With the new year approaching, it’s time to get excited about all of the possibilities 2026 has to offer you! You’ve probably seen lots of posts lately about setting goals and intentions for the new year, and while it’s encouraging, it can also feel a little overwhelming.  

In this journal entry, I want to share some helpful tips that can make goal-setting enjoyable, fulfilling, and less stressful.  

UNDERSTANDING YOUR TRUE GOALS 

Have you ever made a list of goals, only to realize you don’t actually feel excited about most of them? This has happened to me plenty of times. Over time, I started realizing that I was writing down goals that I thought I should have rather than ones that truly reflected who I envisioned myself becoming.  

Here are some helpful questions to help reconnect with yourself before you write down your 2026 goals:  

• What do I genuinely want right now?  

• What version of myself do I want to be in 2026? 

• Which goals have I completed successfully in 2025, and how have they helped me?  

With the answers to these questions in mind, let’s talk about how you can make a goals list that perfectly aligns with your future dream self:  

USE THE 4P METHOD OF GOAL-SETTING 

One method I love using is Harvard Square’s 4Ps of Goal-Setting. Here is the idea:  

• Goals need to be positive -  Focus on what you want to achieve rather than what you want to avoid. 

• Goals need to be personal – Goals should reflect your personal dreams rather than the expectations of others.  

• Goals need to be possible- You can make goals challenging while also keeping them feeling realistic and attainable.  

• Goals need to be prioritized – After writing down your goals, putting them in a list of priorities can help you understand which ones are most important for you to achieve first.  

CREATE AN ENJOYABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR GOAL-SETTING

 Goal-setting should feel like a celebration and an act of self-care. You can even think of it as a “goal-setting date” with yourself.  

 Find an environment that inspires you. It can be your favorite cafe, your room, a comfortable place in your house, or anywhere that works best for you! You can even buy a journal that inspires you, and if it helps you can listen to a calming playlist. I personally like this playlist. Also, wearing something that makes you feel like your best self, such as the Ayana Active Pep Talk Collection, can make a big difference in feeling the enjoyment of goal-setting.  

FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE  

 Always remember you have the power to unleash the hero within, and reconnecting with your goals is just one way in which this is possible.  

Setting goals can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Focusing on the excitement of what is possible in the new year is a beautiful way to remind yourself that you have the power to constantly start fresh and move intentionally. Happy goal-setting!

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