Silly Goals to Add More Whimsy to 2026

Darling friends, hello from whatever day of holiday break it is 🤪 Truly, I stopped knowing what day it was 24 hours after my 3ish week break started and I don’t plan on remembering until my “prep for work” alarm goes off 2 days before I return to work. In the meantime I’ve been, like many of you, thinking of goals, milestones, less/more for 2026. Of course, I will have the practical goals around finances; health and wellness; social connections and so on but in the midst of that, I never want to forget to leave room for whimsy. For fun, for indulgence, for both planned and unplanned happiness and all the wonderful moments in between. So today I figured why not share some silly goals to invite more whimsy into your life in 2026.

Solo ideas:

Watch 26 sunsets uninterrupted – no phone, no special plan, no vacation required just sit in the window sill, on the balcony, in the yard and watch the sunset (or rise) for at least 20 minutes every other week.
One phone-free Saturday a month – this is one I tried a few years ago during the Red Letter Challenge and absolutely loved it. Admittedly, it cannot feel as safe to travel without a cell phone or go on long walks without a way to call for help in an emergency so this task may be easier to do at home. If you can’t go completely without a phone, try do not disturb, blocking yourself from social apps and letting your loved ones know that you’ll be unavailable all day but if they call three times, your phone will allow their call to come through. I love this day for several hours long baths while I watch movies on my iPad, reading the stack of books on my night stand, tracking all my goals and planning as I’m supposed to do throughout the month, browsing my magazine subscriptions and so on. It’s the perfect day to take things slow and detox from being tied to your phone.
One new activity a month – I love seeing people talk about these as “side quests” and honestly – I’m all for it! The worst you are at the activity, honestly, the better. In January try pottery, hot yoga in February, from-scratch pastry making in March, book binding in April, needlepoint in May, pickleball in June and so on and so on. If you find something you want to commit to, you can easily turn that in to 12 pottery classes throughout the year or join a hot yoga studio. The fun here is simply trying something new that gets you out of the house, around a potential group of new friends and out of your comfort zone. If you’re new to a city, I would suggest joining a local facebook group, finding social groups on social media, subscribing to a news newsletter, searching Meet Up and/or getting a library card and attending library events.
Only eating on pretty plates with pretty things at a pretty table – Anyone who knows me knows I have a true obsession with beautiful plates and beautiful glassware. At the same time, I am truly an awful cook and could burn cereal. However, no matter if I’m heating my meal plan or enjoying takeout, I’m eating on pretty plates like Ginori Italiano or Helenita Home, using my Sabre flatware and sipping out of fun glassware like my Estelle Colored Glasses or Sir Madam Rialto collections. If you have “fancy” China you only use during the holidays or feel like you need an excuse to purchase pretty plates, the goal of using them every day, even several times a day, just brings a little joy to meal time. Even if you’re eating solo, you can decorate the table with your favorite tablecloth and taper candles and silver goblets to enjoy the simplistic meal on pretty plates.
Add something joyful to your morning rhythms – For the longest time, I was only using my Alexa to play music but thanks to the lovely Gabby Whiten, I added a morning set of actions that start my day on a high note. I say, “Alexa, start my day” and I hear: the date, weather, one good news story, time the sun will set, a joke then 20 minutes of upbeat jazz music. During this time I can feed Max, wash my face, start the kettle, change into walking clothes and take my vitamins. Out of everything, new habits and best laid plans, this one practice has been one of the most joyful for me. When the music stops, I know it’s time to start my computer (which can take a few minutes to get logged into everything) and take Max on a relaxing walk. You can pretty much as anything to this prompt, or a different prompt, that can help you get out in the morning sun with music play or give you a good laugh with a corny joke or restore your hope in humanity just a little with a good news story.
Add something joyful to your evening rhythms – If you’re more of a night owl, like myself, shifting fun additions to your evening may be better. This can include lighting a candle in the bathroom while you shower and complete skincare with relaxing music playing; only sleeping in matching pajama sets; indulging in an hour long bubble bath; or starting a new tv show with several seasons and watching episode by episode instead of binging. Or can you be a bit overzealous like me where I indulged in two hours bath several nights a week this Fall watching Gilmore Girls for the first time with a candle burning then slipping into matching pajamas. This was the perfect escape from scrolling and a great way to relax with a low stakes tv show. I found that not binging allowed me to digest the episodes better and gave me something silly to look forward to at night. Also, who can deny the true bliss of a hot bubble bath?

