I love thinking through some intentions at the start of each year! I loved that most of my goals last year were focused a bit more on lifestyle instead of specific accomplishments, and I’m excited to continue that in 2026.
Here are some of my personal goals that I’m thinking about this year!
1. Read 52 Books + Read Aloud 12 Books
I had this same goal last year! After a few years of very low reading, I was determined to get back into it. I didn’t quite hit my goal, but did read about 35 books – which was way more than the year before! So hoping to bump it up a bit more this year.
I’ve also really gotten away from reading aloud to the kids regularly lately. Life and evenings just get busy!! I’m really excited to plan on some of these. I’m also planning to start a little book club for one of my kiddos and his friends, so I’m looking forward to incorporating this into that.
- The Gate, The Girl, and the Dragon
- Because of Winn-Dixie
- Ways to Make Sunshine
- Prairie Lotus
- A Place to Hang the Moon
- The Girl Who Stole an Elephant
- A Wish In The Dark
- Where the Red Fern Grows
- Ballet Shoes
- The Kite Fighters
- A Rick Riordan imprint book
- The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
2. Finish My Book!
If you’ve been around for a while, you know I’ve been working on a book with National Geographic for a couple years now. I’ve had some edits to get to, and I’m looking forward to diving back into these intensely in the first part of the year. Excited to get this in great shape!
3. Host Another Family For Dinner Once A Month
We had a similar goal last year and loved it! It’s so nice having others in our home and getting to know them more personally, and I’d love to continue doing this.
4. Meal Plan 2 Weeks at A Time + 24 Cookbook Recipes
I had this goal last year and failed miserably at it! Last year, I said 20 recipes, but I think 24 will actually make it easier – it will just be once every other week when I’m doing the meal plan. To that end, I’ve been meal planning once a week, but I’d like to move to once every other week to take less mental energy.
In order to help make that happen, I decided to choose the recipes in advance. I’m hoping to do this by the end of the week and will update this post when I do!
5. Online Journal
This is something else I was really terrible at completing last year! A few times over the years, I’ve kept those lovely 3-year journals. (I think this one is especially beautiful.) And I’ve realized that they just don’t work great for me. For one, I often remember something to jot down from the day as I’m lying down in bed, and then I’m not super enthusiastic about getting up and retrieving my journal. Second, and more importantly, we travel frequently enough (and also pack light enough) that I don’t have it with me for a good chunk of the year. An online journal, unfancy as it is, just works better for me.
So here’s my intention to simply jot something to remember – even a tiny funny moment or happy picture – from each day in my online journal.
6. Make Two New Family Photobooks & 2 Family Videos
This was on my goals list last year, too, but I didn’t get around to doing it so I’m adding it back in! A couple years ago, I found a system to speed through making family photobooks MUCH more easily than I ever had before. I managed to make two photobooks and I’m thrilled about it. I’m hoping to make two more this year!
I’m also hoping to make 2 family videos – one as a 2025 recap, and at least one for one trip we took in 2025. We have so many little clips and I’d love to compile them into something we can watch together.
7. Finish Off Swing Dance Class Punch Card with Dan
I’ve really missed my super lovely, small choir with a gorgeous sound that I sang with back in California. I found one local to us that seems really lovely, so I’m auditioning next week. I’m really looking forward to this!
Also, last summer, Dan and I attended a swing dance class close to us once and REALLY loved it. We got a punch card to go regularly, and just haven’t made it happen. I’m hoping we can use up the rest of our punch cards, at the very least!
8. See Medical Professionals
I have a few medical things I’d like to make progress on this year – I’ve had some hearing loss and would love to get that figured out (I had an MRI late last year to see if there are issues). I’ve also never actually seen a dermatologist before because especially with more melanated skin, I haven’t been worried – but have lots of little spots on my face and would love to see if anything can be done about that. Finally, I’m on the waiting list for a pelvic floor specialist so would love to make progress on that. I’m feeling good about already making progress on a couple of these!
9. Sunday All Things Great And Small
I’ve wanted to watch this for a couple years and we haven’t managed it yet. I’m hoping having a specific thing we’re all doing together on Sunday will mean some lovely relaxing family time, too!
10. Do Weight/Pelvic Floor Work 3x/Week + Cardio 3x/Week
This is something I need to get serious about. I’ve been having a lot of upper back/shoulder pain on my left side recently and, frankly, I’m sick of it. I really need to build up the upper body strength so that I’m not in pain! I also need to do a bit more pelvic floor/glute work. Going to try adding in 3x a week of cardio on top of that to just build it into a habit – I suspect it will be easier to just plan on doing something every day instead of trying to remember which days I’m doing it and which ones I’m not!
11. Watch Bluey in French with N
I did great last year with doing a bit of French refresher on Duolingo, and I’ve gotten to visit France multiple times this year and always only speak in French. Still, I could do a lot more with fluency and vocab to get more comfy. Our eldest, N, is also studying and loves French, and discovered when we were in Paris that you can watch Bluey in French, haha. It’s actually well translated and reasonably easy to understand (it is geared to 3 year olds, after all), so I think this will be a fun thing to do together.
12. Plan A Group Trip & Start Giving London Family Tours
If you recall, the first one of these was something I wanted to do this year and just didn’t manage it – it’s a LOT! But I’d really like to make it happen this year – just gotta plan far enough in advance to make it work.
The second thing is something I’m really excited about. After thinking about it for about a year, and talking to a couple of friends who do similar things elsewhere, I’ve decided to go for it! Stay tuned – I’m really excited about doing this for your families!
Do you make goals for the year? If so, I’d love to hear any plans or intentions you have this year!
