Welcome to What’s Been On Your Calendar? 2025! I can’t believe we are at the end of January – where did that month go? I hope you have had a wonderful month and if you are linking up, I can’t wait to hear about what you’ve been doing. If you don’t blog I’m still interested in what’s been happening with you and encourage you to leave me a comment and tell me your news. So make yourself a cuppa, sit back and catch up on what has been on my calendar in January. x
A Blooming start to 2025 – January 2025 #WBOYC?
I am so grateful and appreciative of how my 2025 has started. January for me was spent planning, trying new things and of course spending time with my adorable grandsons.
A new WOTY to guide me in 2025
My WOTY – Bloom kicked of January and it was lovely to see others joining in our once-off #WOTY link up. I was curious to see what words others had chosen as their guiding word for 2025 and I thought all of them were apt choices. You can read why I selected BLOOM as my WOTY, It’s 2025 & time to live life in Full Bloom! – #WOTY2025
Keeping the Bloom theme going I started Your weekly boost: Living Life in Full Bloom over on Substack. It is a free weekly Newsletter to start your week with ideas and thoughts to help us all live life in full bloom and it has been well received. I’ve put the subscription link below so you can receive your free email each Monday.
Hosting a new link up – #Wellnessreimagined
In 2024 I closed my general Women Living Well After 50 Facebook group and started the Women Living Well After 50 – 30-Minute Daily Challenge on Facebook—a supportive space for Women 50+, where we encourage each other to dedicate just 30 minutes a day to moving, reflecting, or trying something new. It’s a small commitment that leads to big changes. No judgement, just encouragement! WLWA50 30-Minute Daily Exercise Challenge
The group is growing with a core group who check in daily. It started me thinking about a new linkup based around health and wellness. I approached some blogging friends with the idea and they were enthusiastically onboard and agreed to be co-hosts. The Wellness Reimagined link up was created and happens on the first Monday of each month Brisbane time. It is a great way to keep ourselves accountable with our health goals for 2025 and also to learn more in the area of staying healthy and active now and into the future. #wellnessreimagined – My Health & Wellness Intentions for 2025
2025 Travel plans – I’m excited!
Mike and I have decided to live by ‘if not now, when?’. Saying ‘Yes’ to even more travel this year
At the start of 2025, we had booked three trips for this year. Way over the number of trips we normally take.
- Our first is a Cruise to Sydney from Brisbane in February
- A week back at Caloundra where we stayed end of September last year in May.
- During August & September we have a trip planned for Scotland, England and a 7-day Norwegian Cruise. I’m excited because we have tickets to the Military Tattoo in Edinburgh the day before my birthday.
Now we were content and grateful for the opportunity to be able to have trips planned for the year.
But wait…. there’s more….
A few months ago, I said to Mike that if our Probus Club organised a trip to Norfolk Island we should go. We have both wanted to visit but never made it a priority. You can imagine my excitement when we attended our first Probus meeting for 2025 and there was a notice board showing a 5-night trip to Norfolk Island in October, one week after our return from Europe.
Should we go? We debated that thought for about 5 seconds and decided YES! Life is too short and we don’t know how many more trips are ahead so we are grabbing them whilst we can. We’ve paid the deposit and are locked in.
Other highlights in January
- Being asked to present at the Silver Siren’s Redefining Aging event in Brisbane in May – see details below
- Attending our online Stunners Book Club where we discussed The Picture of Dorian Gray. I reviewed this in my #WOYBS? What’s On Your Bookshelf? – January 2025
- Interviewing interesting and inspiring women for the WLWA50 Podcast
- Enjoying a weekly lunch date (or two) with my darling
- Seeing Paddington in Peru with my grandsons and crying happy tears at the end
- Making a Tropical Chill smoothie with my grandsons which tasted just as good as Boost Juice
- Enjoying my weekly long runs with my daughter and running friend
- Reflecting on what brought me joy and writing about them in my weekly Sparks of Joy posts which I link up to #WednesdayWords&Whimsy hosted by Min at Write of the Middle
If you are in Brisbane, you might be interested in attending the Redefining Ageing event. I’d love to see you there!
