I’m the type of person who finds comfort in schedules, colour-coded calendars, and neatly organised to-do lists. I thrive on structure. You know the type—if it’s not in the diary, it’s not happening. I’ve even been known to add things I’ve already done to my list just so I can tick them off. There’s a certain satisfaction in knowing exactly what’s coming next, where I’m headed, and how I’m going to get there. Spontaneity? Please, spare me the anxiety.
But then, like a rogue breeze blowing through my carefully stacked house of cards, I stumbled upon this ridiculous word: coddiwomple. Yes, you read that right…
…coddiwomple.
I had to Google it, obviously, because I couldn’t possibly have a new word floating around in my brain without knowing its exact definition. It turns out that this old English slang means “to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination.”
Excuse me? Vague destination? My inner control freak recoiled. Purposeful, sure. I love a bit of purpose. But vague? What a contradiction. It was all my nightmares wrapped up in one cheeky word.
Yet it’s irritatingly catchy. Like a song, you can’t get out of your head, even though you know all it’s doing is interrupting your focus. Coddiwomple.
So, against my better judgment, I’ve decided to make coddiwompling my thing for 2025. I know it sounds absurd, right? But hear me out. After the chaos of the last few years, it seems like the universe has other plans for us control freaks. Things go sideways whether we like it or not. Perhaps, just perhaps, it’s time to embrace a little uncertainty, to coddiwomple through life without demanding to know every twist and turn before it happens.
Don’t get me wrong—this doesn’t mean I’m throwing out my planners or uninstalling my scheduling apps. (Let’s not get carried away here.) But what if I allowed just a little room for vagueness? What if I decided to walk the fine line between having a plan and not knowing exactly where it’ll lead? Coddiwomple might be the perfect middle ground for a control freak like me.
So here is how 2025 Kate is going to coddiwomple.
First, I’ll be incorporating coddiwomple into my vocabulary. When asked what I’m up to, instead of rattling off my meticulously planned agenda, I’ll just say, “Oh, I’m coddiwompling today.” It sounds mysterious, doesn’t it? As though I’m still driven by purpose (because, let’s be real, I am), but not totally fixated on the endgame. It’ll be my way of pretending I’m laid back, while still secretly holding on to my spreadsheets. It’s a win-win, really.
Next, I’ll attempt—attempt—to put this concept into action. This will be the real challenge. The thought of wandering aimlessly still makes me twitchy, but coddiwomple doesn’t mean aimless. It means moving forward with purpose, even if I don’t have all the details ironed out. That’s the part I’m latching onto. So maybe, just maybe, in 2025, I’ll take a few unplanned drives, leave gaps in my daily schedule (gasp!), or try something spontaneous without first researching every possible outcome. It won’t be easy. I’ll probably need to sit down with a cup of tea and have a little moment afterwards. But coddiwompling seems like a way to let go, just a fraction, while still keeping my beloved sense of direction.
In the end, it’s about balance, isn’t it? Letting go of control completely is simply not in my DNA. But coddiwompling allows me to pretend I’m being adventurous while still maintaining some semblance of order. It’s like the ultimate trick I can play on myself—embracing the unknown just enough to make life interesting, but not so much that I’ll spiral into chaos.
So, in 2025, you might catch me wandering around with a determined expression, and you’ll think, “There goes someone with a plan.” And you’d be right—sort of. I’ll have purpose, but I won’t stress about the details. At least, not all of them. And if you see me hesitating in front of a new café or staring at a map a little too long, just know I’m having my coddiwomple moment—part of me is itching to plan, but I’m forcing myself to go with the flow (even if it’s killing me inside).
So, here’s to coddiwompling in 2025—one tiny step outside my comfort zone, with purpose but without the certainty I usually crave. Who knows where it’ll take me?
Want to join me on this coddiwompling journey? Follow along on Facebook (@KatesWorldAU) or share your own experiences with the hashtag #CoddiwompleWithKate. Let’s see where a little vagueness (but not too much) takes us in the year ahead.