It seems you either are a resolution-type person or you aren’t. My daughter is a resolution-type, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the thought of achieving great change just because it’s the start of a new year. Meanwhile, I’m a bit jaded, convinced that great change can happen whenever, just as long as you’re willing to put in the work.
I don’t do resolutions. At most, I set up a list of goals phased in small, achievable steps. Maybe it’s because I always knew I’m not wired like everyone else, and that the overwhelm associated with failing resolutions can steal my motivation for other tasks, too. In which camp do you sit? Resolutions or not? Let me know in the comments!
Last year, I practised the self-care-comes-first rule that I wrote about in my 2024 Goals post.
“If the past few years taught me anything, it’s that health is important. We like to create this separation between mental and physical health, and for clarity, I do that, too. But when my mental state went to hell, my body also suffered.
As the mother of a ten-year-old, it’s even more important to keep myself afloat. That means taking breaks when I need to, seeing physicians when I need to, and saying no when I need to.
Because she’s watching, and what I do will impact how she takes care of herself one day.
So, the rule I made last year will roll over into 2024. If my health requires it, I’m giving myself permission to stop people pleasing and step away. It sounds so straightforward, but this has been one of the most difficult skills I’ve ever learned, and it’s one I still constantly struggle with. But hey, practice makes perfect, so I’m hopeful it’ll get easier with time.”
Yolandie Horak – 2024 Goals
The last quarter of 2025 came with a series of never-ending obstacles, but I’m proud to say that when the overwhelm hit me hardest, I stepped away from the blog. Whoop! It’s such a small thing, but to me, it’s a huge win. Prioritising myself isn’t easy, and I’m so grateful to see growth this way.
Right now, I feel able to schedule posts and resume the blog as usual, but I remember that promise to myself—my kid is watching, and I have to lead by example. If I reach burnout again, I’m giving myself permission to heal first, blog later.
My blog-related goals for 2025 were:
- More book reviews.
Even though I read many really great (and not so great) books, I didn’t do well with this one. I posted two book reviews, one for Onyx Storm and another for Starling House.
- Adding to the Writing Emotions series.
Spoiler: I didn’t. I completely forgot about this goal, and thus it didn’t happen. Whoops.
- More posts about art.
I smashed this one! I tried new crafts, like punch needle art and embroidery, reviewed new art supplies, and handed out some artsy freebies.
- More posts about writing.
Another great win! My 2025 writing posts include:
- ADHD and Writing.
- Tips for Changing Genres.
- March Writing Update.
- Let’s Write – Tenses.
- Let’s Write – The Basics of Self-Editing. In this seven-part miniseries, we covered everything we need to sharpen our self-editing skills.
- How can Authors Embrace AI?
My goals for 2026 are simple:
- Weekly blog posts.
Unlike last year, I don’t have a specific plan for the kinds of things I’d like to post, but I do have a bunch of ideas for some quality content. If you have requests, always feel free to DM or contact me. I love hearing from you!
This book has been my kryptonite, but I’m hopeful that it’ll freaking YIELD to me this year.
My beta team gave some great feedback, which means I have to tone down the changes I made to my writing style. Some members of the team also pointed out that I changed genres in the middle of an established series, and readers might not appreciate that. So, back to the drawing board.
The good news is that these changes shouldn’t take five years to implement. 😂
- Finish my non-Fall of the Mantle WIP.
This manuscript started as an urban fantasy, but I soon realised the scope of the story is too massive for a real-world setting. I’m keeping the real-world stuff for another project, and I’ve been worldbuilding and planning to an extent I’ve NEVER managed before. I’m really excited about this project, and plan to query agents with it. Watch this space!
Thank you for sticking with me. I’m so humbled to see the blog grow, even though I’ve been absent for a while. I appreciate the love and support more than I can express. You rock!
Happy 2026, folks. May this one be gentle to us all.
Until next time.
Yolandie
Yolandie Horak 
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