Preparing for 2026

Over the year, I've done lots of thinking (when don't I, I know) about what I want my future to look like, the type of person I want to be, and the types of people I have around me. And as the year gets closer to ending, obviously I'm trying to determine what I want my 2026 to look like. What things do I want to prioritize? What things do I want to decenter?

For those of you who may also be looking to radically change their lives, here are the steps I'm going to take to make it happen in 2026 - but realistically, it all starts now. Please know that this process can range anywhere from a few hours to multiple days, depending on how you pace it out and how much time you spend on each section. I encourage you to be thorough and spend extra time on reflection pieces.

1. Set the ambiance - you want the vibes to be nice. How you approach this activity (in my opinion) sets up how you view your goals. If you go into it with a 'ugh I have to do this' mindset, that's how you're going to feel about your goals as well. Having a nice atmosphere can make all the difference in your mood during the activity.

2. Audit 2025 - What did you accomplish this year? What did you do well? What do you need to work on? What do you want more of? What do you want less of? Try to be as detailed as possible with these things. For things you want to work on, it could even be helpful to include specific examples of times you exhibited the behavior you want less of, and explain why it was harmful/unsavory.

3. Categorize - Looking at your 2025 audit, what Broad categories can you create? Put each item from your audit into a category with a (+), (-) or (n) in front of it. This will allow you to easily see the positives, negatives, and neutrals for the next step.

4. Set Goals - Go category by category and create goaals based on your positiv, negatives, and neutrals, but try to write them as affirmations. For example, if I say I want to exercise more, I'd probably write "I will exercise and stretch every morning." I was specific about when, and what - very important. I want to try to have 2-3 goals per category. It might also be helpful to have metrics by which you can measure said goal.

5. The Why - Technically this goes with step 4, but I think it's importanat enough to warrant it's own step. Either after you've written your goals, or as you do, write down your why. Why is this goal so important to you? What makes this goal worth your time and your energy?

6. Visualize (optional) - this step is for those of us who like the physical reminder. I like to create a vision board in the format of my laptop lockscreen/home screen and my phone lock screen. Seeing it on devices that I use everydya reminds me of my intention in life, and the goals and standards I have for myself.

Anyway, this is what I'll be doing the next few weeks. And i'll probably listen to this album while i do it: