Category Archives: book

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Your Million-Dollar Journal: How to Plan and Achieve Your Best Year in 2025

How to Set-Up Your Journal for 2025 and Win!

When it comes to organizing your life, achieving goals, and sparking creativity, a journal isn’t just a notebook—it’s your most valuable tool. Over the past 25+ years, I’ve refined my journaling process into a system that keeps me focused, motivated, and on track. My Moleskine journal is where I store my dreams, map out my goals, and reflect on life’s lessons. Your best year won’t happen by chance; it will be crafted with intention.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to set up a journal that helps you create the life you want. Whether you’re a seasoned planner or starting fresh, this guide will show you how to make 2025 your best year yet. (And… you can start anytime you want; it doesn’t have to be January 1st!)

Why a Journal?
There’s magic in putting pen to paper. Unlike digital tools, a journal creates a tactile connection between your thoughts and actions. It helps you slow down, reflect, and organize your ideas. Your journal becomes an extension of your mind—a place to think, dream, and plan. (I actually tried a digital version to start this year, but it just didn’t have the connection and affinity I need.)

Here’s a link to the journal I use: https://amzn.to/40kO8Ou

Step 1: Personalize Your Journal
The first thing I do is personalize my journal. Write your name, contact information, and a reward for its return. Mine? I offer to buy lunch at the finder’s favorite spot. This small gesture not only protects your journal but also symbolizes its immense value.

Pro Tip: Use tools to enhance your setup:
A small plastic ruler template with stencils for straight lines and checkboxes.
The Moleskine journal’s back pocket, perfect for storing business cards, stamps, or thank-you notes.
A ribbon marker to bookmark key sections, like your goals page, is sewn into the Moleskine’s spine.
Adhesive, multi-colored tabs to easily access frequently used pages.

Step 2: Words to Live By
Dedicate the first page to quotes and insights that inspire you. Throughout the year, whenever something resonates, add it here. This page becomes your personal library of wisdom—a touchstone for when you need a boost or clarity.

Step 3: Brainstorm and Set Your Goals
Brainstorm the Year: Use the next page to list everything you want to accomplish—big dreams, small habits, or even wild ideas. This brainstorming session clears your mind and sets the stage for focused goal-setting.

Goals for 2025: On the following page, organize your goals into categories:
Top 3 Goals: Your biggest, non-negotiable priorities.
Physical: Health and fitness milestones.
Family: Building stronger relationships, trips, celebrations, etc.
Financial: Earning, saving, investing, or reducing debt.
Business: Career or entrepreneurial objectives.
Professional: Skills to develop or milestones to reach.

I review my goals almost daily. This structure ensures balance and clarity in your life.

Step 4: Choose Your One Word
Inspired by Jon Gordon, select one word that encapsulates your focus for the year. Write it at the top of a dedicated page, and underneath, explain your “why.” This word will serve as a daily reminder of your intentions and guide your decisions.

Step 5: Plan a Misogi, Adventures, and Habits
Borrowing from Jesse Itzler, dedicate a page to:
Misogi: A bold, life-changing challenge for the year.
Adventures: Plan fun, enriching experiences every other month.
Habits: Identify one habit to focus on each quarter.

This combination of big goals, regular adventures, and habit-building keeps your year exciting and purposeful.

Step 6: Reflect on the Past, Envision the Future
Create a page to:
Reflect on 2024: Write what you need to start, stop, and continue based on lessons learned.
Envision 2025: Describe who you want to become and what success looks like this year.

This exercise provides clarity and purpose for the year ahead.

Step 7: Monthly Layouts
Each month gets its own section, broken down as follows:
1. Quick Calendar: Note key dates, milestones, and events.
2. Wins of the Day: Dedicate space to record daily victories, keeping your mindset positive and give gratitude.
3. Habit Tracker: Use a grid to track habits like working out, reading, or journaling. Aim for streaks of consistency.
4. Monthly Goals Page:
Project to Finish: What’s one major project you’ll complete?
Physical Challenge: Set a fitness goal to keep yourself active.
Adventure: Plan or experience something exciting.
Weekly To-Dos: Assign specific tasks to each week.
Focus Areas: Define what you’ll read, write, draw, listen to, and watch this month, but customize to YOUR interests, not mine.

