Podcast Summary: Bad On Paper – "Our 2025 Goals"
Release Date: January 8, 2025
In the "Our 2025 Goals" episode of the Bad On Paper podcast, hosts Becca Freeman and Olivia Muenter engage in an enriching dialogue about their reflections on 2024 and lay out their aspirations for the upcoming year. This episode offers listeners an intimate glimpse into the personal and professional journeys of two inspiring women in the literary community.
Reflecting on 2024 Goals
Becca Freeman’s Review
Becca begins by assessing her 2024 goals with a mix of triumphs and challenges. She proudly achieved her goal of maintaining a five-year journal, emphasizing its importance by stating, "I can't stop hawking five year journals. If you're listening to this, start a five year journal" (14:30). Additionally, her venture into hosting quarterly entertaining events, such as Friendsgiving, was a resounding success, surpassing her initial expectations.
However, not all goals were met. Becca acknowledges difficulties in achieving work-life balance, noting how her book project sometimes "ruled and decimated" other aspects of her life (16:44). She candidly discusses her struggle with screen time, particularly her addiction to the game "Merge Dragons," which she used as a procrastination tool (19:03). Despite these setbacks, she celebrates improvements in reducing overall screen time and enhancing her newsletter engagement.
Olivia Muenter’s Review
Olivia shares her accomplishments with enthusiasm, successfully continuing her "letter to self" tradition, which she describes as a valuable tool for maintaining focus throughout the year (21:42). She celebrates the completion of significant home renovation projects, including the guest bathroom and her writing cottage office, though she plans to defer her kitchen renovation to 2026.
Professionally, Olivia reflects on her experience with publishing her second book, "Little One," expressing pride in its success: "I did this and I'm really happy I did" (28:24). She also launched her substack, which has become a vital income stream, and successfully grew her podcast audience through engaging events and interactions.
Nevertheless, Olivia faces challenges in maintaining a regular exercise and weightlifting routine due to extensive travel and book-related commitments (23:04). She also candidly admits to not accomplishing her goal of finding new doctors and dentists, expressing her intention to address this in the coming year.
Highs and Lows of the Year
Becca’s Highs
Becca recounts the joy of participating in her secret Santa tradition with her college friends, highlighting the delightful exchange of personalized and meaningful gifts (02:34). She also cherishes the extended time off work before Christmas and during the week of New Year's, which provided much-needed relaxation and rejuvenation (04:31).
Becca’s Lows
A standout low for Becca was her disappointing experience at a Christmas pop-up bar, where poor customer service dampened her festive plans: "I was furious... She was so rude" (10:41). This incident underscored the frustrations of planning and not having expectations met by service providers.
Olivia’s Highs
Olivia celebrates the installation of a wood-burning stove in her home, enhancing her living environment and fostering cozy family moments: "It's the most marvelous feeling in the world to walk downstairs and sit in front of a warm wood burning stove" (05:19). Additionally, she successfully resumed therapy, which had a significant positive impact on her well-being: "It did make a huge difference, even though it wasn't necessarily comfortable for me" (23:24).
Olivia’s Lows
Olivia experienced health challenges when she nearly fell ill shortly after returning from Portland, complicating her hosting duties during the holidays and leaving her feeling run down (07:06). Despite not achieving all her wellness goals, she remains optimistic about ongoing and future health initiatives.
Looking Forward: 2025 Goals
Becca Freeman’s Personal Goals
- Culinary Mastery: Learn to roast a whole chicken confidently, inspired by Ina Garten's memoir (42:25).
- Continued Journaling: Maintain her five-year journal and engage in long-form journaling weekly for personal reflection (44:27).
- Screen Time Reduction: Limit screen time to under four hours daily, implementing strategies such as not using her phone before noon and minimizing phone usage altogether (44:49).
- Home Aesthetics: Undertake a couch pillow makeover and thoughtfully acquire new art to refresh her living space (44:26).
- Skincare Routine: Develop and commit to a more effective skincare regimen to address signs of aging and enhance self-care practices (45:55).
- Beach Trip: Plan a relaxing beach vacation to rejuvenate and foster personal well-being (46:57).
