Starting off 2026 with goals

There's no way around this - 2025 was a total shit-show for a lot of people and certainly for me. I spent a lot of the year floundering in disbelief and despair at what was going on in the world, and struggling even more to help my family with new beginnings and endings as they also tried to navigate the world. As the year comes to an end and a new one begins, I know that I can't save the world or save anyone else really, but I can work on making myself stronger so that I can help others a bit more and build a better experience for myself. Maybe, hopefully, perhaps? Crossing my fingers, toes, and anything else I can still cross at almost 58.

Writing and creating are two things that bring me joy and help me center myself so I'm going back to those roots. With that in mind, here's a few goals for 2026:

1. Actually publish this blog - I've had two other blogs before but this one seems more vulnerable for some reason.

2. Move some older content over to this blog to keep my online life more organized for myself and my kids.

3. WRITE. Besides going home to Maine and breathing in the salt water and pine trees, writing is my second home. It helps me process, helps me handle issues that life throws at me, and makes me stronger.

4. Create more - I used to scrapbook, crochet, quilt, and took many, many photographs for decades. I've recently started painting and it feels like a bit of craziness but also freedom. I can't draw a straight line so I have no idea what makes me think I can paint but I'm trying. So whatever form creating takes, I need to make it a part of my day-to-day life again.

5. Reconnect with community. I've isolated myself a lot over the past few years for some very valid reasons but it's becoming unhealthy and I need to change that. This is a very difficult goal for me but starting with publishing a blog might be the first step.