Step 8: Track Your Progress and Ideas
At the back of the journal, dedicate space for:
Books I Read in 2025: Track titles and key takeaways.
Highlights of 2025: Write down wins and successes, big or small, to celebrate throughout the year.
Things I Want: This page isn’t about greed; it’s about mindfulness. Often, writing things down helps you want them less or focus on what truly matters.
Recommended to Me: Capture suggestions for books, podcasts, shows, or people to connect with.

Step 9: Use It Daily
Your journal isn’t just for long-term planning—it’s your daily companion. Use it to:
Write down ideas, sketches, and reflections.
Track habits and progress.
Plan your day with intention.

Journaling is about more than productivity—it’s a practice of mindfulness, creativity, and growth.

I schedule time on the 28th of each month (because I was born on July 28) to flip through and review sections of my journal. I find things that I need to revisit, forgot about, follow-up on, take immediate action, schedule, or just catches my eye and gets me thinking in a good way.

Why This Works
Planning your year in a journal is about building a system that works for you. Each section has a purpose, and every entry contributes to your journey. The act of journaling itself is a reflective, empowering process that sharpens your focus and keeps you grounded. Use some ideas here and more importantly, customize your journal to work for you! It should be fun and meaningful. In my life, my journal is a joy!

Call to Action
Are you ready to design your best year yet? Grab a journal, set it up, and start writing your story for 2025. Remember, your journal is worth more than gold because it holds the keys to your dreams, goals, and growth. Let’s make this year unforgettable—one page at a time.

Always forward,

Kelly

I would like to speak at your event!

Order Kelly’s books, Along Came a Leader and Unthink Before Bed: A Children’s Book on Mindfulness for your personal library.

Educator, Author, Keynote Speaker
Twitter: @kellycroy
Instagram: @kcroy
Website: kellycroy.com and wirededucator.com
Podcast: The Wired Educator Podcast
and of course: Facebook.

Sign-up for Kelly’s newsletter here.

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Starting the School Year with an Inspirational Keynote and Leadership Trainings

Presented at Lincolnview School District to Kick-off the Year!

August 28th was one of those special days that remind us all why we chose education. This year, I had the privilege of kicking off the school year at Lincolnview School District in Ohio, where I was invited by Curriculum Director Kelly Looser to deliver a keynote that set the tone for an incredible year ahead.

The theme? “Teachers are Legends.” This message resonates deeply with me because, in truth, educators are shaping the future, classroom by classroom. Lincolnview dedicated an inservice day to this important work, and I had the honor of delivering an inspiring keynote and leading breakout sessions focused on mindfulness, self-care, and leadership tailored for teachers, administrators, and the students they serve. Each person left with something powerful to bring back to their school year, their colleagues, and, most importantly, their students.

Keynote Presentation: “Teachers Are Legends”
The day began with an energizing icebreaker session led by Kelly Looser, bringing everyone together and creating an open, positive atmosphere. Shortly after, I took the stage to deliver the keynote, “Teachers are Legends.” In a world that often overlooks the dedication, skill, and heart it takes to be an educator, we emphasized the essential role that teachers play. I encouraged each educator to recognize the impact they make daily–not only on their students’ minds but on their hearts. I highlighted that our impact is often situational and at any given moment, when we step up, we can leave a lasting impact on a student’s life. I challenged everyone in the sports area to accept the challenge to see the greatness in every child and the greatness in every colleague.

Together, we explored the concept of intentional leadership and how it’s woven into every interaction teachers have. Teachers are heroes in a multitude of small, meaningful ways, and those actions compound over time. I invited each attendee to see themselves as champions, inspiring confidence and ambition in the students they teach. The energy was contagious, and it’s safe to say we all left with a renewed sense of purpose and pride in our work.

Breakout Sessions: Fostering Mindfulness, Self-Care, and Leadership

1. Mindfulness and Self-Care for Teachers (One for Elementary Grade-Bands and another for  Secondary Grade-Bands):
Educators are all too familiar with the demands and stresses that come with the territory. In these sessions, we discussed the power of mindfulness–how taking a few moments to breathe, reflect, and reset can make all the difference. Self-care isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity for effective teaching and sustainable joy in the profession. Teachers were given strategies to weave mindfulness into their daily routines and a toolkit for modeling self-care for students, promoting a healthier classroom environment. Teachers were also given a new perspective and questions in which to explore their learning environment and life. I leaned heavily on my work from my book Unthink Before Bed that helps everyone build the skills they need to confront and cope with anxiety, frustration and overwhelm.

