To the person/people adding all of the political comments, please know that I moderate all of the comments & I won't publish them. You also shouldn't make assumptions about how I feel or what I do outside of the blog, because you are likely incorrect. But, for my own mental health I choose to keep this blog largely politics free.
And, second update because commenter just can't let it go....You need to take a breath & focus on your own mental well being. I'm going to delete all of your posts without reading, so please stop wasting your time. Also, if you want to engage in a valid discussion and expect me to have one with you when I have 10+ years of content associated with this blog, please stop commenting anonymously. You have zero credibility and come across as a troll or a bot, regardless of if you are one. This isn't about whether I agree with you or not - it's about what I'm choosing to publish on my own blog. Get a grip.
Now onto regularly scheduled topics.
___________________________
As always, I have a lot I'd like to try personally in 2026. While I'm rarely able to accomplish the entire goal I set out for myself, I usually make solid progress against most of my goals in a year. Setting up each of my goal categories reminds me of what I want to focus on in the year ahead.
Turning 50 in 2026 has reminded me that there are plenty of personal & fun things I can accomplish, even when I'm busy at work. I don't have to be retired to meet my neighbors or say yes to adventures.
My personal goals are about trying to get a little better about things I'm not good at (meeting the neighbors/new people, hosting at our house, cooking complex recipes) & pushing me out of my comfort zone (taking a class, trying new & uncomfortable things & saying yes to more adventures).
I also just really want to learn another language, and Sam's GFs family speaks fluent Spanish (older relatives speak minimal English), so if we ever meet that group, it would certainly be useful. It is a fantastic life skill to have where we live, and I'd also love to have a bit of language competency for traveling, etc.
The decluttering feels like a battle to stay on top of things that come into our house, and ensure we're slowly but surely whittling down our belongings over time. I know items come into the house, and unless I have dedicated goals to remove them, they tend to just accumulate!
On the friendship side, my friends are such a critical part of my life - they are my social circle, the people who listen when I am struggling, and I have more casual friends who meet me for a workout, or make me laugh over a glass of wine. I feel very lucky to have so many amazing women in my life, and friendships take time & effort, so I always want to prioritize that.
The new grad career chat is a new one for me in 2026, and mostly because the job market for kids just getting out of college is terrible. I figure I can carve out a few hours to give them some advice, offer to introduce them to people, and make it just a little bit easier to navigate a challenging job market. I'll be curious to see how this goes in 2026.
Recap of my personal goals for 2026:
- 100 language lessons
- Declutter 500 items from the house
- Take a class
- Get together with friends
- Try something new & uncomfortable
- Say yes to more adventures
- Get to know our neighbors
- Host at least 4 events at our house
- Master a complex cooking technique or one difficult recipe
- Offer to have two networking chats with new grads
What about you? Do you have personal goals on deck for 2026? Anything new you are trying this year?
I made a vision board, but no resolutions/goals per se. Good luck to you, these are great goals. Also sending love to you and your family in regards to the political stuff because I know it is a scary time for your family right now.
ReplyDeleteThose are great goals. Wow 500 items from the house, I should try that...
ReplyDeleteWell there are a lot of things I could work on in all areas of my life. I want to continue to work on a work/personal life balance because work tends to take over my personal life. I would like to get my bedroom and living room decluttered. I also have some specific goals as to the outside of my house but that is really dependent on other factors. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteGood luck and I am confident you will be successful.
ReplyDeleteLots to work on here in my life. I can only control what I can control and that is what is going to happen this year.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I want to keep a cool head in spite of a lot of turbulence at work. I want to maintain the weight loss I've accomplished, take off 3 more pounds, and keep learning how to eat and move to maintain this long-term. I want to visit loved ones who are scattered around the country. Those are my major goals. Good luck on your goals! -- Ringo
ReplyDeleteThese are great goals. 50 is so young and you are smart to enrich your life as much as you can before 60!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your blogging - I really enjoy reading about your goals, meal planning and family life. I'm in the same phase of life as you and can relate to so many of the things you write on. I am sorry some people suck. Here's to a great 2026!
ReplyDeleteThank You So Much for keeping politics out of your blog posts! I have been forced to unfollow so many because they will suddenly veer into overtly political posts. I don't really care or take offense from what "side" these people are on. I just don't think they belong in blogs about finance, fashion, travel etc.
