25 Lists for 2025
It’s become popular in recent years to choose a number of large and small action items corresponding to the year. Author and podcaster Gretchen Rubin began publishing her lists in 2018 and the concept has grown in popularity since.
As a list-lover, this is my take on a 25 for ’25 list—a list of lists! Here are 25 lists to make in 2025. These lists range from simple words and wishes to practical tasks and big questions.
Keep reading for the big list, along with a free download to print for easy reference to all the lists.
List #1: 25 Words That Inspire Me
Make a list of words that inspire and delight you or bring you deep joy to contemplate. I’ve already got four words right there!
Read: 250 Positive Personality Traits
List #2: 25 People from History Who Inspire Me
Start a list of people who inspire you with their kindness, creativity, or perseverance. Keep your eyes and ears open for stories of people who sacrificed for others, kept going when things got tough, or stood up for truth.
List #3: 25 Songs That Make Me Happy
Here’s a fun one! Make a happy playlist on your favorite streaming service, ready to hit play whenever you need a mood booster.
List #4: 25 Things I Would Buy If Money Were No Object
Just a fun list to make. Your own airplane? First editions of all your favorite books? An island with homes for all your friends and family? A Chick-Fil-A franchise? A lighthouse? A full-year trip around the world?
List #5: 25 Accomplishments I’m Proud Of
Make a list of things you’ve done that you can be proud of. Big things like graduating college or climbing a mountain. And little things like responding graciously when you were berated by a mean boss.
List #6: 25 Ways to Spend a Free Hour
This list can actually be useful if you ever get that free hour! What would you do with an hour? Of course, this list requires that you be somewhat capable of estimating how long something will take!
List #7: 25 Things I Love About My Husband
Aww…make this list and present it to your husband on your anniversary, his birthday, tuck it in his Christmas stocking, or just give it to him on a day he needs a little pick-me-up.
List #8: 25 Offline Things to Do in the Evening
Most of us are guilty of spending too much time on these little screens. Get creative with a list of things you can do offline between the end of your workday and bedtime.
Read: 25 Ways to Waste Less Time on Social Media
List #9: 25 People Who’ve Had a Positive Impact on My Life
It’s probably easy to start this list. Parents, friends, and teachers might come to mind right away. But also think about the friend’s mom who made an offhand comment years ago about how talented your sketch was and how great that made you feel. Small kindnesses do make an impact and can be remembered years later.
List #10: 25 Skills I Would Learn If I Had Unlimited Time
Would you learn to sew? Speak Mandarin? Code? Dance? This list might provide inspiration for List #6—ways to spend a free hour, or List #8—offline things to do in the evening!
List #11: 25 Favorite Summer Memories
This one is pretty straightforward and hopefully pleasantly nostalgic.
List #12: 25 Excellent Pieces of Advice
Don’t get caught up in making this the 25 best pieces of advice you’ve ever heard or you’ll get frustrated. Just 25 common sense tidbits or words of wisdom that point you in the right direction.
List #13: 25 Wishes for My Kids
What do you want for your adult kids? Who do you want them to be?
List #14: 25 Ideas for Celebrating My Birthday
Make this list in your birthday month! Dream big or get granular.
Read: 10 Ways to Celebrate a Birthday Well
List #15: 25 Interesting Facts to Weave into Conversation
If you’re an introvert who hates small talk, this list is supremely practical! Come up with some interesting tidbits of information that could be useful in social situations. This might be historical insights, mind-blowing statistics, or unique information about your own life.
List #16: 25 Lessons I’ve Learned
This list might be similar to List #12—good advice—but should be more personal. What have you learned about relationships, parenting, planning for the future, being a good employee?
List #17: 25 Questions I Want Answered
Big or small—inquiring minds want to know!
List #18: 25 Things That Make a Perfect Weekend
This is an exercise in identifying what is most restful, exciting, peaceful, or invigorating for you. What would give you a feeling of satisfaction at the end of the weekend?
List #19: 25 Things I Could Accomplish in 25 Minutes
Make it practical, fanciful, or a combination of both. Make a list of 25 things that could be done in 25 minutes or less.
Read: 50 Productive Things To Do in Small Pockets of Time
List #20: 25 Things I Could Accomplish in 25 Days
Now you get to think a little bigger.
For instance, you could drive from Portland, OR to Portland, ME, to Jacksonville, FL, to San Diego, CA, and back to Portland, OR in 25 days driving approximately 5 hours per day.
List #21: 25 Things I Wish I Hadn’t Gotten Rid Of
You might need to think about this one for a while. Maybe you wish you hadn’t thrown out your teenage diary, a favorite pair of jeans that came back in style, or a fancy serving dish you thought you’d never use.
List #22: 25 Things I Always Want in My Refrigerator
Hot sauce? Spinach? Eggs? Pesto? It might be hard to narrow down to 25!
List #23: 25 Daily Habits That Would Transform My Life
What habitual daily practices would make the most difference in your life five years from now? Ten years from now? One year from now?
Read: 52 Small Healthy Habits for a Year of Big Change
List # 24: 25 Life Skills I Should Learn
Make a list of life skills that would be valuable to learn. Interpersonal skills, cleaning and cooking skills, first aid skills, organization skills.
Read: 140 Life Skills to Prepare for Adulthood
List #25: 25 Questions to Use in Conversation
Make a list of questions to use when you first meet someone, with people you don’t know well, or to get your teens talking!
25 Unique ideas for Lists to Make
While you may enjoy making these lists in 2025, you may also find that these lists get started and then added to over a period of weeks or months.
There’s no one grading you, no one looking over your shoulder (I hope!). Grab a journal or open a Google doc. Use colorful gel pens or a standard #2 pencil.
Choose whichever list sounds most appealing to you and start listing.
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