2. Leadership for Administrators: Building Schools on the 6 Tenets of Leadership
Administrators joined a session focused on building and sustaining a powerful leadership culture rooted in the six tenets of leadership I discuss in my book, Along Came a Leader. These tenets–attitude, communication, tenacity, vision, authenticity, and accountability–are more than words; they’re guiding principles for meaningful change. We examined how school leaders can instill these values across teams, creating schools where everyone feels valued and empowered. We worked hard to on the perspective on empathy in helping build a learning environment that allows our staff and students to become their best. Leaders also face an incredible amount of pressure and workload; we worked on applicable strategies to help.

It was incredible to see teachers and administrators embrace these concepts and understand their ripple effect on students, families, and the community.

A Great Day of Learning, Inspiration, and Connection
The response from the educators and leaders at Lincolnview was touching. There was genuine excitement in the air, and a multitude of attendees lined up to get their copies of Along Came a Leader signed, eager to dive deeper into the six tenets of leadership. Many educators also picked up copies of Unthink Before Bed to bring mindful bedtime routines home to their families. It’s always a pleasure to see educators looking not only to inspire their students but also to enrich their lives and the lives of those they love.

The Lasting Impact of Intentional Leadership in Education
When a school invests in leadership development, mindfulness, and self-care, everyone benefits:

– Teachers gain resilience and feel appreciated, supported, and motivated.
– Administrators build cohesive, effective teams and nurture a positive culture.
– Students develop character, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for learning.
– Families see the values of leadership and mindfulness reinforced in their children’s lives.

The work we do in education is challenging, yet every effort to uplift and empower educators has exponential rewards for future generations.

I’m passionate about helping school districts celebrate and elevate their teachers. If your district is looking for a powerful start to your year or would like to focus on building leadership and mindful practices, I’d be honored to bring this message to your community.

Visit www.kellycroy.com to learn more about my presentations, keynotes, and workshops, and let’s make this year legendary together!

If your school is ready to make the leap, let’s talk. Together, we can build the leaders of tomorrow while thriving today.

Always forward,

Kelly

I would like to speak at your event!

Order Kelly’s books, Along Came a Leader and Unthink Before Bed: A Children’s Book on Mindfulness for your personal library.

Educator, Author, Keynote Speaker
Twitter: @kellycroy
Instagram: @kcroy
Website: kellycroy.com and wirededucator.com
Podcast: The Wired Educator Podcast
and of course: Facebook.

Sign-up for Kelly’s newsletter here.

 

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Opening Day Speaker for Educational Service Center

Honored and Privileged to Kickoff the School Year with Educational Leaders in Ohio

I was the keynote speaker to kickoff the 2023-2024 School Year for The North Central Ohio Educational Service Center Administrative Retreat 2023. Wow! What a fantastic group of leaders and phenomenal organization!

It was an honor to speak at The North Central Ohio Educational Service Center Administrative Retreat 2023 in Tiffin, Ohio this August to kickoff the school year with these amazing educational leaders. As an educator I always felt the praise from students and families for my work in the classroom; I am not certain that is quite the same for administrators. They work long hours and the messages they receive are too often urgent and not always as positive. Still, without a doubt, educational leaders such as principals, assistant principals, superintendents and all of the various Director roles are 100% needed and positively impact the lives of everyone in the district. If they are doing their job well, they aren’t getting the spotlight and their positions are probably misunderstood because they are intentionally directing the recognition to teachers and others. In many ways our educational leadership teams are the unsung heroes.

It is for those reasons and many more, that it is such an honor to be a keynote speaker to them. To give them the praise, recognition and acknowledgment they really do need, but do not seek. In my presentation, I try to get them to laugh and have some lighthearted look at the zaniness but importance of their work, and to keep them aligned to their true calling: to make a difference in the lives of children. Educational leaders clear roadblock for teachers, so teaches can do their best work. They create learning environments so everyone can do their best work.