Looking back on this post, I can see that I’ve lived my #WOTY and look forward to more in February.
Now, over to you…..
What’s been on your Calendar this month? I’d love you to share what you have been up to.
I feel so blessed to be surrounded by love and friendship which also extends to you in my blogging world. Thank you! xx
I’m sharing my co-hosts’ links as well so remember to pop over and visit to see how their month progressed.
Debbie Harris
Donna Connolly
Jo Tracey
Enjoy your month and I look forward to next month’s WBOYC? edition. Please note link up dates below.
What’s Been On Your Calendar? #WBOYC
What: 2024 Monthly Wrap-Up Link Party.
When: Last Thursday PM (Northern Hemisphere)/ Last Friday AM (Southern Hemisphere). The link will be open for 48 hours
Why: A space to share highlights from your past month.
Where: Link Party, Blog, Blog Comments, Instagram or other social media.
Who: This linkup is open to everyone.
How: You can share in the comments, with a blog post, or on other social media of your choice. Include the hashtag so that we can find you and include your link in our posts.
Dates for the Diary in 2025:
Last Thursday, 2 pm (PST)/Last Friday, 8 am (AEST). Please note dates slightly different for July and December – aren’t we organised! LOL 🙂
January 23/24
February 27/28
March 27/28
April 24/25
May 29/30
June 27/28
*July 31/August 01
August 28/29
September 26/27
October 30/31
November 27/28
*January 01/02 2025
The next #WBOYC will be Thursday February 27/Friday February 28. I’m looking forward to seeing and reading What’s Been on your Calendar? during the month.
34 Comments
What a fabulous month you’ve had Sue, you’re positively blooming!! You’re a stunning co-host for this monthly linkup and I’m so pleased we get to share so much together, despite not living near each other. I really value our friendship. All the best for February. xx
Hi Deb, January has started very well with lots of exciting things planned for 2025. Thank you for your beautiful words and I also value our friendship and chats. x
Sue, I love your decision to say YES to more this year. We are not getting any younger and travel will only get harder. I love the plans you’ve made and look forward to hearing more. Good luck with your speaking engagement. I am sure you will be an encouragement to all in attendance.
Thank you Suzanne. We have a neighbour who was just diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma. When something like that happens it really sends the message that we shouldn’t put off living whilst we can. Have a lovely week xx
Such a positive post Sue. It seems as we get older the more we appreciate and feel blessed for the small things. Great travel year planned too..have fun 😊
Hi Alison, lovely to hear from you and yes a very exciting travel year ahead! x
You chose such a good word and you are living it…BLOOMING for sure.
Yours and Mike’s attitude to trying new things and going places is admirable.
Thank you for this linkup which is my final one.
And I know we will remain connected via social media.
Take care,
Denyse x
Hi Denyse, Mike has really been much more positive since we joined Probus. It has been so good for him. We are excited about out travel plans for 2025. I’m fortunate to have many good things to look forward to. I will miss you linking up but as you say we will still be connected by social media. Take care xx
Lots of great travel plans ahead of you. I like your mantra “if not now, when?” I booked an 8 night cruise just last week for April to celebrate our 40th anniversary and I’ve got another cruise planned with girlfriends in Sept.
Hello Sharon, we are very excited about our travel plans. Cruises are great and you have two to look forward to! Enjoy xx
A great start to the year and wonderful to have travel plans (we are not so organised…).
Hope to join you next month.
Hi Barbara, we tend to plan ahead and of course now have much more travel than we had originally thought we would do. It is very exciting. x
You have some blooming fabulous things going on in life! How lovely to make all those travel plans, although of course I’d recommend Ireland instead of England, except the fact that England has better weather (normally). August/September is a perfect time to visit this part of the world, wherever you go.
Hello Susanne, the year has started very well for us and we are excited about our travel plans. Ireland is on my bucket list but it deserves a trip on it’s own. xx
What a great January you’ve had, Sue. I love reading about your travel plans and look forward to hearing more. Happy February!
