Beginnings are full of promise. Whether it’s a new job, a new week, a new friendship. It feels like anything is possible. Yes, there is some discomfort or uncertainty as we don’t fully know what this new opportunity will become. But given a chance and a little effort, these new things can reap beautiful harvests.
I used to make New Year’s resolutions and choose a word for the year. And those things aren’t bad but usually by March, I had failed in some way. Missed too many days exercising, forgotten the word I picked, life changed what my year priority had been in January. And while I could’ve picked up the pieces and tried again, it somehow still felt like failure.
Last year, I bought a habit tracker — similar to this one — and limited myself to three goals a month that I would try to do daily, two bigger goals I would do weekly, and one cleaning goal for the month. It worked quite a bit better and I was able to “do more” in a sense because each month was a new chance and a new focus.
It also helped me get in the habit of random things, like meal planning, journaling, practicing Greek, etc. that I probably wouldn’t have made resolutions about. Let’s be honest, having a goal of reviewing Greek grammar once a week is a more actionable step than “know Greek better by the end of the year.”
I have also been convicted to demonstrate to my kids things that I expect of them. For instance, if I’m preaching the necessity of practicing an instrument to improve but making excuses for why I never practice my own instrument, I’m not modeling what I’m telling them is important. I might argue that I’ve already taken lessons for over a decade and done my share of practicing in those years, but could I benefit from practicing? Absolutely! I still have the muscle memory but my fingers are a little slower from lack of practice. And I believe it’s good for my kids to see me try new skills and practice things that are important to me.
So with these things in mind, I have complied a list of goals I intend to cycle through in 2026. I won’t have all new goals each month and some of these — like Bible reading — will definitely repeat monthly. But maybe this will give you an idea of something you want to try or learn or improve in and how to implement it without overwhelm this year.
Bible reading. I printed off a Revive Our Hearts Bible in a year plan. I will also be doing more in depth studies but this is for my daily reading.
Violin. I might start with a goal of practicing three days a week and another month, practice daily.
Hand embroidery. My project in 2025 was a failure because I was WAY too ambitious. Starting smaller this year for hopefully better success!
Watercolor. This is still my favorite relaxing activity because you have to go slow! No rushing possible! Just trying a new technique each week would be a good goal.
Walking/jumping everyday. On days when it’s cold, I plan to use my Rebounder. Otherwise, a daily walk is a high priority for me.
Meal planning. Getting into a routine of planning and prepping a week or two of meals. I am also going to try grocery pickup on a regular basis to save time and keep from spontaneous spending.
Journaling. I plan to continue my daily index card notation from 2025 but I would also like to write a little more at the end of each day. Just bullet points or short sentences in a notebook.
Greek. This one is hard because it’s a relatively new skill for me. But even reading through the grammar rules and vocabulary or using my interlinear Bible regularly would be beneficial.
Hospitality. Tommy and I enjoy hosting and the end of this year we couldn’t do much with our house being a construction zone. So a high priority for us is to invite people into our home again.
Of course, I know as the year goes on, I may think of other things and there are things I didn’t put on the list that will naturally fall in, like gardening in the spring and summer, puzzles and reading throughout the year.
As I get older, I think often of a few verses. Ephesians 5:16 says, “Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” In this chapter, Paul has been urging the believers to be imitators of God and not live like the world but rather, to be wise. Part of this wisdom is to use our time well. Setting goals and planning how to achieve them can become time well spent. Another verse that popped up many times this year for me was Proverbs 16:9, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” It is wise and being a good steward to plan but hold that plan with a flexible grip. Plans we make are not always what God has for us. Anything we desire to do should be brought before the Lord and not grasped so tightly that our life is upended when plans or goals change. God is sovereign and we should be grateful for it.
What about you? Are you a goal person, full of resolutions, or maybe choosing a word for 2026? Happy New Year!