It was a privilege to speak to these leaders to kickoff their year, acknowledge their work, inspire and help set the stage for their best year yet.

Educational Service Center kickoffs  are particularly inspiring because of the opportunity for people across the area to meet, share, inspire and network solutions to our greatest challenges. Sometimes they don’t get to see each other in person very often.

This conference was memorable because I got to see some familiar faces I have not seen in a long time. Wow, does time fly. So many amazing leaders. I even had lunch with a team from Richwood Schools.

Everyone at this Administrative Retreat was able to choose one of my two books to take home with them for free. I signed a lot of copies of Along Came a Leader and Unthink Before Bed. That was really fun. I also got to meet BASA’s spokesman on legislative updates.

I also learned a great deal from breakout sessions on a variety of initiatives schools across the region are implementing. It is great to hear about the most innovative implementations from schools in Ohio. I am leaving very inspired and with lots of ideas to share with my colleagues.

Even though I missed my district’s own North Point Educational Service Center Administrative Retreat this year, it was fun to represent my district and my region and keynote this event. Both NPESC and NCOESC do incredible work. We need our ESCs. They are important.

I am blessed and thankful for opportunities to learn and to speak and share! I am always hopeful for more.

Prioritize this takeaway: I believe there is no moat between teachers and administrators and that we are all on one team. Every interaction widens or narrows that moat. (You know, like moats around a castle.) No more moats! We need everyone! Our educational teams need to expand and grow. We need to talk more about how we all work together for the common goal to impact lives. Respect each other’s role. Take time to care, listen and connect. I love education. I was so impressed with all I met and their passion for education.

Always forward,

Kelly

I am a professional speaker, and I would like to speak at your event.

Order Kelly’s books, Along Came a Leader and Unthink Before Bed: A Children’s Book on Mindfulness for your personal library.

Educator, Author, Keynote Speaker
Twitter: @kellycroy
Instagram: @kcroy
Website: kellycroy.com and wirededucator.com
Podcast: The Wired Educator Podcast
and of course: Facebook.

Sign-up for Kelly’s newsletter here.

 

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Along Came a Leader: My Zoom Visit with Fairview Park City School District’s Book Club

Last week I had the honor of being invited by the Fairview Park City Schools book club to discuss my book, Along Came a Leader: A Personal and Professional Guide to Leadership. I was thrilled to connect with fellow educators who share my passion for leadership and education. Our virtual discussion on the Zoom platform was a rewarding experience, and I was grateful for the chance to share my insights and learn from others.

During our conversation, we delved into the challenges educators face and how leadership can help overcome these obstacles while inspiring students. I drew from my experiences in coaching, teaching, and writing to offer practical strategies and techniques for fostering positive and productive cultures and promote the six tenets of leadership from my book.

As a speaker and educator, I am passionate about inspiring others to become better leaders. I firmly believe that everyone has the potential to be a great leader, and my goal is to empower individuals and organizations to achieve their full potential. By sharing my insights, I hope to help others unlock their leadership potential and create a lasting impact on their communities.

The book club, comprised of educators, administrators and staff members asked some incredible questions. One teacher asked me what my biggest struggle with leadership was. My answer was  ‘accountability’ and I explained my challenges of holding myself personally accountable and helping to maintain accountability within an organization without coming across as a jerk. Everyone seemed to appreciate my candor and sense of humor. I was also asked about how I addressed loyalty in the book. One teacher really appreciate that I highlighted the difference and importance of placing loyalty in virtues about people. People change. We have a duty to be loyal to virtues. We can love people even when they make mistakes, but when those mistakes hurt others, our loyalty must always stay with the virtue. Now, loyalty in relationships is different and a mark of integrity. Don’t confuse personal and professional loyalties. They are not the same. They should not be intertwined. We need virtuous leaders of the highest level of integrity to have the courage to identify a wrong as wrong and work collaboratively to correct it, without allowing friendships to interfere.

I really enjoyed talking to the large group and it is always an honor when someone reads your book and wants to talk to you about how it impacted them. Wow! I am never taking that for granted. What a great afternoon! Click to Read More

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Speaker at the COSSBA Conference in Tampa!

