2026 Goal Setting Guide: A Plan for the Overwhelmed Dreamer
It’s a new year! And with a new year typically comes a time of goal setting and dreaming. I’ve been a dreamer since I was a little girl, and I remember times where I’d express a certain dream I had, perhaps be told it was too ambitious, and then dig my heels in even more. (LOL). My mom used to call me hardheaded—I like to think God uses that determination in me now. It’s almost like someone’s attempt to limit me became the fuel that would provoke me to dream even harder.
As I grew up, though, I encountered a catch with being a dreamer: dreaming alone will not accomplish much. Why? Because a dream without any plan to make it your reality will remain just that—a dream. Goals are the same way. Setting a goal is great; planning out your path to accomplishing that goal is where the gold is at. Doing so with the Lord is top-tier.
As I was thinking back on how 2025 went for me and how I didn’t accomplish much of what I desired to accomplish last year (read more on that here!), I realized one of the reasons behind that was overwhelm. You see, I’ve always been a dreamer because I’ve always imagined big things for my life. Sure, I have smaller things I want in life like maybe some new skincare products or to grow my hair a certain length. But for the most part, I dream big. And with that can come the feeling of overwhelm if you don’t know exactly how to start pursuing that dream.
Another thing I remembered from last year is that I honed in on my habit of breaking down large tasks into small, bite-sized steps when it came to managing my household and my business. This helped me progress by focusing on the next few steps I needed to take instead of getting bogged down on how to tackle the whole mountain.
So I decided, why not apply the same logic to my 2026 goals? Instead of a giant, terrifying list of resolutions, I’m trying something a little more organic this year. Here is how I’m breaking it down:
Thinking in Seasons, Not Years
Looking at a full 365 days is too much for my brain to handle all at once. So, I’m breaking the year into quarters. It feels so much more manageable to ask, "What can I do in the next 12 weeks?" rather than "What do I need to finish by next December?" It’s like eating a pie one slice at a time instead of trying to devour the whole thing (which I don’t recommend).
The "Doable" Ramp Up
I also gave myself permission to start slow. I’m structuring my year to build up momentum. My goals for the beginning of the year are the "doable" ones—the habits I can build right now to get some easy wins. This way, by the time I get to the bigger, harder goals later in the year, I’ll already be in a rhythm of success. This strategy allows for the opportunity to actually enjoy the small wins along the way instead of just focusing on the one huge win at the end, which can feel so rewarding
"Must-Haves" vs. "Nice-to-Haves"
This was the biggest game-changer for my overwhelm. I looked at my list and separated it into two piles:
The Must-Haves: These are the non-negotiables. The things that will make me look back at 2026 and say, "Yes, that was a success." Of course, if they don’t happen there’s always room to embrace grace and process what worked and what didn’t. But these are the focus for the year.
The Nice-to-Haves: These are the cherry on top. If I get to them, amazing! If I don’t? No guilt allowed.
That is my plan for the year, but how does this look for you practically?
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the idea of goal setting but know you already have some ideas swirling around in your head and things you hope to accomplish, take these steps to start planning out those goals with ZERO overwhelm:
Brain dump everything that comes to mind. It doesn’t matter if you feel like it’s doable this year or not, or if you think maybe it’s not a high priority. Still list all of them out just to simply get it out of your head (and then go ahead and take a deep breath).
Star or make some sort of distinctive mark next to the ones that feel like you really would love to accomplish this year. This is a great time to invite the Holy Spirit—take a moment to pray as you look over the list and seek Him on which ones He wants you to prioritize. When it’s something He’s leading you to do, you honestly can’t fail, so what better way to figure out your goals than with His lead?
Once you have your main ones marked, start ordering them from smallest to largest—which ones can you accomplish the soonest and take the least amount of effort (compared to the others)? Be honest with yourself, don’t try to bite off more than you can chew. Slow and steady wins the race. If you feel like all of your goals are large, try breaking them down. Example: “pay off $20k in debt” could be “pay off $5000 of debt each quarter”
Set deadlines for yourself. This helps with accountability. Giving myself the deadline of “By the end of quarter #, I want to complete this goal” feels easiest to me but you can group your goals differently like monthly, every 2 months, etc.
Bonus Step: Make it Visual (and Fun!) Okay, this might be my favorite part. I’m a serial crafter and very visual person, and I’ve learned that nothing motivates me quite like seeing physical progress. To keep myself excited about these goals, I decided to gamify the process a little bit.
I made a DIY punch card set for some of my habits! The concept is simple: every time I complete the task, I get to punch a hole in the card. It sounds so simple, but there is something so satisfying about physically punching out that hole!
I also attached aligned rewards to each card. The key word here is aligned. I didn’t want the reward to undo the progress (like rewarding a savings goal by going on a shopping spree). Instead, the rewards are small treats that encourage the goal.
It’s a fun way to track your "Doable" wins and keep the momentum going without the pressure. If you want to recreate these for yourself, here are the supplies I used to make mine (full disclosure: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you):
I hope this helps you breathe a little easier about 2026. We can still be big dreamers—we can still be determined about what we want to achieve (with God’s leading of course)—but we don't have to carry the weight of the whole year on our shoulders all at once. Let’s take it one season, one quarter, and one step at a time. I’m cheering you on! Let me know in the comments: what is one 'Must-Have' goal you are setting for Q1? Mine is to find a new hobby that gets me out of the house more often—bonus if it’s low-cost or involves fitness!
If you want to share what God has been speaking to you about this next season and the upcoming new year, I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to email me at giselle@creatinghallelujahs.com or message me on Instagram @creatinghallelujahs. I check those regularly, and everything stays confidential unless you give permission to share.
