Level Up in Life with the Help of these Lehigh Valley Coaches

These 10 local experts share their tips and tricks to make 2025 the best year yet.

Before you roll your eyes at another “New Year, New You!” cliché, hear us out. Starting fresh doesn’t have to be a big undertaking; in fact, it shouldn’t be. Bite-sized changes can help you reset every aspect of your life—fitness and nutrition, finance, home design, personal style and professional goals—and make them last. These 10 local experts share their tips and tricks to make 2025 the best year yet.

A Healthier You

The worst thing you can do when it comes to fitness and nutrition goals is be too big and too vague, says Michele Stanten, a certified fitness instructor and walking coach for private and St. Luke’s D&L RaceFest walkers. “Set smart goals,” says Stanten, author of Walk Your Way to Better Health: “specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.”

BE REALISTIC

People think New Year’s resolutions are about overhauling your life, Stanten says. But most people peter out by mid to late January because the ask was just too much. Set yourself up for success; if you’re trying to be more active, don’t start with a 30-minute walk. Start with 10 or even five minutes. The same goes for improved eating habits: Don’t promise to “stop eating junk.” Instead, an “add-nourishment mindset, like how can I eat more veggies, will liberate you from the backlash of restriction,” says Shanon Safi, R.D., of Fuel the Fire.

REFRAME GOALS

Avoid resolving to “lose weight” or “get fitter.” Not only are these goals nonspecific, they miss the opportunity to take those small, achievable steps that will help you get to that end result. “When we make the small, steady changes, they can be better adopted into our identity and [we can] run on autopilot,” Safi says.

ACCEPT IMPERFECTION

Knowing that there will be bumps along the way to achieving your fitness and nutrition goals will make “mistakes” a part of the process, not something to derail your progress. “If a goal fails, reset and determine why,” says Evan Robinson, owner of 36E Fitness and Exalt Jiu-Jitsu. Stanten agrees: “Look at what happened and readjust.” And more importantly, move on.

A FINANCIALLY FIT YOU

Head into the new year with “financial confidence” as Katie Brown, co-founder and principal of Morton Brown Family Wealth, says. That will look different from person to person, family to family. When you have a better grasp on your finances and a clear path forward, savings, spending and retirement won’t seem so overwhelming.

LOOK BEYOND THE BALANCE SHEETS

To start, anyway. When Brown works with her clients, she wants to understand not just the numbers on the balance sheet but the how and why, in order to help them determine the purpose of their wealth. For example, what are your thoughts around spending and saving, debt, legacy and charitable giving? Brown says that understanding these high-level dynamics can help create an investment plan in line with a person’s goals and values.

AUTOMATE YOUR SAVINGS

Anything you can do to simplify your finances is a win. Brown advises to automate your savings if you’re still “accumulating your wealth” because it will allow for more freedom with your spending. A good rule of thumb (but certainly not perfect for everyone, she says) is to save at least 10 percent of your pre-tax income strictly for retirement. If you have other goals— a new house or car, college, vacation—set up another automatic savings program either in a bank or a non-retirement account.

ADJUST CONTRIBUTIONS

If you’re expecting a raise in the new year, go you! Treat yourself to a nice dinner and then adjust your contributions accordingly, Brown says. That means upping your retirement contributions, and considering whether you want to increase other limits, including HSA and dependent care. On the flip side, if you’re already in retirement, Brown says to reap the benefits of lifelong saving: “More times than not, I’m helping clients realize that they’ve accumulated and reassuring them it’s okay to enjoy it.”

A TRÈS CHIC YOU

As you ring in 2025, consider using your unique personality to refresh your personal style, says style expert Jillian Daubenspeck of House of Colour West Allentown. Take advantage of accessories, bold colors and proper-fitting clothing to make a fashion statement. The new year is the perfect time to “audit” your wardrobe, says Heidi Lennick, boutique manager for YWCA Perfect Fit Resale Boutique. “This will help you have a closet filled with clothing you like and will wear… donate or recycle the rest,” she says.

DON’T! BE A TRENDSETTER

It’s hard to not follow the latest fashion fad, but Daubenspeck explains that not all trends will work for all people. “And that’s okay.” She works with clients to help them better understand what trends will work for their body type and personality. For example, what were once shunned by millennials everywhere are now in: crew-cut socks. But if you have a long torso, those long crew socks are going to make you look shorter than you actually are, she says. Lennick adds: At the end of the day, whatever you wear should make you feel confident.

ACCESSORIZE!