Honored to Speak at The National Conference for the Consortium of State School Boards Associations, Tampa, Florida

It was an honor to speak at The National Conference for the Consortium of State School Boards Associations last weekend in Tampa, Florida.

National Conferences are particularly inspiring because of the opportunity for people across the nation to share, inspire and network solutions to our greatest challenges.

This conference was memorable because I co-presented with my superintendent, Pat Adkins. Our presentation highlighted the great work our district’s staff is doing at Port Clinton Schools. Pat led the presentation and absolutely inspired our audience with the amazing initiatives happening in our district. Our title was “Safe, Healthy and Learning! How Leaders Can Prioritize and Implement Solutions to Improve the Safety and Wellness of Students, Staff and Family as a Crucial Component of On-Going Learning.” Click to Read More

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Don’t Just Talk About Leadership, Teach It

Recent Speaking Event, Two Books to Recommend, and a Shout-Out to Colleagues and Student-Leaders!

This past week, I had the privilege and honor to be one of the speakers at the Sandusky Bay Conference Leadership Summit for Youth Leaders, along with my superintendent, Pat Adkins, and other experts from our region. We led sessions to help student-leaders understand that leadership is more than a title, taught them what sportsmanship really is, and offered alternatives and direction when adversity arrives.

The student-leaders were amazing! We really need to give young adults more praise and opportunity. I was incredibly impressed with their attentiveness, appreciation, ideas, and leadership. The students shared some poignant challenges: too much drama in their sport, unruly fans, unsupportive family, poor role models and more! They also shared solutions and ideas that made me leave with great hope that we are in good hands with these future leaders.

Too often, I believe, parents, teachers, coaches, advisors, and community leaders have expectations from students on leadership but rarely take the time to teach and train them on ways to deliver. Everybody values leadership, but they are hoping, or expecting, someone else to take care of it. That’s why I think a day like this Sandusky Bay Conference Leadership Summit for Youth Leaders is so important. The leaders of the SBC, like our awesome Athletic Director, Rick Dominick,  believe leadership and sportsmanship are important enough to schedule it, plan it, and offer it to schools in our region. Kudos to all who accepted and participated. I believe over 400 students attended. The students now have a lot of great leadership tools to take back to their teams and district to not only apply in their lives, but to teach other.

What a great day! I wish that I could have attended the other sessions as well and learned from the other speakers.

One of the reasons I wrote my first book, Along Came a Leader, Click to Read More

 

 

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3 Ways to Get Better Mileage Out of Your Attitude

Your attitude is important, a choice, and malleable.

Attitude is king.

There are thousands of areas in your life in which you could improve, but I firmly believe the most important area everyone must focus on first is their attitude. In fact, I believe that you could master all of the other qualities, yet maintain a bad attitude and you will fail as a leader and at life. Your attitude is that important!

Conversely, I believe, you could fail at all of the other qualities, yet keep a great attitude, and you will rise to levels of success.

Attitude is king.

You already possess an attitude. How is it working for you? Are you self aware? Are you able to take a step back and reflect on whether your attitude is helping you or hindering you?

Here are three ways to get more mileage out of your attitude just like a car: Click to Read More

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Books I Read in 2022 and Some Thoughts on Reading

I find great enjoyment and personal growth in reading every day. I am not a fast reader. I tend to take my time with my books, and I really try to apply what I am learning.

I am including a list of the books I read in 2022 in this post, but first some thoughts on reading:

Reflecting on my reading for last year I have three takeaways:

  1. First, I would like to read more fiction. I think we all need a story in our head. We need a diversion from the seriousness and busyness of life. We need to see there are problems bigger than what we are facing. We need to be inspired. I only read one piece of fiction last year. I will do better.
  2. Next, reading a lot is NOT the goal. I am not trying to read for mileage, but for enjoyment and to learn. If I can read more, wonderful! It’s not a competition. One book can change a life. I want to read those books. I want to write those books.
  3. Finally, I resolve to mix up and diversify my reading for this year. I read too much in the same categories, same authors, and my reading is pretty predictable. I did a little better on this last year, but I hope to discover some gems outside my wheelhouse of reading.

Five things I read reach day: Click to Read More