It’s that time of year when everyone sets goals or resolutions for themselves to achieve over the year. I don’t normally do this, but I wanted to write something down so that I can hold myself accountable throughout the year!

Firstly I want to get more consistent with content creation both here and on my YouTube Channel, Beardo Bloggins, where I discuss living with ADHD, Autism and Dyspraxia; whether it’s once a week or once a fortnight, I need to get into a routine of filming, editing and posting content. I also want to branch out to other platforms, including posting more regularly here on my Blog. I think I always do myself down a little bit and get stuck in a rut of “why bother?” but this year, I want to overcome that and challenge myself to post things regularly, in spite of those doubts. I want to be more creative and proactive about doing things I enjoy because I enjoy them and not because of what other people might think about me. In the past, I’ve maybe not expressed the things that I enjoy or want to do because I’ve been afraid of what others might think or say.

2024 was a relatively good year for me. I even had a job briefly! There were a couple of challenges; getting my ADHD medication was tough, and for three months toward the end of the year, I had to go without due to supply issues. This had a significant impact on my mental health, and I slipped back into depression and lost the job that I had only recently started. Working for people with ADHD and Autism is a challenge; there was a study published by the UK government that found 70% of Autistic people of working age are unemployed! There are so many challenges to face even before you get into the workforce that keeping the job itself is a juggling act of stressors. Finding a part-time or full-time job is on my list of goals as I try to support myself and gain some confidence, but I also need to be aware of the challenges I might face and find ways to overcome them.

I hadn’t really been conscious of how much my ADHD meds had improved my mental health until I had to go without them. I think in 2025, I want to learn strategies for coping in case that scenario ever arises again (hopefully, they don’t, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared). Having some strategies in place will allow me to focus on other things with the confidence that I know I have a safety net for when or if I need it.

I’ve been thinking recently about the possibility of pursuing a master’s degree and whether that might be something I could achieve. I’ve found a few courses at a local university that could be quite interesting, and maybe it’s something I could do alongside a part-time job. With the rise of AI happening at the moment, there are a few potentially interesting master’s looking into ethics and human interactions, which I find reasonably interesting. My one worry is that I start on something, and then 6 months in, my ADHD gremlin brain suddenly decides it’s no longer interested, and any good progress I have made comes screeching to a halt, and I enter self-sabotage mode.

Of course, there are the cliche goals of wanting to eat healthier and exercise more! I’ve been doing 10,000+ steps a day for a while now, but I kind of fell off the wagon slightly when it comes to the weightlifting I was doing, so I’m going to get back to doing it 3 times a week! I’ll be the first to admit my diet is questionable at best. It certainly was when I wasn’t able to get my ADHD meds, but now I have them again, I feel confident I can sort it out.

Anyway, Happy New Year, folks! I hope 2025 is a good one for you all! Let’s seize the day and all that good stuff, et cetera, et cetera! I hope you achieve your goals, whatever they may be!