Hi Natalie, our travel plans have increased but you only live once, don’t you? xx
Definitely Blooming in January Sue! What a lovely positive post. I loved reading about your travel plans. When you come to England maybe we could meet up, depending on your schedule. I’m in London, would happily meet you somewhere for a coffee!
Thank you, Gail. I am very grateful to have had such a wonderful start to 2025 with many exciting things to look forward to. We have visited London several times so unfortunately won’t be stopping there on our visit. x
Hi, Sue – You’ve had so much joy in January — with much more joy ahead! Tickets to the Military Tattoo in Edinburgh is a wonderful birthday present. And all that travel ahead is super exciting. Congratulations on being chosen as a presenter at the Silver Siren’s Redefining Aging. That’s totally awesome! <3
Hi Donna so much to look forward to in 2025. I’m very grateful and excited. x
Oh wow you have some really fabulous sounding trips planned for this year! I have lots of ideas for trips but can’t seem to get anyone in the house on board to nail down any details– yet. But I definitely will. I do think we’ll be focusing less on travel this year after having so many trips and things planned last year but I have been looking into more local fun with live productions, museum outings and things like that.
Life is full of so many wonderful experiences, Joanne and even if you don’t travel you certainly have many fun local options that you have listed. 2025 will be our year for travel and then next year a quieter one. x
Sounds like you have a wonderful year of travel ahead, Sue! I always find that the anticipation and planning is almost as fun as the actual trip itself! Thanks for providing this link up for us all… it’s wonderful seeing what everyone has been up to! Wishing you a fabulous February ahead!
I agree, Laura. Planning is just as much fun as the actual travels. We are looking forward to 2025 and excited for what is unfolding. x
You sure are blooming. As for your trips, you know my motto – just book it!
…and we did! (book it) Lots to look forward to in 2025, Jo. x
I am so proud of myself for getting my Sentence a Day post up the day after the end of the month and being able to finally link up with you girls for What’s Been On Your Calendar. Yay!!
And I am so proud of YOU!! All of your impressive accomplishments in just this first month of the new year. You jumped right in. I know you will be such an inspiration to everyone in the audience at the Sirens conference in May. And you are doing such important work encouraging gals to move every single day. As soon as I finish reading the WBOYC posts, I am going to workout!! I promise.
Hope you and Mike enjoy all of the travel. Had to look up the Tattoo event in Edinburgh. Ha!! Thought it was a tattooing/inking festival. What an experience that will be. Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales are at the top of my list for travel abroad. Maybe next year. Just feel like you do, if not now, when?? We are going on an Alaskan cruise this spring and taking my parents to Colorado to be sprinkled in the Rocky Mountains. That will about do it for our travel budget for 2025.
Congratulations on a successful January. Anxious to see where February takes you.
Ha! Ha! Leslie, I can understand you thinking of a different meaning for the word, Tattoo! We did an Alaskan cruise and you will love it. The Rocky Mountains trip will be stunning but also poignant for you. Looking forward to 2025. x
How exciting to have all those travel plans, Sue! It sounds like you’ll have some amazing experiences. Also, congratulations on the invitation to participate in the Silver Siren’s Redefining Aging event. You are indeed blooming already this year.
Thanks Christie, I have much to look forward to in 2025!
What an exciting year of travel you have – you’ll love Norway – it’s so beautiful. And my parents loved the Edinburgh Tattoo, so I think if you’re a fan, it will be an unforgettable experience (As a child I hated it….they watched it every year on the tv. I wonder if I watched it now if I’d love it?). And Norfolk will be fun and easy in a group. #WBOYC
Yes we are pretty booked up for travel, Lydia and it is very exciting. x
I didn’t get my Final Friday post done because I’ve been reading and reading and reading for my docent training class! Their definition of quick reads is definitely not mine! But, I’m loving the training so far. Hurray for you and Mike and your motto! I am hoping we get back to that way of thinking someday.
Congratulations on being a speaker Redefining Aging Event! You will be amazing!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
I’m so pleased you are loving the docent training, Marsha. It might just be what you need in 2025. x