Remember how I was going to “celebrate” the 12 Days of Christmas? Hahahaha. It started off great! I did NOT get depressed on the 26th (as I usually do) and sailed right into New Year’s feeling pretty good.
Is there any way to get through the whole 12 days feeling celebratory? If so, I haven’t found it. I ended the last few days fighting the usual post-Christmas blues. I’m in the process of Grinch-ing the house- all the big stuff is done, but it’s a huge job since I decorate very “thoroughly”. There are Christmas towels, pillows, shower curtains, pajamas, shirts, socks… lots of laundry to be done before everything is put away.
One thing I do enjoy is post-Christmas shopping. I got wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, and a new wreath for the front door. The old wreath was so shabby, I felt like it was an insult to the community. Everything was 60-80% off!
And, I finally found the time to sit down with my new planner and get some New Year energy going. I started a “26 for 26” list but only got to #13:
- Read 75 books
- Complete a 60 mile run (planned for 60th birthday, but if that doesn’t happen for any reason, will be done at some other point during the year).
- Put a serious focus on strength training April-August (assuming 60 mile run is completed in March).
- Read “Why We Sleep.” I really need to sleep more, and I’m hoping this book will scare me into making the necessary changes.
- Send all of Engie’s postcards- as part of my Secret SANta present, Engie included blank postcards with the instructions to mail them all!
- Have one “adventure” per month.
- Watch Season 2 of Severance.
- Teach Angie to meal prep.
- Once a month date with husband (can be double date).
- Get nightstands/lamps for bedroom.
- Get a new dining room table.
- Mail Christmas cards in November. Ahem.
- Bake (and freeze) Christmas cookies in November.
Now I’m stuck. I can think of other things, but they’re all things I know are going to happen anyway. Like “buy dress for Paul’s wedding.” This is going to be a project, but it’s something I HAVE TO DO, so it seems like cheating to put it on a goals list. I can also think of some goals that are much too vague, like “eat better.” What does that even mean? Is it pressing enough to make it a goal? I don’t know.
Reading 75 books will be a stretch, since in 2025 I read 63. But having it on my list is helping already- I need 6.25 books per month, so that’s gone onto my monthly goals list, and I can also think about it on a weekly basis. I’m starting to see how SHU’s “nested goals” system works!
Do you have a list of goals for 2026?
Does anyone else feel like the world is suddenly blah and un-sparkly, or is it just me?
29 Responses
I think you have some good goals. I sometimes put things that are going to happen anyway on my daily ‘to do’ list, so I can mark them off. Like ‘grocery store’, or ‘yoga’. I don’t put ‘shower’ on there, or ‘eat something’, so I’m not completely out of control. I guess what I’m saying is that buying the dress is going to take a lot of mind power, right? You’re going to think and worry about it, and hopefully the experience will be great and you’ll find a dress you love right away. I say it goes on the list.
New dining room table, new lamps, new bedside tables…all exciting!
Yes, “shower” or “eat something” would be setting the bar pretty low. Okay, I’ll put the dress on the list (I still feel like it’s cheating a little, though.)
I can relate to your “blah” for sure. I vascillate between being totally excited about the new year and all the opportunities it brings and feeling let down because the big holiday is over and there is nothing to look forward to in the near future. I think it is because I love all the Fall holidays – Halloween and then not even a month later is Thanksgiving and then a month later is Christmas and then a week later is New Year’s and I’m off work and all seems anticipatory for so long. And then boom – its all done. Sigh…
I do have a 26 for 26. I’m always horrible at keeping these types of goal lists. And I’m off to an incredibly slow start. But, I will post it on my blog this week! That is a good public commitment!
Okay, I’ll check it out- I always like seeing other people’s lists! And yes- it’s not just Christmas, I love all the fall holidays and the months of happy anticipation… and then it all ends and there’s NOTHING. Oh well… it will come around again soon.
Oh Jenny, I just want to give you a big hug until things feel sparkly again. I know it’s just a normal dip, and I know YOU know that, but it still stinks.
I love your goals list! And I say put the dress on the list – it’s a big enough deal it “merits” being there for sure.
My biggest goal is to somehow persuade my husband to get a second cat but I am not getting any traction so far…
Ha! If it helps, I’ve had to persuade my husband every time we get a new cat. He resisted getting Foxy, and even after we got him he complained that it was too much, but now he loves him so much! So… keep trying. Two cats are fun, and they can keep each other company.
13 goals is great! And better to have measurable, attainable goals than vague statements that will just make you feel uncomfortable or remain out of reach.
I have no goals beyond surviving. I’m not feeling too blah- I’ve been volunteering at my youngest kid’s school at lunch this past week- makes me feel useful. A good way to transition to the new year.
Keeping busy is definitely an antidote to the blahness. And, I guess 13 goals is more than I’ve had in the past, so it’s progress.
The transition after the holidays into the new year is always so hard! I know in a few weeks everything will feel fine again and I’ll completely forget about being sad that the holidays are over, but the first week or so is tough. Making goals helps though!
And I really like your goal of having an adventure every month! Even though I have a very big race that I’m training for that will take my focus, I’d like to do “adventure runs” more often, where I run somewhere new and just take my time to explore without necessarily hitting a mileage goal. And I don’t know if it counts since it’s technically a race, but I signed up for my first timed event in the fall which I’m excited about! It’s 12 hours on a 6km loop with 2,000 feet of elevation gain per loop around a mountain. I’ve never done a timed event because most of them near me are on pavement or flat which doesn’t appeal to me but this one does!
