We are officially one-quarter of the way into 2026. How is everyone feeling about that? I have had a very weird start to the year, but it hasn’t been a bad kind of weird. Just… a lot of adjustments and getting used to new normals.
This year for my annual goals, I gave myself four categories to strive for and set five goals in each category. And then I rounded things out with 10 fun goals (when I originally made this list, three of the 10 fun goals were TBD, but they have since been decided!) Ready to see how I’ve been doing on my annual goals? Let’s get to it!
Take better care of myself
- Create snack kits for my car, purse, and home, and restock them
weeklymonthly. In progress. The snack kits have been created and I restock them on a monthly basis at this point, since I’m not dipping into them as frequently as I expected. But they have come in clutch some days. - Drink
at least 50 oz ofwater per day. (18%) I decided to make this goal easier on myself, and I am still struggling. Why is this so hard for me?! - Close my Apple Watch rings. (34%) I’m happy with the progress I’m making with this goal, as it’s become easier and easier to close my Apple Watch rings the further along I get in my psoriatic arthritis treatment. January was pretty terrible, which brought my average down, but February and March were a lot better!
- Average 7.5 hours of sleep per night. Nope! Right now, my average time asleep is 6 hours, 44 minutes. This is slightly better than the beginning of the year, so progress is happening!
- Take medications every morning. (86%) Would I like this number to be 100%? Of course, and I will work towards increasing the percentage in Q2. But I’m happy with this number. I find it harder to remember to take my meds on the weekends, especially if I don’t eat breakfast at home. (I have to take my meds with food.)
Get a handle on my health conditions
- Start tracking my macros (prediabetes). No progress made. I’m not worried about this right now. Once my PsA is under control with meds, we’ll tackle the diet.
- Work with my dermatologist to develop a flare/maintenance plan for scalp psoriasis. Complete? I’m not really dealing with scalp psoriasis flares, likely due to the meds I’m taking for PsA. Win/win?
- Be compliant with my CPAP every month (sleep apnea). (2/12) I was compliant in January and March, but I failed miserably in February.
- Schedule an appointment with a rheumatologist to figure out my joint pain. Complete! I now have a diagnosis (psoriatic arthritis), and we’re working on a treatment plan.
- Lose 20 lbs (heart disease). No progress made. I haven’t weighed myself in months. I was going to weigh myself in February, but when I stepped on the scale, it didn’t turn on, and I’m taking that as a sign that I don’t need to worry about this right now.
Be a more involved friend
- Text
two friendsone friend every day. (44%) I am not doing terribly well with this goal, and I even decided to make it easier on myself: I only have to text one person every day. I still feel weird about it sometimes, but I’m trying to remember that I love to hear from other people, so they (probably) do too. - Make plans with friends once a week. In progress. So far, I’ve only missed one week!
- Organize a girls’ weekend. Complete. The Airbnb is booked, and the weekend is blocked off. We’re having a book club girls’ weekend in June!
- Send three pieces of snail mail every month. In progress. I’m feeling good about this goal! So far, I have sent 6 postcards and 3 cards. Here is my open form for addresses if you’d like to get a silly postcard from me sometime this year!
- Schedule a standing monthly date with at least one friend. No progress made.
Create better daily routines
- Develop a regular morning routine before my workday begins. In progress. I haven’t tracked this as closely as I would have liked, but I have developed a great morning routine that makes me oh-so-happy, and I would say I complete it 3 days a week.
- Do my hair and makeup and put on real clothes on days when I have meetings. In progress. There have been a few meeting-heavy workdays where I don’t do my hair and makeup, but it’s happening the majority of the time.
- Create an evening routine that includes reading time. In progress. I’m struggling a lot more with my evening routine than my morning routine. I’m struggling with how to fit blog time and reading time into my evenings. And I also want some TV time! Ugh. Why is the evening so short?!
- Do some form of movement every day (stretching counts!). (40%) My issue is that if I’m not going to work out long enough to close my exercise ring on my Apple Watch (30 minutes of movement), then I’m not inspired to complete this goal. I need to make this more enticing.
- Get outside every day. (89%) I’m doing pretty well with this goal, although there are some days when I just don’t feel like going outside and dealing with the loudness of other people. But now that I have a great couch on my patio, I think I can get this one done every day! Outside time and no people? Sign me up!
10 fun goals
1) Complete my self-created Unread Shelf Challenge – (3/12) This is going well!
