Welcome back to Stories, Sips, and Shenanigans, where I overshare with heart, hope, and just a sprinkle of delulu ambition. Today’s Blogmas post is basically me laying out my 2026 Life Upgrade Blueprint. Some would call these goals, but I’m calling them upgrades. They’re not exactly resolutions, but intentions.

First:

My word of the year for 2026?

I’m choosing GRACE: grace for my body, grace for my healing, grace for my routines, grace for the goals I’ve avoided out of fear, grace for my creativity, grace for my relationships, and – most importantly, grace for the version of me that has been doing the best she can with the tools she had.

So let’s get into the upgrades for Soft Life 2026: Ashley Edition.

MY 2026 LIFE UPGRADES (GRACEFUL, BUT ALSO GET SH*T DONE EDITION)

1. Build a Softer Life Routine

2026 is the year I retire from the NFL-level sprint that is my morning routine. I’m stepping into a rhythm that feels like warm tea and gentle breathing and “I’ve actually got time.”

My vision for softer routines:

• slow mornings where I actually taste my breakfast instead of inhaling it
• a skincare routine that consists of more than Neutrogena and “vibes”
• evenings that feel like winding down, not collapsing
• scheduling rest
• saying no to chaos

A softer life is the goal. A softer me is the mission.

2. Budget, But Make It Cute

2026 is me finally creating a budget that I actually follow instead of treating it like a polite suggestion.

This includes:

• tracking spending without crying
• saving for big girl things like vacations
• turning “why did I buy this?” into “yes, I planned that”

If I do this right, by December 2026 my bank account and I might finally be on speaking terms again.

3. Continue My Weight Loss & Wellness Journey

This one’s for the version of me who deserves to feel good in her body. It’s not about shrinking. It’s about strengthening. It’s about feeling confident, capable, energized, and not having my knees sound like bubble wrap whenever I’m playing with my kiddos at recess or my nieces and nephews.

I want:

• stronger knees
• more stamina
• less inflammation
• to feel at home in myself

I also have this really cute black dress in my closet that’s just BEGGING to be worn out somewhere…

4. Curating & Redecorating My Space

My environment needs to reflect the person I’m becoming.

2026 Space Glow-Up Goals:

• cozy, warm lighting
• art that feels like little pieces of my soul
• storage solutions that trick me into thinking I’m actually more organized than I am
• an actual reading nook
• a houseplant I keep alive for more than 10 days

I want to walk into my space and exhale.

5. GET MY LICENSE. YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT.

This is the year.

No more late-bloomer shame. No more relying on other people.

2026: Ashley Gets Her License.

And once I do? I will be unstoppable. I will go to Barnes and Noble just because. I will be dramatic about my freedom. Might even road trip to Disney World just because I feel like it.

6. Finish a Novel or Manuscript

It’s time…

The stories in my head deserve to breathe outside of my brain.

2026 is the year I stop tinkering and start finishing.

I want a draft I can actually print out and annotate.

I’m giving my creativity space, structure, and yes…grace.

7. Officially 100% Red Dead Redemption 2

Don’t judge me.

This is a goal. A real one.

Arthur Morgan (my emotional support cowboy) deserves my full commitment.

I want every side quest, every collectible, every tiny hidden interaction, every random encounter. I want the stupid ghost train.

When that platinum trophy pops? Oh, I’m celebrating.

8. Use My Planner & Reading Spreadsheets ALL YEAR

We’re not doing Q1 Enthusiasm followed by Q2 Abandonment followed by Q3 Shame followed by Q4 “next year will be different.”

No.

This year, the planner is a lifestyle. I want to see my progress, my habits, my rhythms. I want the receipts of my growth.

9. Reconnect With Friends & Find New Ones

2025 was…a lot.

2026 is for rebuilding my circle with intention.

My goals:

• nourish the friendships that nourish me
• reconnect with people I genuinely miss
• create space to meet new people who align with this softer, healthier version of me
• replace that idea of “I don’t want to bother them” with “love deserves community”

I want friendships that feel like laughter, comfort, shared playlists, deep talks, and accountability with kindness.

10. Finish 3 Diamond Paintings

Because sometimes healing looks like glittering little dots forming a masterpiece.

11. Journal Consistently for 100 Days

Not perfect journaling. Not aesthetic journaling. Just real journaling.

100 days of honesty, clarity, and letting my thoughts land somewhere safe.

12. And One More…

This goal is harder to name because it’s not just one thing.

I want to trust myself again.

Trust my intuition.

Trust my decisions.

Trust my path.

Trust that I deserve peace, love, joy, and softness without having to earn it through suffering.

OUTRO

If 2025 was the plot twist year, 2026 is the recovery arc.

I’m not trying to reinvent myself. I’m simply choosing to treat myself with the tenderness I’ve given everyone else.

Here’s to softer mornings, stronger knees, finished stories, deeper friendships, and the freedom of a driver’s license that’s been a long time in the making.

Here’s to a year full of grace.

Here’s to 2026.

Tomorrow?

My reading goals for 2026.