Becca Freeman’s Professional Goals
- Newsletter Strategy: Refine her newsletter paywall strategy to balance free and premium content, aiming to better support her work and audience engagement (55:17).
- Subscriber Growth: Double her substack paid subscribers by the end of the year, leveraging her enthusiasm and content quality to attract more supporters (56:20).
- Income Diversification: Explore additional income streams such as affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and consulting to reduce financial dependency on book sales (57:39).
- Book Two Completion: Aim to gain clarity or completion of her second book by year's end, balancing ongoing writing projects with feedback cycles (57:47).
- Podcast Continuation: Maintain the podcast’s momentum without setting specific growth targets, focusing on keeping it enjoyable and authentic (59:44).
Olivia Muenter’s Personal Goals
- Exercise Routine: Establish a consistent exercise regimen incorporating cardio, weightlifting, and daily walks with her dog, Winnie (48:22).
- Thrifting and Reselling: Develop a thoughtful approach to thrifting, identifying and reselling vintage items that resonate with her style on platforms like Poshmark (50:02).
- Travel Ambitions: Plan a significant trip to Japan with her partner, Jake, in 2026, ensuring it aligns with personal and financial feasibility (50:31).
- Jarlic Reduction: Overcome her aversion to chopping fresh garlic by switching to pre-minced alternatives, embracing healthier cooking practices (51:09).
- Home Library Enhancement: Complete her library's bookshelves with a ladder and defer larger renovations like the kitchen to upcoming years (52:35).
Olivia Muenter’s Professional Goals
- Book Promotion: Enhance publicity efforts for her second book by reviving her essay-pitching skills and planning effective promotion strategies (55:34).
- Paperback Release: Successfully launch the paperback edition of "Such a Bad Influence" in May, coordinating with university events and seminars to boost visibility (61:19).
- Book Three Development: Aim to sell her third book by preparing proposals and completing one to two drafts, maintaining momentum in her writing career (63:28).
- Podcast Improvement: Improve the podcast by refining book club selections and enhancing organizational aspects, ensuring a diverse and engaging lineup (65:24).
- Substack Redesign: Refresh her personal website and substack design to better reflect her brand and engage her audience more effectively (67:35).
Conclusion
Becca Freeman and Olivia Muenter wrap up the episode with a positive outlook towards 2025, expressing excitement and commitment to their outlined goals. They encourage listeners to engage with their content, share their ambitions, and participate in the community through various platforms. The episode serves as both an accountability checkpoint and a motivational blueprint for personal and professional growth in the year ahead.
Notable Quotes
- Becca Freeman: "I can't stop hawking five year journals. If you're listening to this, start a five year journal." (14:30)
- Olivia Muenter: "It is such a cozy couple weeks for the most part." (07:06)
- Becca Freeman: "Don't treat me like an idiot. Don't lie to my face." (10:43)
- Olivia Muenter: "I'm committing to leaving garlic behind in 2025." (51:59)
Timestamps
- 00:18 – Episode Introduction
- 02:34 – Becca Discusses Secret Santa High
- 10:41 – Becca’s Experience at Christmas Pop-Up Bar
- 14:30 – Becca on Successful Five-Year Journal
- 16:44 – Becca on Work-Life Balance Challenges
- 19:03 – Becca’s Struggle with Screen Time
- 21:42 – Olivia’s Letter to Self Tradition
- 23:04 – Olivia on Exercise Goal Challenges
- 28:24 – Olivia on Publishing Success
- 35:43 – Becca’s Book Writing Process
- 44:27 – Becca’s Personal Goals for 2025 Begin
- 51:09 – Olivia’s Battle with “Jarlic”
- 55:17 – Becca’s Newsletter Strategy Goal
- 56:20 – Becca’s Subscriber Growth Ambition
- 57:39 – Becca on Diversifying Income
- 61:19 – Olivia’s Promotion Plans for Book Two
- 63:28 – Olivia’s Book Three Goals
- 65:24 – Olivia’s Podcast Improvement Goals
- 71:25 – Olivia’s Substack Redesign Goal