Starting the New Year with Intention

The start of a new year often leads people to reflect on the accomplishments and challenges of the past year – as well as look forward to a fresh start and the things that they hope to accomplish in the coming year. While many people follow the age-old tradition of setting new year’s resolutions, a more recent trend of setting mindset and personal growth intentions has become a meaningful way to approach growing with the years.

Unlike new year’s resolutions, which are often structured and sometimes restrictive specific goals, new year’s intentions tend to focus on broader mindset, positivity, and feeding one’s passions. Whether setting intentions to adopt a more positive mindset, slow down and appreciate the joy in quiet moments, or invest energy in pursuing projects and priorities that you are passionate about – setting an intention for the new year is a great way to focus on growth and happiness.

Sydney Horak, an MDA Ambassador and student

For Sydney Horak, an MDA Ambassador and student, who lives with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), setting intentions for the new year includes prioritizing gratitude and also making a positive impact on the mindset of others in the disability community. “For 2025, my intention is to embrace gratitude daily and to foster meaningful connections within my community,” Sydney says. “I aim to approach challenges with a growth mindset and positivity, continually seeking ways to make a positive impact on others.”

Having noticed frequent negativity and limiting narratives on social media, Sydney has decided to use her social media platforms as a medium to spread positivity and empowerment by sharing her story.

“I believe people with disabilities are capable of much more than what negative narratives suggest,” she says. “I want to inspire people to see disabilities not as limitations, but as opportunities for personal growth, perseverance, and faith. My ultimate goal is to cultivate a space where individuals feel seen, understood, and empowered, while also fostering a supportive and uplifting community.”

To align her intentions with action, Sydney plans to create and share authentic content that incorporates faith and positivity to promote awareness and advocacy while engaging with the disability community. She aspires to collaborate with organizations and engage with government officials to advocate and amplify her message. “I’ll continue use my platform to highlight important issues faced by individuals with disabilities, advocate for positive change, and share resources that may help others navigate similar challenges,” she says. “I hope to not only challenge societal and internal misconceptions, but also inspire others to cultivate gratitude, embrace resilience, and create meaningful connections.” You can follow Sydney on Instagram and TikTok under the handle @sydneyhorak as she shares her journey, connects with and encourages others, and promotes a mindset of empowerment.

We checked in with other members of the neuromuscular disease community, including MDA Ambassadors, MDA staff, and previous Quest contributors, to learn their intentions for the new year. With messages of gratitude, positivity, empowerment, and community, they share their intentions below.

Community members’ 2025 New Year’s intentions

“A new year signifies a beginning, as we all wind down the end of the year spending time with our loved ones, we also take this time to rest and reset. While I don’t like to look at the new year as a ‘new year new me’ moment, I do like to look at it as a refresh and beginning. This year, as I reflect on 2024 and prepare for what 2025 may bring, I am setting the intention of saying yes! What does that mean? So often we all spend a lot of time over-thinking and over-analyzing and we forget to look up from our devices and live in the moment and just say yes! Take the trip, have a night in watching a movie and say yes to trying something new!” says Jax Cowles, Project Manager at Gucci and Founder and Chair of GUCCIBILITY ERG (Employee Resource Group), who lives with SMA.

William Quickel, Owner/Content Creator of Able Orange Enterprises and MDA Ambassador

“As someone who thrives on connecting with others and spreading awareness, my intentions for 2025 focus on growth, advocacy, and joy. Through my new project, Able Orange, a daily life and Advocacy vlog on YouTube, I aim to highlight stories of resilience and community, showing how individuals with neuromuscular conditions and other disabilities can inspire and impact the world around them. Additionally, I will continue my work with the autism community, helping others find their voice and thrive in their unique journeys. My overarching intention is to be a light for others helping them see that their challenges do not define them but can fuel a life of purpose and joy. 2025 is all about embracing opportunities to grow and uplifting those I encounter along the way,” says William Quickel, Owner/Content Creator of Able Orange Enterprises and MDA Ambassador, who lives with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD).

“For me, I will be working on being more attuned to what matters in life.  It is too easy to get caught up in the minutia of daily life and not remember that life is short and to make the most of each day.  Sounds very cliche’ but it is true.  I just finished a book called “The Untethered Soul” by Michael A. Singer.  It has changed my perspective on a grander scale,” says A.J. Bardzilowski, California State Certified Real Estate Appraiser, who lives with sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM)

“My intention in 2025 is to take more action. I fall into a trap of perpetual planning sometimes, and never actually get anything done!” says Chris Anselmo, Writer of Hello, Adversity newsletter, who lives with LGMD type 2B. (We, at Quest Media happen to know that Chris gets A LOT done… but it’s great advice, nonetheless!)

