Anyone else like to believe that as soon as January first hits you wake up reborn. Like, “SURPIRSE WOLRD! THE BEST VERSION OF MYSELF HAS AWOKEN!!! PREPARE TO LOSE YOUR LOOT!”

… because I DO!

It is the perfect excuse to strong arm my way into a potentially healthier way to live.

Although, I suppose you could to this any day at anytime during the year.

I could decide in the next half an hour to drastically change my life (or your hair…), you don’t really have to wait until the first of anything.

But there is something mighty satisfying about it…

And this year FOR REAL THIS TIME, I have a list of goals I am absolutely determined to achieve this year (or maybe even in a few months if I’m feeling particularly driven… a girl can pray).

ON WITH THE LIST!!!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by the lovely Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl, in which readers and bloggers come together to squeal, cry and ooo ‘n’ aaa at books.

Today’s topic is Goals for 2026.

Keep the Blog Breathing

I can’t even begin to tell you how many drafts I have on here. How many pieces of paper with blog post ideas, or half ideas on them. There has been too many times when I’ve sat down thinking “WOOOOO! HERE COMES THE FLOWWWWW! THE BLOG WILL LIVEEEEEEEEE!”

….

BUT THEN I ONLY BAKE HALF A CAKE!!!!!

YOU CAN’T SERVE THE PEOPLE A HALF BAKED GOOEY SLOP OF A CAKE!!!!

I digress…

My health hasn’t been the best in the last few years, and it stopped me from doing a lot of things that I love and enjoy.

But! I’ve been doing much better these past few months and I’ve been picking up my old hobbies like *oooooooo shiny*

Very much following the breadcrumb trail of my hobbies and putting them all straight back in my basket.

And there was very little that brought me joy like my blog. Getting to talk bookish with all of you, all over the web. There was no way I wasn’t going to come back to this little (but still EPICALLY powerful) corner of joy!

Have Some Scheduled Reading Time

Between working and sleeping, I’ll confess my reading time only exists in stolen moments. Most of the time it’s on my break while I’m at work, or in my car before I work, because by the time I get home… it’s lights out baby.

I’ve been reading webcomics a lot, so I’m still reading… just in a different font!

But, as you can imagine, my tbr….

It has manifested into something sentient and aware and I need to take steps to weaken it asap. ‘Lest I be consumed.

SO THE GRAND PLAN! Is to set aside anywhere from 30mins to an hour a day ONLY for reading. And any extra is a very welcome treat.

At least this way I might make some progress towards living my life out of the shadow of the tbr…

Bake Some Pretty Treats

I’m a baked goods enthusiast. You name it, pastry, cake or bread. I’d represent it in court before sentencing it to life in my belly!!!!!!.

But my skills…

Leave much to be desired.

TASTE WISE, my baking is fine – GREAT even.

But looks wise…. Aesthetically?

I make a cake. Beautiful! I attempt to put icing on the cake. Eldritch horror the likes of which cannot legally be beholden by the human eye.

The goal is to get better at making it pretty so that I can actually share photos of my delicious creations with the world.

Adventure

I love being at home with my books, to and computer. But there are times when I’ll watch something or play a game where it involves being outdoors – like if I watch Lord of the Rings or play Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – and I enjoy it so much!

But then the horrid gremlin in my head says “ The only time you leave the house is to go to work or go buy snacks???”

RUDE GREMLIN!

RUDE AND CORRECT MEAN GREMLIN!

GET BACK INTO THE CREVICES OF MY MIND AND DON’T SPEW NONSENSE AT ME! You know I’m sensitive…

And thus.

I must endeavour to defeat this evil gremlin. By enjoying the great outdoors with mine own eyes and ears and not simply enjoy it through a screen.

Where am I going to go?? Don’t knowwwwwww YET!

Have a Bedtime

Listen. I’m getting old…

I know. I know. But that is the only explanation I’ve got.

I see the clock hitting 10 and I’m ready to honk shoo mi mi mi.

But I usually can’t because I work pretty late, so my bed time is 3am. YOU’D THINK MY BRAIN WOULD USE THAT AS PRIME READING TIME?!?

But no…

I’m usually sat watching a movie trying not to fall asleep while my hair dries… need to remember the existence of my hair drier at times like these…

Pick up the crafts

I can’t remember the last time I knit or sewed anything. Which is a great tragedy. Both because I don’t want to lose those skills and also because I love having new stuff custom made for myself. The sheer joy I get knowing I can have as many pockets and embellishments as I please…

Nothing beats it.

So, my goal is to make myself THREE items by the end of the year!

Journal

I’ve seen so much positivity surrounding journaling and I. Want. In.

I’ve seen so many different ways to journal so one of them is bound to suit me, I was also going to attempt to keep a planner this year (the fact that I haven’t started yet isn’t a sign that I’m doomed to fail right?) to be extra organised.

But I won’t lie to you.

I do have alternative motives in picking up journaling.

Stationary…

I love stationary. I love notebooks, nice pens, washi tape and STICKERSSSSSSSS!

I’m planning on making a journal so beautiful, so full of things I like that I’ll have no other option than to stick to it!

Post More Reviews

Every time I read a book, whether I love it or not, I always tell myself I’m going to write a review. I’ll even draft a few lines!

But I need to draft more than a few lines… my brain is actually a sieve.

Thoughts don’t linger in there. ESPECIALLY PLOT POINTS!

ANYTHING THAT I THINK ABOUT WRITING IN THE REVIEW ONCE IVE FINISHED READING THE BOOK?

GONE BY MORNING!

So the goal isn’t about posting the reviews so much as getting better at jotting down what I want to talk about or bring attention too.

Collect Knowledge

I don’t know if anyone else had the same school experience as I did. I wasn’t really thinking about a future career. I heard “choose the subjects that interest you!”

And I did just that…

Now I’ve got a bit of a jumble of qualifications. WHICH IS GOOD! I enjoy trying a bit of everything.

But I feel like now that I’m older (so wise! 26 going on 600) I’ve found a road I’d like to follow but younger me didn’t look this way at all. She was too busy consuming books to think about having a job centred around them.

Which is what I’d like to do. What kind of job you ask?

…. Wait don’t ask… I’ll spiral and choose all of them.

And hey! Older old me might pivot entirely from whatever I choose in the next 10 years! The personality is ever changing and it’s a beautiful aspect of being human.

So, in 2026 I’m going to partake in some online courses that I’ve had my eye on. Because you can never be too educated on a subject!

The Great Purge

The great doom called… clearing out.

I KNOW I KNOW!!! THIS PAINS ME! BUT I CAN’T BE KEEPING BOOKS THAT I’M EITHER NOT GOING TO READ OR HAVE ALREADY READ AND DON’T WANT TO READ AGAIN!! I’M ONLY CLEARING OUT THE DNFs AND BOOKS I DON’T LIKE!!!!

But then…

Once the dust has settled, and there will be dust…

oh dear

what am I supposed to do with all that empty space?

Yeah.

You know what I’m going to do.

MORE PRETTIES FOR MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! MWYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

THIS WAS PART OF MY SCHEME ALL ALONG!!

I WAS ALWAYS GOING TO GET NEWER SHINIER BOOKS!!!!!

WHAT IS THE POINT IN HAVING A JOB IF NOT TO BUY MYSELF MORE BOOKS!!!!

What are your goals for 2026?? Have you set any bookish goals?? Do you guys struggle to make time for all your hobbies too??