I recently heard on Gretchen Rubin’s podcast, Happier, her substitute for New Year’s resolutions, her 26 in 2026 List. The idea is to think ahead to the year 2026, planning reasonable, measurable goals for several aspects of one’s life.
This picture was taken in my office( at my old house,) when I was teaching at University of Houston Clear Lake approximately four years ago.
Rubin recommends choosing a few areas of your life to set goals for. I have chosen self-care, mental growth, spiritual growth, and exercise/fitness.
SELF CARE: 26 minutes of FUN/Rest every day in 2026.
MENTAL GROWTH: Read–26 books in 2026 in my neglected collective genres of autobiography/biography/memoir. Write 26 minutes every other day in 2026.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH: Spend 26 minutes each day reading devotions/reading a book on the Christian Life/Walk or Christian themed fiction/Bible Study–ALL accompanied by prayer in 2026.
EXERCISE/FITNESS: Exercise (mostly walking, stretching, and strength training) 26 minutes every other day in 2026.
Those are my personal goals for 2026. What areas of your life should you set goals for? What areas need improvement? Think about 26 things/minutes you want to tackle in 2026? Reply in the Comments below.
RAE 12/26/2025
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