2026 Goals: Fewer Lists, Clearer Focus
For a long time, I’ve been someone who documents everything: monthly goals, resets, recaps, intentions. Sometimes that structure helps. Other times, it becomes noise.
Going into 2026, I realized I don’t need more goals. I need fewer ones that actually carry me through the year.
So this year looks different. I’ve stepped away from my monthly goal posts — not necessarily forever, but for now. Instead of constantly recalibrating, I’m narrowing my focus to a small set of priorities for the entire year and letting them do the heavy lifting. I’ll likely check in quarterly here rather than monthly, giving myself room to build momentum instead of restarting over and over.
Here they are!
Health Goals
- Continuing to cut back on sugar
- Focusing on smaller portions and finishing when I'm full
- Start running back up when weather permits
- Letting progress be steady instead of rushed
I’m not trying to optimize every habit. I’m sticking with the behaviors that actually move the needle.
Running Goals
- Go for 80 runs
- Complete 3 races
- Easing back in after time off
- Running consistently when conditions allow (ideally 2–3 times a week)
- Finding races to help me stay motivated
- Letting missed weeks happen without turning them into quitting
No pace goals. No mileage targets. Just showing up and following through.
Money Goals
- Pay off credit cards completely (3 total)
- Increase savings by $2,000
- Raise my credit score from 736 to 760
- Paying more than the minimum each month
- Using a snowball approach, moving from smallest to largest debt
- Prioritizing credit card payoff in the first half of the year
- Not using credit cards at all
- Keeping my savings goal intentionally less aggressive while I focus on eliminating debt first
The plan isn’t flashy, but it’s deliberate: clear the cards first, then shift focus forward.
Reading Goals
- Read 100 books
- Complete at least 3 series
- Finish reading Freida McFadden's backlist (18/30 read so far)
- Finish reading Noelle Ihli's backlist (2/8 read so far)
- Less scrolling, more reading
- Being more intentional with my downtime
- Completing older series I’ve been sitting on
- Finding more small pockets of time to read: lunch breaks, before work, etc.
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
- Birthright by Gabrielle Zevin
In 2025, I focused on catching up on bestsellers. In 2026, I’m focusing on series, specific authors, and finishing what I start.
Backlist Trackers
✔️ = read prior to 2026
• = not yet read
✔️ Ask for Andrea (2022)
✔️ Run on Red (2022)
• Room For Rent (2023)
• Gray After Dark (2024)
• None Left to Tell (2024)
• Such Quiet Girls (2025)
• Forget You Saw Her (2025)
✔️ Dead Med (2014)
✔️ Baby City (2015)
✔️ Brain Damage (2016)
• The Devil You Know (2017)
✔️ The Surrogate Mother (2018)
✔️ The Ex (2019)
• The Perfect Son (2019)
✔️ The Wife Upstairs (2020)
✔️ One By One (2020)
✔️ Want to Know a Secret? (2021)
• The Locked Door (2021)
✔️ Do Not Disturb (2021)
✔️ Do You Remember? (2022)
✔️ The Housemaid (2022)
• The Inmate (2022)
✔️ Never Lie (2022)
✔️ The Housemaid’s Secret (2023)
✔️ Ward D (2023)
• The Coworker (2023)
✔️ The Gift (2023)
✔️ The Teacher (2024)
• The Housemaid is Watching (2024)
• The Boyfriend (2024)
✔️ The Housemaid’s Wedding (2024)
• The Widow's Husband's Secret Lie (2024)
• The Crash (2025)
• The Tenant (2025)
• The Intruder (2025)
• Death Row (2025)
Series Tracker
• = not yet read
• Catching Fire
• Mockingjay
• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
• Sunrise on the Reaping
• Deathless Divide
• Because It Is My Blood
• In the Age of Love and Chocolate
Blogging Goals
- Publish 100 new posts (ideally, 2 per week)
- Publish 50 One Minute Memoirs (ideally, 1 per week)
- Sticking to formats and blog series that already work for me
- Writing, scheduling, and planning posts ahead when possible
- Keeping the focus on consistency and follow-through
- Publishing posts even when they're not my standard of "perfect"
How I’m Starting the Year
On January 1, I documented all my starting numbers on various spreadsheets — weight, finances, books, and more — simply as a baseline. Not as judgment. Just context. I'll update those monthly to keep track and measure progress.
From there, I’m trusting this narrower set of goals to carry me through the year, one step at a time.
This year isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing a few things well, staying with them long enough to see change, and trusting that co
I love this! So glad you've recalibrated and hopefully found a way that works for you.
ReplyDeleteI write a 52-in-52 list every year, just random things. The thought is to try and tick off one a week, but to be real, there are some years that I do tons, some years that I do bugger all. I think I've only ever finished the entire list once. But it's so much fun to look back and see what I accomplished!
Btw hi, found your blog while trying to find more people that write generally about day-to-day life. I saw the word "sarcastic" in your profile and knew I was in ;)
Thank you so much for your comment and I am super excited you found my blog! Definitely going to follow yours as well. I love the 52 list idea. How fun!
Delete