Halfway There: A Mid-Year Check-In on My 2026 Goals

When I published my goals for 2026 back in January, I promised myself that this would be a year of intention rather than perfection.

Instead of making an overwhelming list of resolutions I'd likely forget by February, I made a Bucket List Bingo card with 24 goals—some ambitious, some simple, and all designed to help me build a life that feels more creative, intentional, and rewarding. I started the tradition in 2025, and it really helped take the pressure off the "all or nothing" mindset I usually have with New Year's resolutions.

Now that we're halfway through the year, it felt like the perfect time to pause, look back, and ask myself one simple question: How's it actually going?

And the honest answer?

A little slower than I'd hoped—but still moving forward.

Progress on My 2026 Goals

If we're measuring purely by numbers, I've completed four of my 24 goals and am actively working toward five more.

Would I have liked to be further along? Absolutely.

I've also realized that progress isn't always about ticking off tasks. Some goals need months of work before there's anything to really celebrate. Others change as life changes. Sometimes, just showing up when motivation is low is the biggest achievement.

And I would say that's definitely been true this year.

Wins Worth Celebrating

Even though I sometimes catch myself focusing on everything I haven't finished yet, there have been some milestones I'm genuinely proud of.

One of the biggest was completely updating and relaunching my website. It had been on my to-do list for several years at this point, and finally seeing it live was really rewarding. It now feels so much more like me, and I hope that it better reflects the kind of professional work I want to do.

I've also made significant progress on my debut novel. While I'm nowhere near typing "The End," I finished outlining the story and completed the first full chapter. For some reason, outlining this project felt like a real slog and took forever, but I know it's an essential step. But for anyone who's ever stared at a blank page, wondering where to start, you know that turning an idea into a finished chapter is a mini victory in itself.

Aside from writing, I checked off another small but meaningful goal on my list by hiking a new trail! It was a great reminder of how important it is to step away from my computer every now and then and spend some time outdoors, both literally and figuratively touching grass.

And then there's the gluten-free bread. Let's just say...the perfect loaf continues to elude me. But the year isn't over yet.

Challenges Along the Way

If I'm going to continue being honest, my biggest obstacles this year haven't been a lack of ideas or motivation—it's been managing my time, coping with ADHD, recovering from burnout, and dealing with the emotional weight of existing in today's ever-evolving social and political climate. It's hard to stay creative when the world feels so loud and overwhelming.

Some days, it feels impossible to choose which project to focus on because there are simply too many things I want to do.

Do I work on my novel?

Research another blog post?

Update my portfolio?

Answer emails?

Read?

Bake?

Rest?

When everything feels important, it's surprisingly easy to make little progress on anything.

I've also had to remind myself repeatedly this year that productivity isn't a moral obligation. Rest isn't wasted time, and creative work doesn't happen in a vacuum. Comparison really is the thief of joy.

The Biggest Lesson I've Learned

However, if there’s one lesson these first six months have taught me, it’s this: The time to write isn’t going to magically appear.

I've spent years waiting for the mythical day when my schedule would be perfectly organized, my inbox would be empty, the dishes would be done, and I'd finally have uninterrupted time to work on the projects I love.

That day doesn't exist. Writing time has to be protected. Creativity has to be scheduled.

My passions deserve space on my calendar just as much as deadlines, errands, or appointments.

Obviously, that doesn't mean that every writing session is productive. Sometimes I write one sentence. Sometimes I delete more words than I add. I am notorious for nitpicking and struggling with line-editing as I write, rather than just getting the words on the page and reviewing them later.

A quote that has recently inspired me a lot is: "Overnight success is almost always a myth. Half this industry is luck, and the other half is the refusal to quit," by author Victoria "V.E." Schwab. Achieving success isn’t like a sudden lightning strike—it’s the result of many small, persistent steps. It involves drafts, rewrites, rejections, late nights, and the daily decision to keep moving forward. There’s no such thing as "falling behind" if you are working at a pace that suits your individual needs and lifestyle.

I think that showing up consistently matters far more than waiting for perfect conditions.

My Goals for the Second Half of 2026

Although my priorities haven’t changed much, there has been one clear change. Originally, I expected my novel to be my primary creative focus throughout the year. Now, growing my freelance writing and editing business is just as important. Building a sustainable creative career means balancing personal projects with client work, and I'm still figuring out how to do that. It isn't always easy, but it's worth the effort.

For the second half of 2026, my focus is relatively simple:

• Continue writing and finish my novel.

• Keep expanding my Women in Film project.

• Update my portfolio with recent work.

• Grow my freelance business.

• And yes...finally bake a loaf of gluten-free bread that doesn't resemble a science experiment.

I still want to finish a Bingo on my goal card before the year ends. There's something rewarding about working toward that little square, not because I need approval to feel successful, but because it shows months of small, consistent effort and showing up for myself.

If You're Feeling Behind Too...

If your own New Year's goals haven't gone exactly as planned, consider this your reminder that July isn't a deadline. You've got plenty of time; there are still six months left in the year.

Six months to start something new.

Six months to finish something you've been putting off.

Six months to change your mind, adjust your goals, or discover entirely new ones.

Progress doesn't have to be fast to be meaningful. Sometimes, the most important thing we can do is simply keep going.

As for me, I'll be cheering for every completed square on my Bingo card—and hopefully pulling a half-way decent loaf of homemade gluten-free bread out of the oven before the year is over. If you'd like to work on your own Bingo card, I have free templates availble here.

Here's to a creative and hopeful second half of 2026.

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How are your goals for 2026 going so far?

Have you celebrated any wins lately, adjusted your priorities, or discovered something unexpected about yourself? I'd love to hear about your own mid-year check-in in the comments below.