“As I look ahead to 2025, my intention is to embrace every opportunity to uplift and empower others through my work as a speaker, author, and advocate. I aim to deepen my commitment to creating spaces of inclusion and possibility, where people are encouraged to see their unique value and potential. On a personal level, I intend to cultivate gratitude daily, celebrate small wins, launch a new marriage book (with a curriculum and journal) and prioritize self-care so I can continue showing up as my best self,” says Jose Flores, Professional Speaker, “Mindset Disruptor,” #1 best-selling Author of “Don’t Let Your Struggle Become Your Standard”, and MDA Ambassador, who lives with SMA. Jose shared his expertise and insights on cultivating an empowering and positive mindset on the Quest podcast.

“My intention is to lead with curiosity and conviction, recognizing that empathy isn’t just a feeling—it’s an action. I will continue to work to cultivate spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued, because the strength of any community lies in its ability to embrace shared humanity,” says Morgan Roth, Chief Marketing Officer at MDA, who lives with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT).

Jennifer Lane, MDA Ambassador

“My intention this year is to choose joy every morning. It is so easy to get frustrated and even angry about things that I can’t control. I plan to choose joy instead of letting the world decide how my day will go and to smile at everyone I pass. Maybe if I feel joy, they will too,” says Jennifer Lane, MDA Ambassador, who lives with LGMD.

“I believe we rise by lifting others. For me, this is more than a motto—it’s a purpose that shapes my life and work. Living with muscular dystrophy has taught me that true strength isn’t defined by physical ability, but by the positive impact we have on those around us. My intention for 2025 is to continue to extend a helping hand to others and to work towards creating a cycle of kindness and generosity that drives growth and success for everyone involved. This purpose has led me to found Promote Disability™, which will be a podcast and community dedicated to amplifying the voices of business professionals with disabilities. We’re excited to be launching in Spring 2025! Visit promotedisability.com to subscribe for updates,” says Jeremy Siegers, President of Sharp Mill Graphics and President/Podcast Host of Promote Disability™️and MDA Ambassador, who lives with LGMD.

“Every year, I set a few new goals for myself. This year, my intention centers around a new goal setting process I read about: a goal cascade. Not rocket science, but sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. First, I have set five goals for myself that I want to achieve in my lifetime. Next, I am writing a set of five-year goals that support those lifetime goals. After that, I will create a handful of goals for 2025, and then at the beginning of each month, I will brainstorm a couple of goals that support my broader goals,” says Mindy Henderson, Vice President of Disability Outreach & Empowerment at MDA and Editor-in Chief for MDA Quest Media, who lives with SMA.

“My intentions for 2025 are rooted in growth, joy, and hopefully good health. I aim to expand the impact of Girls Chronically Rock, creating more inclusive opportunities in fashion while amplifying advocacy for the disabled and chronically ill community. I’ll focus on self-care, nurturing personal relationships, and embracing new challenges with gratitude and resilience. This will be a year to inspire, uplift, and celebrate every win, big or small, while prioritizing my well-being and happiness,” says Keisha Greaves,  Founder & CEO of Girls Chronically Rock and MDA Ambassador, lives with LGMD.

Keisha Greaves, MDA Ambassador and Founder & CEO of Girls Chronically Rock

“I am in a place in my life where my intentions are to strive to make myself grow and be better in some ways, but less of the thought of “I need a total overhaul each year.” I want the growth I make to have staying power, not just be fleeting. Great things happen when we consistently keep promises to ourselves, and our intentions are realistic. Intentions for me are flexible. If things change in my life, my intentions are something that can be revised to change along with me. Going into 2025, my top intention is to continue to practice gratitude daily. Being grateful for small things, leads to big joy when practiced regularly,” says Amy Shinneman, Writer and MDA Ambassador, who lives with Bethlem myopathy.

“For 2025, I’m excited to focus on doing my best every day! Living with a neuromuscular disease sometimes means that my “best” is just getting out of bed, and that’s perfectly okay. I believe in celebrating both the big wins and the small ones! I’m all about personal growth so I can keep helping others and always try to see the cup as half full, rather than half empty. Here’s to a positive year ahead!” says Ashleigh Ocasio, Family & Clinical Senior Support Specialist at MDA, who lives with LGMD type 2C.

A year of growth, joy, and impact

As community members shared their intentions for the new year, an over-arching theme of positivity, empowerment, and community resonated. The desire of many to uplift others, to pour passion into projects and positions that promote self-growth and serve those around them, and to approach each day with positivity is sure to make 2025 a year of great growth, great joy, and even greater impact.