ReplyDeleteIf I could pass a test of idioms of one my father’s first two languages, (his parents were immigrants)I could qualify for citizenship in that country which would give me EU citizenship. I am actively seeking a tutor, but they are not very easy to find in this part of the country. Duo Lingo is no help, and even with my limited ability I know it’s almost comical. BUT, those who DO speak that language as their first are SO patient and helpful when someone is trying to learn…unlike many of our countrymen who only speak English. I guess I don’t need to tell you why I want that citizenship! I really fear for my brothers who are university professors.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, settling into the new normal. Each day is a bit easier than the last. My goal is to have the paperwork for the estate taxes totally collated and dropped off at the attorney by the end of this month. I just DESPISE doing it. Nothing like an automated phone menu to get my blood boiling.
-Meg B.
I can definitely relate on the citizenship side! One of close friends just received EU citizenship (Luxembourg). He's a US citizen with 3 kids currently living in TX. His entire family go their citizenship (including wife).
DeleteI am so sorry you've had a loss in your family. You absolutely do not have to share anything you don't want to, but I don't think I realized that. I'm sending you lots of good thoughts & virtual hugs. I can't imagine the admin on top of the grief. - HP
Thank you for your concern. My husband died of stroke August. He was considerably older than me. Even so, we thought we were in the right path with his procedure in late May, and had a good deal more time. Nothing is guaranteed, is it? So, since my life has changed so markedly, (and I know you don’t want politics, so feel free not to post this) I am devoting as much of my time and energy as I can to the resistance. I always thought I would return to work after all my SAHM years. I had no idea it would look like this.
Delete-Meg B
I'm so very sorry to hear that, Meg. I can't imagine. I'm fine with you referring to how you spend your time. The commenter(s) I'm referring to are obsessed with what I choose to post & why I don't make comments about how I spend my time & my view on what's happening in the country in every post.
DeleteNot having been in this position myself, I can only imagine what a period of adjustment it must be - finding a new path for yourself that you didn't ask for/what/plan for.
DH is 8 years older than me, & I think about this sometimes & your point about nothing being guaranteed is a good one. Enjoy the moments you are in. - HP
I had decided at the beginning of the year to focus more on friendships. Like you, mine are critical to my well being.
ReplyDeleteI am also going to join you in decluttering 500 items this year. It seems like a lot until I look around the house at all the things i don't need/want anymore.
p.s. Your blog, your rules!
Ha, yes, that's how I feel about the blog. I'm not forcing anyone else to follow my way of thinking, and love a variety of blogs, some of which talk about politics, some which don't. I follow the wishes of the author because... it's their space!
DeleteFocusing on friendships is a great goal! And, you know how I feel about decluttering. LOVE it. When I've had a busy work day & have 15 minutes between meetings, I know I can go & find a few items to consider shredding, recycling, donating, selling, or at the very least putting back in a place that's more organized. I do feel sometimes like it's cheating when I sort the boys rooms, because the opportunities, frankly are almost endless there! ;-) - HP
Seems like everyone has similar goals. Mine is to continue working out with my trainer 2x week to do strength training and hopefully lose weight but strength is my focus. Hopefully by the end of 2026 we will have our admin in tip top shape. We left the US at the end of 2023 and it's a long road taking care of admin issue as companies make it more difficult than it should be - I'm looking at you Social Security. It is exhausting. Decluttering continues, we did it for most of 2025 but became mentally fatigued, however ready to dive back in and free ourselves from the excess. I'm of the mind that it is up to the blog owner to decide if they want to discuss politics. Not my business to tell them what they should do and for any reader who does not like when a blogger does so, well move it. We aren't getting charged to read so if we don't like it keep our mouths shut and move our eyeballs elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteOh, I can't imagine the overhead that comes with moving out of the country. We moved states in 2013, and it was a huge amount of work. Kudos to you for powering through all of the admin headaches that go with that. I'm sure that gave you a big reason to declutter as well.
DeleteI'm with you - if someone chooses to write about politics, great. I participate & enjoy some blogs where they do. But, for me personally, I focus my blog on other topics & it's not a full reflection of what I send my time & energy on outside of posting. Assuming as much is naive. I'm just not up for a debate on the blog - it takes a lot of time & energy to moderate that kind of stuff, and I don't have the appetite for that. - HP