- January (a book that starts with the same letter as your first name): Shark Heart by Emily Habeck ★★★★★
- February (a book written by an author you’ve never read before): Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum ★★★★☆
- March (a book with a one-word title): Homeseeking by Karissa Chen ★★★☆☆
2) Schedule a solo reading retreat weekend. Complete! I leave one week from today!
3) Try four novels from the Zero to Well Read podcast – (1/4)
- Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro ★★☆☆☆ 1/2
4) Take one picture every day and do weekly roundups on the blog – In progress. I haven’t missed a day yet!
5) See a Miami Dolphins game at Hard Rock Stadium – No progress made.
6) Decorate my patio – In progress. I bought a new rug and an outdoor couch, so this goal is going really well. I’d like to buy some sort of cat tower/bed for a corner of the patio, and maybe some greenery.
7) Visit somewhere new – This is happening in Q4!
8) Watch one season of a TV show, listen to one album, and watch one movie every month. I am not doing great with this goal, but there is still time for me to catch up. So far, I’ve watched one season of a TV show, listened to two albums, and watched one movie. So, 5/9 completed for Q1!
January
- TV show: Only Murders in the Building, season 5
- Album: Sabrina Carpenter, Man’s Best Friend
- Movie: The Cutting Edge
February
- TV show: New Girl, season 3 (in progress)
- Album: Benson Boone, American Heart
- Movie: TBD
March
- TV show: TBD
- Album: TBD
- Movie: TBD
9) Go to the movies alone. No progress made.
10) Visit a new-to-me spot in my town every month. (3/12) I’m having fun with this goal!
- January: Corner Kitchen & Coffee House (we went here for book club)
- February: My local Goodwill store
- March: West Coast Players, a local community theatre
Any movie recs for me? How are you doing on your annual goals?
Ooh! You have some fun things coming up- a reading retreat (I’m so jealous) and a book club girls’ weekend! I like all your “social” goals. I’m also trying to text people more often. I can’t say I’m doing great at it, but I’m making progress. So many times I’ll be thinking of something I want to tell a certain person- WHY don’t I just pick up the phone and send a quick text??? I’m also trying to send more snail mail- so far I’ve started off slowly with this goal (sent three whole postcards this year). ALSO, I agree- the evenings are so short! When I hear about these people who are doing a ton of reading AND watching all these shows, I’m thinking, how are they finding the time??? I mean, and also blogging. Sheesh- these things take up a lot of time.
I just have too many hobbies, that’s the problem. But I don’t want to give any of them up! Such a dilemma.
You have some very good goals in all categories! I remember when you said you wanted to drink water, that seltzer didn’t count, and I’m curious as to why? Is it the flavor? The bubbles? Because I would totally count a glass / can of flavor infused bubbly water. It hydrates you, and that’s what you’re after, right?
Yes, I originally only wanted my water goal to be plain water, but quickly gave up on that idea. Water is water, even if it’s got some bubbles in it!
You’re making progress! Great job, friend! I love that you have a whole category about taking care of yourself. YES. We all need to take tender care of ourselves!
It’s becoming more and more important for me to take great care of myself the older I get. It’s crucial!
I thought that sending texts to two friends every day sounded ambitious! I would be struggling. OH! A loophole! What about a group text? I have a group text with three other women who I sometimes do fitness classes with. Would it count as sending to more than one person if I sent out a message to that group? I want to know your criteria for this goal!!
I love how we’re on the same posting schedule because our What I Spent and Goals Update posts are coming out just days apart. I’m going to post a quarterly goals update TOMORROW. (Things are…fine. Not great. Not terrible. Fine.)
Movies: Hm. Have you seen Pretty Woman? (Does it hold up? Probably not.) Scream? Sister Act? Men In Black? The Sixth Sense? Sleepless in Seattle? Basically the entire Julia Roberts/Meg Ryan catalog?
So, I don’t consider a group text part of my texting goal since I really want it to be about reaching out to people and having those 1:1 convos. But two people a day was VERY HARD for me. Maybe another year.
I have seen Pretty Woman, Men in Black, The Sixth Sense, and Sleepless in Seattle. BUT I’VE NEVER SEEN SISTER ACT. That’s going on the list for sure!
Plug for the Apple Fitness app– I am in love with it. There is a whole category for stretching and cool down videos that are lovely when that’s all I want to do. Workouts range from 5 -60 mins, and you can sort by time– it;s been totally worth the $ for me.. (And the movement goes straight to your rings b/c it’s Apple.)
Ohhhh, I love this idea! Thanks for the rec!