26 for 2026

Plus a quick review of 25 for 2025

Every year, Gretchen Rubin shares her list of things she’d love to do in the year ahead. These aren’t necessarily goals — they’re a mix of small and big projects you’d like to work on, activities you’d like to try, and ideas you’d like to explore. The aim is for them to be manageable, and to give you some inspiration for the year ahead.

At some point the format (eg: 26 for 2026, 27 for 2027, 46 for 2046…) is going to get a bit overwhelming, but for now, I really enjoy coming up with fun things that help me guide my free time across the year. Since having kids, and then particularly since Covid, time seems to have entered some kind of strange warp where months and years pass in no time at all. Having goals and taking part in fun challenges like this help me to use my time a bit more intentionally.

But I think it’s important not to write this list and then forget about it! I have a copy in my journal, but then also print a copy out, which sits on my desk all year round. I don’t check in on it every week, but do have to move it every few weeks when I tidy my desk, so when I do, I make sure to at least give it a glance and see if there’s anything I want to tick off next!

25 for 2025

Last year I got my template from Hannah Isted, who runs the small business group The Best 90 Days Ever (fab if you’re looking for small actionable marketing ideas for your business).

This is how I got on:

I ticked off 15 of the 25, which I’m happy with!

Some of the things were ambitious (there are two financial goals I’ve redacted which were, quite frankly, never going to happen!), but having some of the ideas on paper really made me do them.

Having a quarterly massage, for example. I LOVE getting a massage, and it’s a treat for sure, but one I can afford and should prioritise because I enjoy it so much. And still I found myself only doing this at the absolutely end of each quarter, when this list reminded me I hadn’t done it yet.

I absolutely don’t manage to tick off everything on the list. But the nice thing about having so many different ideas jotted down is that the green ticks just about outweigh the crosses — it doesn’t matter if I haven’t done everything, I’ve done quite a few!

26 for 2026

1. Swim in the sea

2. Reread Frankenstein

3. Go dancing

4. Complete two sketchbooks

5. Go to the spa in wimbledon

6. Explore 6 new neighbourhoods

7. Get fresh flowers every month

8. Get at least 2 massages

9. Explore the V&A

10. Go to the theatre

11. Kayak

12. Repaint the hallway

13. Journal all the way to the end of my notebook

14. Go on at least one date

15. Perfect the art of making waffles

16. Try a new hairstyle

17. Reread The Dark is Rising

18. Having people over at least 12 times

19. Get halfway to my 2028 holiday savings goal

20. Hold a weekly money meeting with myself

21. Get a tattoo

22. Read 50 books

23. Fill a jar of happy memories

24. Take kids to Folkestone for the weekend

25. Have a monthly home manicure

26. Initiate 26 meet-ups (it’s okay if they don’t all happen)

This year there are a couple of the same items (swimming in the sea, dancing, the theatre, going on at least one date, exploring new areas of London) and a recurring theme of me having people round more often (you can read a bit more about this in my goals post).

And there are some new ones like getting a tattoo (I think I’ve finally, after 20+ years thinking about it, decided what I want), kayaking and filling up a jar full of happy memories (currently sitting on our mantlepiece!).

Will I tick off all 26 things by the end of the year? Absolutely not. But I’ll try!

Have you ever done a list like this? If you’re inspired to try your own, you can use my template on Canva here. Just make a copy to edit the background and add your 26 things. Let me know how you get on!

Want to read more?

The joy of beginning