To enjoy with others:

Visit 12 new restaurants – If you have a set group of friends you hang out with regularly, each person can pick in a rotation throughout the year. Or if everyone has the same suggestions, you can try putting all the options in a mason jar and picking from there once a month. If dinner is too big of a commitment, you can try 12 new coffee shops around town or mix with 12 new dining experiences across 4 coffee shops, 4 lunch spots and 4 restaurants for dinner. Even in the best of cities, it can be so easy to become a creature of habit and visit your favorites only. Many cities release their version of Michelin star level options at the end of the year so this is the perfect time to screenshot those lists and start planning.
Host one meal at your home – Admittedly, many of the ideas involving others I have involves food and there’s a good reason for it: food naturally brings people together. I love that people are bringing back dinner parties, as I am a huge fan of gathering in the dining room around candles and dessert, however, you can try something different. Porch cocktails the first Friday of every month where you make a new batch cocktail and have small plates from your favorite local resultant, chef or fast food chain. If you’re an early riser, you can totally channel the family tv moments of having a full breakfast with several juice, meat, egg prep and fruit options. This one can feel like a treat for the friends you don’t get to see as much or tend to work later into the evening or work third shift/overnight. This is another place where you and your friends can take turns throughout the year based on who has the best outdoor space for warmer months, who has the best indoor dinning room for colder months, who has a eat-in kitchen for full breakfast spreads or just with the draw of names from a hat to keep this experience even and fair.
Explore a city staple – If you’re subscribed to Axios or the 6am Club or whatever your local newsletter is, there’s probably a standing list of cool places, activities or city favorites to try like a park where you can find the best fall foliage or a paper store that sells over 100 different kind of pens or an annual art crawl that happens across the city. Of course, these items can be enjoyed solo but why not use an excuse to see friends? You can easily add trying a city staple to your monthly goals list and check out all the cool things that your city, or adjacent cities, have to offer. One of my internet friends, I’m Fixing To, has been documenting her travel across the 100 counties in North Carolina for years. This is such a fun way to lean into drivable trips and learn more about your state.
Find your performing arts joy – I am the biggest lover of performing arts. Seriously, you can always find me at the symphony, ballet or theatre enjoying performing arts. Growing up a dancer, I have long admired the dedication and expertise artists, of all forms, put into their craft. There’s nothing better than seeing people pour their talents into a live performance of TINA: the musical; Fall works showcase by the local ballet company; or listening Beethoven’s Symphony #5 while overly dressed after a martini (or two). I find that enjoying performing arts always sparks my own creativity and I see everything just a bit differently: the sun shines a bit brighter, flowers are just a tad more fragrant and the soft breeze is more relaxing than ever before. Whatever your style, supporting the local arts adds whimsy not just to that day but the days to come in addition to the many health benefits.

More thoughts: If you’re having an upgrade year or in a period where you need to upgrade small things in your life, picking one item a month can be a way to make the shopping experience more joyful while investing in items that will bring you joy every day. Example, it’s time to buy towels or a robe and of course, you can stick with the monogrammed classic white (which I have in my guest room) but if you’re a color lover, why not upgrade to these fun options by Dunsen Dunsen? Your amazon kitchen scissors are tarnishing and sticky, why not upgrade these to beautiful scissors. A few other things:

Friends, after a really weird 2025, I am so looking forward to a whimsical 2026. My list isn’t exhaustive and there are 100s of other ways to add more whimsy to your life. However, I hope this list gets you thinking about ways to have a little more fun in the year to come.

xx AR <3