Setting Intentions for 2025: What Will Your Year Look Like?

As 2024 winds down, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the year that’s passed and dream big for the one ahead. Did you stick to any of your New Year’s resolutions?  Do you remember what they were?! Whether they were about fitness, family, friendships, or finding love, the end of the year invites us to set new intentions for 2025 with optimism and purpose.  

One inspirational story we loved reading was Jessie Wright’s New Years resolution for friendships. Jessie set a fun goal: to find new friends by inviting strangers to dinner every week. 

Jessie moved to Melbourne during the pandemic, went through a breakup, and found herself craving connection.  Inspired by a podcast, she took a brave step: posting on Instagram about her mission to meet new people over dinner.  As a self-confessed introvert this was challenging.  Her message struck a chord - over 100 women reached out wanting to join her! 

Her journey, documented on TikTok as “Dinner with 52 Strangers”, went viral. But more importantly, it kept her accountable. Despite moments of doubt and the temptation to cancel, Jessie always left those dinners feeling energised and inspired by the connections, stories and new perspectives she discovered. 

Jessie says, “There’s this magic thing about sitting down with somebody and getting to introduce yourself and getting to know someone. There’s nothing like sitting down and hearing about somebody else’s story or their life. These dinners had a really nice way of putting things in perspective for me.”

“Sometimes we stay in our heads for a really long time about things. But I am just going to say to myself, ‘let’s just go for dinner with a new friend. You’re looking for new connections, do it, jump on it, let’s just make it happen.'”

Jessie’s experience holds some wonderful lessons for all of us, especially at A Table For Six, where meaningful connections in real life are at the heart of what we do:

• Face the Fear of Rejection: Jessie reports that she found making friends scarier than dating! But by putting herself out there week after week, she pushed past the fear and created the opportunity for fabulous new connections in her life. 

• The Power of Intention: Just like being intentional about fitness or career goals, Jessie’s deliberate approach to friendship made all the difference. Clear intentions paired with action are the ideal combination.

• Personal Growth Happens Outside Your Comfort Zone:  Every dinner brought Jessie new perspectives and a chance to learn something more about herself. Pushing past her comfort zone led to a more enriched life. 

So, what’s the message as we look ahead to 2025?  Be bold. Be intentional. Whether it’s forming friendships, finding romance, or growing personally, great things happen when you step out of your comfort zone and take action.

At A Table For Six, we believe every dinner is an opportunity to create connections that could change your life. So why not start setting your intentions now? Who knows what amazing stories you’ll be telling this time next year?

Image credit: KrakenImages from Unsplash