We are getting close to that point where people start setting goals and naming resolutions for the new year. That used to be me every year and I’d stick with it for all of about 15 days. Especially when it came to my reading or journaling goals. Then something changed the way I look at how I set those goals and it unlocked reading for me all over again – I went from reading 2-3 books a month to reading that many in a week!
One disclaimer before we dig in: any reading or journaling or anything for your mental health is better than nothing at all. What isn’t? Comparison. Other than the comment above about how much I read, I won’t be naming my personal goals or quantifying how many books I read or minutes I spend on me. The important part of this is finding what works for you – for your attention span, your schedule, and your unique life demands.
The Challenge
I found myself setting aside the time I needed to accomplish whatever goal I set easily at first. But by the second week, I had demands on my schedule popping up and my time wasn’t as easy to free up. Then I’d get so frustrated at how far behind I was on whatever reading plan I put together I’d just want to give up. So I would. Been there? I had the same thing happen this year with journaling – I told myself I’d journal first thing in the morning and again at night using these prompts I’d found that build off each other. Here’s the thing – you miss one, you have to go back and do it before you can move forward really. Well, one morning running late, or one evening going out with friends and suddenly you’re off track.
This only got worse when my life expectations changed. I got a new role in my company with new responsibilities and new stress. My youngest started a traditional school instead of being homeschooled by my mom. Suddenly, I’m balancing my workload while having to leave right on time at 5 to do the hour round trip to pick him up from afterschool and then figure out homework help while cooking dinner. By the time all that is done most nights I feel like I’ve run a marathon and I’m ready for bed!
The Fix
When life changes, you have to change with it. For me, that meant giving myself some grace for missed goals, then reviewing what was possible with the current circumstances. I found more room for audiobooks (hello 1 hour round trip drive) but less for reading physical copies. I found that I could make more room to journal while my husband reads to my youngest at night. But I also found the overall quantity of both needed to reduce to be realistic. Sometimes reality isn’t perfection, but it’s good enough.
As we step into 2026, it’s a great fresh start to try something new. You’ve got a few weeks left to think through what that means for you. Take a few minutes today to assess what free time really means for you – is it quiet time in the car, or do you need to be stationary? Is it daily or just once a week? Next, calendar it. I love my Google calendar – I’ve tried digital planners and print ones, too, but the one you get with your Gmail account is perfectly capable of not only scheduling recurring time for you but sending you reminders to stay on target. And once you schedule the recurring time, you can adjust the one-off appointments just like in Outlook to have different times or add details. It’s made it easy for me not to absent mindedly schedule over my “me time”.
Other Secrets
If I could share any other secrets with you about how to set and maintain goals in 2026 it would be to have grace for yourself. You’re going to have bad days/weeks when it doesn’t go to plan. Is it disappointing? Yep. But you’re the only one seeing it.
The other tip I’d have is to do it together. My best friend and I now journal together virtually – we text after to ask what prompt was used and how we’re feeling. And, in 2026, we’re doing our reading challenges virtually through StoryGraph together so you can see great suggestions and track your progress live. I’m even looking at ways to have a discussion there! It really is easier when you can track it and when you have accountability to the group.
Again – no one will notice if you fall behind on your reading plans but you. No one is going to get mad if you skip one of our challenge prompts. I’m just glad you’re here reading with us and I’d encourage you to keep moving, keep reading, and keep your head up!
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: Zachary Taylor, John S.D. Eisenhower
- Current audio book: Dawn, Octavia E. Butler
- Book I’m most looking forward to: How to Be Okay with Nothing is Okay, Jenny Lawson
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