I would definitely count that as an adventure! Anything new that gets me to a different location or experience is going to count for me.
Your race is coming up, right??? When is it?
My next one is a week from tomorrow, a 60K, but my big one (125 miles) is in May!
I would still put things like buying the dress on the list. So what if they have to happen? You still have to do them, and they are things that are outside of your comfort zone. Put new shoes on there too and bam, there’s two more things. I like having soft lobs that can be easily crossed off the list. Why not? It’s your list, you’re the boss of it.
I’m sorry you’re feeling so blue, Jenny. I know post-Christmas is rough for you. xoxo
Hmm! That’s true, shoes are going to be a whole other issue. Okay fine, I’ll put them on the list! Thank you Nicole.
Hey I read SHU’s book and no where does it say “rush your planning so that you have a list of goals with an arbitrary number on it”. I like your thoughtful thirteen! Now keep going and you will have an incredible 26 for 26! Mind you, the wedding will probably generate its own list of 26.
I don’t have a formal goal list, but I have a couple of Apple notes that I update as ideas come to me.
Ooh, “thoughtful thirteen”- I like it!
Christmas is still up in our house. I put the Christmas books away because I was so sick of reading them. I might take down things like the stockings and such this weekend to reduce clutter, but the tree is staying up until MLK Jr Day. It’s very long to keep it up but I love the glow of the tree – and I love seeing others’ trees in their windows! And our outdoor lights still come on every night. I just really need the glow on these dark dark days (literally and metaphorically).
I think 13 is great! Do not force yourself to find 26 things. 13 is a nice #. I did put some things I knew I would do on my 25 in ’25 list, like the pumpkin event and going to the Grinch. This year my list was more novel. And I actually had over 25 and had to trim some things!
This has not been a great week for us given all the headlines. The boys’ school was closed yesterday/today for public safety reasons. Phil stayed w/ the boys yesterday and I’m with them today but hired our HS babysitter (who also doesn’t have school) to watch the boys for 4 hours as I have 3 hours of meetings with no break and there is no way I could manage the boys while on non-stop zooms…
Yes, I saw that in your blog post today- what is all this craziness! If they’re closing schools for public safety reasons, things are truly out of control.
I would be more likely to keep my Christmas lights up if I lived where you do. Plus, our tree was a real one and it relly needed to go! One of these days I’ll have an artificial tree, and maybe I’ll leave it up till MLK Day.
I don’t think putting the dress on your list would be cheating, because it would be a reminder to think about it (plus it IS a hard task and you should get CREDIT! HA!).
That said you definitely don’t need 26 specifically 🙂 Taylor Swift would approve of 13, or maybe you could find 2 more (or 7 more) for a rounder number if that pleases you!
(I actually didn’t count mine! I have 5 domains and anywhere from 3-5 goals in each).
That’s true- having it on my list will keep it top of mind. And, I guess there’s now law that says I need 26 goals- Gretchen Rubis isn’t going to come and arrest me : )
I have 5 vague ones. That way I won’t feel defeated.
I started out well with reading but I lost interest as the year went on…
Good luck with yours… maybe 13 is enough?
Maybe 13 is my lucky number for the year!
Is putting the dress on the list any different from the dining room table?
But also – I really like how Elisabeth keeps a few slots on her list empty so she can add a goal mid year – then you don’t feel like you *have* to know what you want to do with your whole year right now.
Life didn’t feel very Christmas-y this year because we were travelling over theholidays, but life does feel like of “meh” lately. Probably for me it’s a combination of jet lag and the shite that is current events.
I do have goals for the year (as you know).
I would definitely add Buy a Dress to your list. I think it’s great to go into the year with some ideas of things I know NEED to be done and WILL be done. It’s not like you’re going to walk down the aisle in your underwear. The dress purchase of 2025 WILL BE HAPPENING. (Just a thought, would you ever think of a flowing jumpsuit? Somehow I just see you being so much more comfortable in something like that and there can be some truly beautiful and dressy things like that. Maybe I’m wayyyyy out in left field on this, but it’s just a though.)
Jump suits are amazing. And classy. Just sayin’!
Well, my tree is still up if you want to talk about sparkly… not ready to take it down.
I’ve been working on a goal list (since I completely skipped it last year), and I am a bit excited (I guess it’s all the talk about Shu’s book and how everyone is goal setting right now).
I personally think you can put anything on your list (even if it’s something that you’re pretty sure it’s going to happen). I don’t know, it also gives the satisfaction of checking something off 🙂 And it’s ok to have goals that are “easy” and some that will require a little bit more planning.
I think 13 goals is a great number! Or you can leave the rest as TBD and add to the list as you think of them. That’s what I do (stolen from Elisabeth) because sometimes I want that round number but can’t think of all the goals at once.
I don’t know if our Friday will count as an adventure, but I have some fun ideas I need to text you about!
I was all motivated to do a 26 for 26 list too but ran out of steam quickly LOL
You got some good goals …amd 75 books is impressive. I definitely want to read more this year – hoping to hit 25, maybe 30.
13 is perfect– HALF OF 26
I love goals. I think it is allowed to put things on goals lists that are easy to cross off. If it is only hard ones it can be so demotivating.
I need to check out SHUs book.