Pick Your Battles: A Smarter Way to Plan 2025
Monday #1 with M
Hi, and welcome to Monday #X with M. Each week, I’ll share some topics I’ve come across recently—an idea, article, or story—that caught my attention. I’ve learned so many interesting things from the people who’ve shared what they’ve found useful, and I consider that an act of kindness. This is my weekly care package to you, filled with thoughtful discoveries to start your week on a good note.
I’ve chosen the #X format because I sometimes struggle with consistency, and I thought seeing the number grow each week would motivate me to keep going. Let’s get into it!
Spotlight Three
I. Pick Your Battles List
If you're anything like me, this is the one week each year when you reflect on the past 12 months and write your own "report card," so to speak. While I try to focus on improvements and what I did right to build on those successes, failures inevitably sneak in, no matter how "positive" I try to stay.
To fend off those pesky gremlins threatening to ruin our holidays, we often turn to New Year's Resolutions. Does that phrase send chills down your spine? It does for me. Every year, we make a list, ignore it by February, joke about it, and then repeat the cycle the next year—yours truly included.
This year, I’m trying something different: a "Pick Your Battles" list. Instead of a long, categorized inventory of goals, I’ll choose one or two things I’ve been passionate about but kept postponing. The key is to set intentional, well-thought-out goals for those and stick to them.
Tim Ferriss has a method for this (of course he does!) called the Past Year Review. I also recently watched Ali Abdaal’s video called: How To Actually Achieve Your Goals in 2025, and a couple of ideas resonated with me, especially tying goals to your identity. For example, if you want to write consistently on Substack, tell yourself, “I’m a Substack writer,” instead of, “I write weekly posts on Substack.”
So, for this New Year, ditch the list you’ll never revisit. Pick your battles, armor up, and let’s see if you can write your conqueror's story by the end of 2025. That’s my plan, and I’m sticking to it!
II. Yummy Alert
I discovered Sammy Montgoms about a year and a half ago, quite haphazardly, and she’s quickly become one of my favourite content creators for all things delicious. What sets her apart? Her simple and realistic everyday recipes. Her website is a great place to explore, and she’s very active on social media. Personally, I follow her newsletter, and every time I see her name in my inbox, I get excited.
This week, I want to highlight her delightful recipe of French Toast Casserole that is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon tea treat. I made it last night, baked it this morning, and now my house smells delicious. Try it and enjoy!
III. Christmas Tradition
I have two Christmas traditions:
Watching the Harry Potter movies during the second half of December.
Watching Love Actually every Christmas Eve.
The first tradition has been going strong for 4 years, and the second for about 15. Christmas is my favourite holiday—it’s a time of warmth, light, and joy. Watching Christmas-themed rom-coms is one of my favourite things to do. While I’m not a huge fan of Hallmark movies (too sparkly for me), this list of 18 Holiday Rom-Coms is the closest I have found which I agree with when it comes to defining how a good Christmas rom-com should be.
So, grab your cozy socks, make a hot chocolate, and enjoy some heartwarming stories. What’s Christmas without a little love?
Added Spark
Strike Season 6 Is Here!
In case you didn’t know, J.K. Rowling writes mystery novels under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. The Cormoran Strike series follows two main characters, Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott, in stories that are anything but typical crime tales. They’re intricately woven, layered, and filled with the brilliant complexity you’d expect from Rowling.
Season 6 has just been released on BBC. While it’s not yet available on other platforms, you can watch it on BBC iPlayer with VPN support. The series is wonderfully produced, but (of course) the books are much better.
The Night We Lost Him
This is the second novel I’ve read by Laura Dave (the first being The Last Thing He Told Me), and I love her effortless storytelling. This one is a tender tale of love amidst a sudden, horrific loss, with a bittersweet twist. It’s a good, easy read—perfect for curling up with during a quiet evening.
Words Worth Sharing
"Comparison is the crush of conformity from one side and competition from the other—it’s trying to simultaneously fit in and stand out."
Brené Brown, Atlas of the Heart
This is it for this week’s edition of Monday #X with M. If something here made you think, smile, or sparked your curiosity, consider sharing it with someone who might enjoy it too. You never know whose day you might brighten with a thoughtful word or idea—it’s a small act of kindness that can go a long way. Happy Holidays and see you next Monday!