A few thoughtful accessories can add interest and a refreshed sense of style to your outfits, Daubenspeck says. “Most of us under-accessorize.” She calls accessories “points of interest,” and they can be anything that adds to your look: makeup, jewelry, nail polish and glasses (even non-prescription ones!).

EMBRACE COLOR

Although neutral colors like the everfashionable black are popular staples in any wardrobe, Daubenspeck says black might make you look “cold, drab and unapproachable.” She and her team work with their clients to show them colors that bring out the best in them. “You cannot un-see the power of color,” she says, noting that some colors make people look sickly pale or reflect blemishes that aren’t there. “You cannot disregard the complexion shifts that happen when I put color drapes next to your skin.”

WARDROBE MUST HAVE

Heidi Lennick of the YWCA Perfect Fit Resale Boutique says every person needs a pair of jeans in which they feel amazing. “That may be the hardest thing to find for some people, but it’s one of the most versatile pieces of clothing.”

DRESS THEM DOWN:

With a crisp white T-shirt and an oversized blazer, and a pair of sandals or boots

DRESS THEM UP:

With a silk blouse and a velvet or sequined blazer, heels and a rhinestone belt

AN ORGANIZED YOU

When you walk into a room void of clutter and accented with greenery, there’s a feeling of serenity. That’s how home design experts Wandra Cain, CEO and principal designer for WCA Interiors, and Mary Schmidt, owner of Klutter Queen, want you to kick off the new year. “The new year is a perfect opportunity to evaluate what’s working or not in your home,” Cain says.

CONSIDER EACH ROOM

If 2025 is the year you’re finally going to spruce up your home, Cain wants you to look at each room individually. “This allows for careful consideration of how each space can best serve its function and [contribute to] the overall harmony of the rest of the home.” It also makes the task more manageable by gradually transforming the space, Cain says. “This is also more budget-friendly while steadily working toward the final vision.”

DECLUTTER HONESTLY

In other words, did you really miss that sweater or stack of notebooks you forgot you had? Schmidt tells her clients if they haven’t used an item in the last two years they should rethink whether they need to keep it. Or, if they find something and say, “I completely forgot I had that,” and didn’t miss it, it’s probably okay to say goodbye. This applies to those sentimental gifts, too. “If it’s not useful to you, it’s okay to let it go. No one would want you to hang onto items if you never intend to use it,” she says.

REFRESH INCREMENTALLY

You certainly don’t have to overhaul your entire house for a fresh new look. Cain recommends changing textiles— throw pillows, rugs, curtains and bedding—with different colors, patterns or textures. It’s a simple, relatively inexpensive way to instantly refresh a room. And never underestimate the power of a paint job. Cain also swears by plants and greenery to “bring life to any room.” Plants improve air quality and add a natural touch that makes a space feel more vibrant and welcoming. (An artificial plant is a low-stress way to brighten up any space, too.)

A MORE EMPOWERED YOU

Don’t use the new year to start over completely or move away from everything that you decided was unsuccessful, says Danielle N. Adams-Wiltshire, PCC, chief empowerment officer at QueenSuite Personal and Professional Development. “Both approaches are recipes for disappointment,” she says. Instead, the new year is a time to have an annual meeting, so to speak, to check in with yourself and determine how you want to feel at the end of the year. “Don’t cheap out on this and answer ‘good.’ Get specific.” This applies to your professional and personal goals.

DEFINE YOUR SUCCESS. AND THEN REDEFINE IT.

Adams-Wiltshire is adamant that the definition of success must come from yourself. “Not your mom, not your dad, not your friends, definitely not from social media,” she says. This way, she says, people meet their own personal milestones and can then redefine what the next success looks like. “People spend a lot of time doing a bunch of stuff without taking a closer look at who they will become in doing those things.”

TAKE STOCK OF LAST YEAR’S WINS

When you’re planning for the new year, whether that’s professional or personal goals, it helps to know what brought you joy and success in the previous year, says Lynn Mull, a holistic career coach and leadership consultant. “Take small steps every month to check in with your current definition of success for 2025,” she says.

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY

When people are stressed it can manifest itself physically, with headaches, neck aches and clenched jaws, for example. “Your physical body will usually signal that it is time for a change,” Adams-Wiltshire says, noting that weight gain and loss, trouble sleeping or sleeping too much are also common signs of stress. “You might also feel obligated to do something you used to enjoy or have trouble focusing on tasks.” These might be indications that you need to rethink your professional life or take more time for yourself. “Add 10 minutes of mindfulness, walking meetings, and consider Eastern and Western practitioners to help de-stress,” says Mull.