Even if 2026 didn’t begin as smoothly as I hoped it would, I’m still excited about the prospects for this year. I’m excited my creative spirit is in full participation mode. Now I just need to get the planning side of my brain to cooperate. Do you ever have to give yourself a little pep talk so you can get all of your ducks in a row and do what needs to be done? I remember a meme from several years ago. It said, “I do not have ducks. I have squirrels, and they are not in a row. They are throwing a rave.” That is exactly what my brain sometimes feels like – completely unfocused and totally scattered. At least I know where I’m starting.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do based on what I did last year. I kept planning to write posts ahead of time, but most of the time, my posts were written within a day or two of publication. I came to the realization that I was just pressuring myself for no good reason. Yes, it would be wonderful to write ahead, but the reality is that plan just doesn’t work in my life right now. While I have time to sit down and write my posts for the week, I don’t have time to write a bunch of posts ahead of time. Instead of pressuring myself to write ahead, I’m simply going to work on being consistent with one post on each blog every week. I’m keeping my first experiment simple: consistency.
Speaking of, I’m also looking at goals differently this year. I saw somewhere online in January where someone said she was calling her goals “experiments,” and I loved it. Just the word experiments means that something might succeed, or it might fail. Either way, it’s okay, and it applies less pressure than the word goals. This is simply a minor change in thinking, but it has made me smile and feel more relaxed when I look at my weekly list. I know which experiments are important and which ones can be postponed so it doesn’t mean I don’t take important tasks seriously. It simply means I’m looking at something and saying, “It’s okay if it succeeds or fails because it is just an experiment.”
I’ll be experimenting more with marketing this year, but I’m going to choose ways that feel organic to me. I’m not a social media fanatic so I won’t be spending lots of time posting. Instead, I’ll use social media in a way that feels comfortable to me, and if it feels uncomfortable, I won’t use it. To me, social media should only be used in a way that feels natural to the user. If it doesn’t feel natural, then I’m just putting on a show as if I’m something I am not, and I just don’t have the energy for that.
Decluttering and organizing are at the top of the experiments list for 2026. My writing is gathering in piles and stacks, and it’s time that I conquered it. Sunday evening, I found myself sorting through some old study materials which I want to keep, but I also wanted to consolidate so they took up less room. Plus, they gave me multiple binders to use in organizing writing, craft plans, and recipes. Decluttering will help me find more creative ways to use my space for writing, content creation, and crafting.
Planning is another experiment for me this year, but I want to plan in a realistic way instead of in a way that applies pressure. I have responsibilities as a caregiver and independent contractor. Plans sometimes have to give way for my commitments to others because I try my best to stand by my promises. This year, I’m not going to be disappointed in myself when I don’t get my things done because I fulfilled commitments to others. I’d rather be known as a woman of my word who is working hard toward her own goals.
As for an odd little experiment, I want to complete my existing UFOs this year. No, there are no aliens floating around my house – as far as I know. In the words of some crocheters, I want to complete my “unfinished objects” this year. Years ago, an English teacher posted daily quotes on the whiteboard, and I was fascinated by this short from David Lloyd George, “There is nothing so fatal to character as half-finished tasks” (BrainyQuote). This phrase has always stuck with me over the years, and as I noticed the WIPs (works-in-progress) piling up, I thought a lot about that quote. Last year, I started working on various incomplete projects, and already this year, I’ve completed one of them and begun to make progress on another. There is nothing quite like completing something in which we’ve invested a lot of energy. A completed project reminds me I can succeed in getting experiments done, and that is a huge boost to my confidence. This applies to blog and content ideas, too, so it means I’ll be spending more time writing this year.
Most importantly, I just want to keep moving forward instead of sitting still. My results don’t have to be perfect. They just need to show progress, and it will be enough. When we make plans, it’s important that we work to see progress instead of pressuring ourselves into failure or inactivity. Make small goals which are easily attainable and keep moving forward. Eventually, we’ll realize how far we’ve come and what all we’ve accomplished.
Reference:
BrainyQuote for David Lloyd George: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/david_lloyd_george_150467#google_vignette
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Inspirational Verses for the Day:
Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you. (1 Timothy 4:15-16, NLT)
All Things Subject to Change 