Happy New Year, friends! Here we are, standing at the doorway of January, taking our first tentative steps into 2025. If I may offer one little piece of advice for this moment: let’s take it slow. Like, watch-the-sunrise-through-the-window-with-your-hands-wrapped-around-a-warm-mug slow.
January, in all its quiet and stillness, is asking us to rest, despite all this talk of New Year, New Us. I think January invites us to take a breath before the sprint of the year really begins. Our friend Karlee has aptly named this Gentle January, and I’m leaning all the way in. That’s why this month on the blog is all about The Magic of Small Joys.
So, what are these small joys? They’re the little things that anchor us to the moment and remind us of the beauty and bounty in our everyday lives. It’s the satisfying crackle of a loaf of bread as it cools on the counter. It’s how to steam rises from two bowls of carrot soup as they sit on the kitchen table in front of the window. It’s a small-batch recipe that doesn’t feel like a chore but a gift—to yourself or someone you love.
The January mindset has me reflecting on my home here in Texas. It’s been just over a year since I bought the Bakehouse Texas, and I’ve tackled some of the big, loud projects—you know, the ones that involve lots of dust and contractor coffee cups scattered around. Now, it’s time for the quiet work: nesting. This first quarter of the year, I’m focused on settling in, creating a space where Will and I can feel rooted and home. Most specifically, I need to make room for Will in the closet. Pray for us.
One of the coziest spaces I ever created was my tiny apartment in New Orleans’ Irish Channel neighborhood. It was 800 square feet of pure home—a haven I built during a messy, uncertain time of my life (it’s hard to make the right friends in New Orleans). Somehow, that space managed to hold me together. I dug up a picture of a corner of that space, above. It’s funny how those lessons stick with you. The energy we put into a space really comes round tenfold. Now, as I nest here in Texas, I’m channeling that same energy: finding small joys in creating a big home.
You’ll see this reflected in the recipes I share with you this month. We’re focusing on those little joys: a cup of rich hot cocoa for a slow afternoon, cozy slices of warm cinnamon swirl bread, and a catalogue of birthday cakes to look forward to making. I’ll also share small ways to bring joy into your kitchen and home, whether it’s a fresh jar of homemade granola or opening the window just a crack to let in the crisp morning air as the aroma of banana bread wafts through the kitchen.
Let’s ease into this year together, savoring the stillness of winter and finding comfort in the simple, beautiful act of baking for ourselves and maybe even leaving the dishes in the sink overnight. There’s magic in the small joys—I hope you’ll join me in uncovering them for ourselves, slowly – we’re taking it all very easy.
Do you have a word you’re focusing on to start the year? If so, please please share it in the comments below. I think, as on the nose as it might be, I choose JOY.
Here’s to a gentle start, cozy mornings, and plenty of small moments that make a big impact.
26 Responses
FLOURISH / NOURISH , our words of the year!
I chose a face-down share word at my church yesterday and my word is Explore. After 3 years of mourning a major loss, I’m ready to explore whatever that means.
My word would be CALM. I need to be calm, I need my environment to be calm
Appreciate. Remember to appreciate all the joys my husband and I have had during the 39 years of our marriage. I appreciate him, our combined families, and our various cats. My life in general is appreciated. Gentle January is perfect.
TUNE – I want to fine tune my health and be more in tune with others relationship wise.
Happy New Year :) my word is Kindness
My word for the year is RESTORATION – last year was such an intense year. Intense with new life (our first kid was born at the start of the year), intense with loss (my brother passed away suddenly during the summer). I hope to throw out my to-do lists more often this year, feel the wind on my face, spark more play in my day-to-day, broaden my community, tell and show the people who I love that I love them fiercely. Oh, and sleep!
My word for 2025 is EMBRACE..feeling the gentle January and slow days are a comfort.Just celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary and it feels humbling that these two souls that started out so incredibly young(19/21) made it:) I’m embracing the wrinkles I’ve accumulated and also the love that surrounds me daily…
Joie de vivre
My word is EXPLORE. I’m slightly scared by it, which is maybe a good sign? I’m pretty good about setting boundaries for myself, so I don’t think it will be another excuse to keep pushing, except in the smallest, most “Oh, that’s interesting,” type of way.
My word is “SOFT” – because 2024 was REALLY hard, and at the same time I found so much space and softness in it that I want to keep this year.
My word for 2025 is Be Still. I am carrying over a few uncertainties into the new year but I do it with the assurance that everything will work out in good time and in perfect harmony. Anytime I drift towards anxiety I want to anchor myself to this assurance with the words Be Still.
So many good word choices from commenters but formme and my place in life right now, my word would be patience…with myself, with what might lie ahead, with life in general. I want to find the space to just relax and relish small moments, small victories, small steps.
Speakimg of small, I would love to see more small batch recipes here. I find baking so relaximg but often find I have to cut recipes in half so I do not have way too much product. Sometimes I just want enough for one or two people/servings.
HAppy New Year, Joy. Nesting is the best part of settling in once major construction is past.
I love this post! I wrote about HOPE for the new year on my blog. But, joy, embrace, care and all of the words posted in the comments are great words for January and this year. Taking it slow, looking for the joys, the hopes in our daily lives, caring about ourselves and others, embracing the moment and the ones we love — these are such great things to focus on.
Best of luck with your nesting and homemaking. Good luck with the closet space. I know that problem, especially with old houses.
Here’s to all the joy in 2025!
Hear hear, Joy! I love all of this so much!
My word is contentment. I don’t love the place we live right now, it’s more my husband’s than mine. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with it and I plan to lean into contentment and look for the many, many blessings in my life instead. Happy 2025 to all!
I think 2025’s word is “settle”. I need more moments of quiet, stillness; less doing and more “being”. Settling means being ready to rest and it’s been MANY years since I felt safe enough to do so. 2025 will be about learning rest again, and the knowledge that rest is recovery is progress.
Love the part about “nesting.”
My love and I moved in together in September and it’s just never felt “settled.” I feel like it’s still my place and he’s visiting… and I want us to both feel comfortable and like we belong in the space – together.
And Gentle January is truly a goal ?
The word I picked for the year is alignment. That I would choose things, activities, job ( looking for a new one) and people that align with my values.
Self-care is my word. I spent so much time worrying about and taking care of others last year, that I didn’t even do the bare minimum for myself. I feel so run down that I need to make it a priority to also take care of myself.
I’m all for a slow, gentle start. Do you remember that homemade lip gloss you shared moons ago? I remembered how it was the best I’d ever tried, so that was my small project for this morning. Perfect start for my day.
I learned about Gentle January from your blog. Now, just saying the words make me calm.
OMG, my word for the year is also JOY for all the reasons you stated above. I feel like the last 8 or so years were filled with big things- a move, two houses, new job and after wrecking my brain to come up with a good word for 2025, JOY hit. My friend and I made vision boards around it last Saturday and a day later, the universe got to work. Sounds like I made the right choice- and I hope you also successfully find JOY this year!
My word for 2025 is “bloom”, and I intend to do that every day. ?
I choose the word HOPE amidst all the chaos.
My word for 2025 is Embrace – so much going on this year, and I want a reminder to embrace the many small quiet joys, not just the big hugs at lavish, boisterous gatherings.
My word for 2025 is CARE, mostly the verb, in all the ways I can care for myself, loved ones, others, my community, and on and on….. it’s the perfect compass for me right now!
Intentional
Slowly decluttering small spaces, Home, mind, body and soul. So that they will stay that way. “Easing in Jan “!
Happy New Year ?