unfamiliar. Try a bold, new activity.
September – Faith & Reflection (Focus: Spiritual Growth) ✝️
Goal: To be in and of the Word, deepening my relationship and closeness with Christ.Actions: Memorize a passage of scripture. Read the Gospels. Observe the Sabbath. Fast. Read a daily devotion. Pray.
October – Living My Ideal Life (Focus: Be the best version of me + live in the moment) 🍂
Goal: Embody the best version of myself each day during my favorite season.Actions: Fresh air. Reading. Eat Nourishing Meals. Honor my body with movement. Decorate for Autumn. Worry less. Celebrate 2nd wedding anniversary. Be where my feet are. Daily gratitude journal.
November – Tackle the To-Do’s (Focus: Doing The Things I put off) ✅
Actions: Make list of all pending chores, appointments, tasks. Clean car. Autumn House Tidy. Schedule any lagging appts (oil change, etc). Tie up loose ends on any pending or unfinished projects. Handle any repairs, touch-ups, maintenance for home or health. Christmas gift planning/purchasing.
December – Full circle (Focus: Put it all together) 🧩
Goal: Revisit each monthly focus and incorporate rhythms in daily life to continue the goodness.Actions: Revisit January’s decluttering habits and organize for new year. Keep fitness and wellness a priority. Maintain connections (Host a party!). Reflect on faith and Christ through holiday season (Advent study). Keep blogging (gift guides). Use new calligraphy practice as part of Christmas gifts. Incorporate smaller fasts (like dinner to dinner). Be in nature (cut down Christmas tree in national forest). Volunteer (Operation Christmas Child). Winter Well (sleep & rest). Incorporate joie de vivre.
Like Gretchen, I also came up with my own set of principles to guide me when I struggled to stick to my resolutions.
My 12 Principles:
Some is better than none. (Meaning: don’t not do ANYTHING).
Speak up about what you want. (People pleaser in recovery.)
Worry less. (I tend to fret lol).
Pluck from the root. (Get to the root cause of things).
Be where your feet are. (i.e. Be present).
Everything is figureoutable.
Make the decision, see how it feels.
Renew your mind.
If it takes less than 5 minutes, just do it.
Resist momentary rewards (i.e. it's okay to feel temporary discomfort for something I want or am working towards long-term).
Be gentle and kind with myself.
Peace in the process, joy in the journey.
I’ve also created my own version of Gretchen Rubin’s “Secrets of Adulthood,” which I’ll be sharing throughout the year as I test them out. I’m excited to bring you along on my joie de vivre journey! Each month, I’ll be posting a summary to document my progress—detailing why I chose that theme, how I developed the actions, and how it all went. Thanks for following along!
I’d love to hear from you—what would your 2025 Happiness Project look like? What themes would you choose for each month? Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below!
Wishing you all a joyful and fulfilling New Year, filled with little moments of joie de vivre!
Happy New Year! ✨
