Some reflections on reflections
A quiet Friday after New Years 2026
Happy new year to me! :festive (yikes new bad habit - slack emoji syntax)
Here’s a photo from 2 days ago (standing in front of the Space Needle, not that you can see it!), and another from today, a Friday, where I am sitting on the couch with the intention of going to bed early, and rediscovering Photo Booth while writing a substack post instead.
I started to record a video, just to say I’m grateful for anyone who comes across this. I want this to be a place where I can record recipes I’m excited about, some personal goals, and hold myself accountable. Maybe I’ll improve my writing too! That video got cut short, but I’ll continue my thoughts in text.
The new year brings reflection for everyone. I don’t consider myself a very reflective person, but even I am subject to some goal-setting and contemplation about the last 365 days and the next. Depending on what feels like it’s going wrong in any given moment, I find myself making grand plans in that area for the next year. But it’s hard to do a 180 mentally. From bad to good. Sometimes it makes the gap between bad and not-so-bad feel unachievable. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t seek to improve, but those who know me know that I love a realistic expectation.
That said, we should also set goals for areas of our lives that are going well. This part is harder, and the trick is to NOT set a goal that makes you feel bad about where you are now. You see a theme… balance!
The girls group chat has been going off the past two days with goals and visions and ins and outs. As long distance friends, we all have slightly different influences all leading to a bouquet of different interpretations of the New Years Resolution. I’ll give you mine, then a quick reflection on what I love about each of the others.
My goals had a few categories emergent.
Here they are:
Quality of Life (treating myself, enjoying life)
Enrichment (this can be volunteering, spiritual, donation)
Health (straightforward, but extends beyond physical)
Financial (straightforward)
Career (professional confidence and knowledge in my field)
Here’s a snapshot of one of many lists that has been created over the last few days -
I also, of course, have a notes app list, an ins and outs list, the list I sent to the group chat, the verbal commitments I made in conversation with my boyfriend.
It is SO easy to go on and on with goals. Writing down all the things I know I can achieve in just one year gets me so excited for the year to come!
Resolution formats
Ins & Outs (Liz’s favorite) is a hard line drawn complemented by a long list of aspirations. A true transition, and a space to ramble. Anything can be in, and anything can be out. At face value, it doesn’t need any significance, but a second look gleans a culture.
Anna (not me, the other one!) is a true vision board girlie. We’re roommates and do most things (read, everything) together. I am not a vision boarder. I love how we have the closest influence, but the most different style of goal setting. The vision board is the epitome of aspiration. It’s something you want to look at and while not a measurable goal, has a meditative quality of seeing, believing, and achieving.
While my resolutions tend to bloat, Zoe texted that this year, she’s keeping it simple and easy. 5 things she knows she can achieve in some way or another with a little thought. That’s the other part of a resolution that no one talks about. It can be a motivator. Completing a goal is an accomplishment in itself. This was an inspiration to really boil things down to the core areas I wanted to improve.
So, I just added one more goal to my list- if I stick to it, we will have more content here soon! This won’t happen if it’s not easy. So we’re doing this without revision, and without AI :smiley
p.s. ok, some revision - I went through it twice
p.p.s. a note on the name - whenever I go to say “two’s company, three’s a crowd” (which isn’t all that often) the first thing that comes to mind is “three’s company” because that feels right too. Somewhat of a “more the merrier” vibe emerging from a pessimistic jacket. I liked that visual. And I wanted a more whimsical url than annawinnick.substack.com.