Goals for 2026

Personal and professional goals for the year ahead

When it comes to writing goals for the year, I don’t think we should turn the page to the new year and have everything figured out. December is one of my busiest work months, and to be honest, by the time we get to Christmas, I am burnt out.

January is my reset month; I take my yearly trip to Paris to plan and dream. As a Paris photographer and blogger, my business allows me to take this trip. It hasn’t always been in the budget. As my business has grown over the last 15 years, I have made it part of my yearly tradition.

Personal Goals:

Take one day off per week. This may seem strange to some of you, but as a solo entrepreneur, I don’t mentally shut down, ever. There is always more to do or a project to work on. I create my own schedule and prefer to be busy. This has a mental toll on me, and I get burnt out. I know this isn’t healthy for me.

Saturdays are spent pulling links together. People are often surprised by how long this actually takes. My family included. I track every link so I can understand, as a data point, which links you love the most and better serve my audience. This is a lengthy process, but in my opinion, worth it.

One thing I started in 2026 was screen-free Sundays. Links I Love go out on Sunday morning, once I have pushed them out via email and social media, I log off. This isn’t always the easiest when a link is broken or there's a tech hiccup. Also, since I send out an email, I get emails back. Not a bad problem, but I have to learn to save emails for Monday and give myself grace not to feel a sense of urgency to reply right away.

Staying off social media has been better for my mental health, and I have been able to focus on work and be present more. I struggle with an ADHD brain, and the less I am stimulated by social media, the better.

Strength Routine:

I love my Pilates classes, but I also know that I need to add weights. Going to the gym and lifting weights is among my least favorite things. I am trying to find a way to motivate myself and make it fun. Currently, I am working with a trainer who plans a weight routine in an app, and I do it on my own time.

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions to get my butt to the gym, I am all ears! As I approach age 44, I know it is more important than ever.

The preferred schedule would be:

Mondays: 12,000 steps

Tuesdays/Thursdays Pilates + steps

Wednesdays/Weekend Day Weights + steps.

Nutrition Goals:

High protein, mixed with grains and greens. I am slowly getting better at incorporating more vegetables into my diet. Salads are easy to make, and I try to eat them daily. More fish (less salmon) per my trainer. Someone is going to comment on this one. I LOVE salmon and was eating way too much of it every week. So we cut it out for now, and it was the first time the scale moved in the right direction. Branzino is my new favorite fish to cook at home.

A Flight For Henri:

I would love to get Henri on a domestic flight. First priority would be to see my sister in Florida and Henri’s doodle cousin. Henri weighs 50 lbs, and I am not considering putting him in the cargo hold. He would need to be trained as a service dog, and I would pay for his flight with me. Training him as a service dog is also high on my list of goals. I would love to take him to a nursing home or similar facility as a therapy dog.

The bigger goal would be to bring him to France if we end up spending an extended period of time abroad in a few years. I know flying can be stressful for dogs, and I need to test the waters to see if this would ever be a possibility.

The Idea of Systems:

At the end of 2025, I made the effort to unplug and calm my mind. This meant time off from social media, email, and my laptop. I took daily yoga classes, and a few ideas came to me. First, the idea of systems, how can I put systems in place in my daily/weekly life to make things easier? I often feel depleted of energy, running multiple businesses and trying to do it all.

Initially, my word for 2026 was the word rest. But it feels like systems is more appropriate, and with good systems, I allow myself to rest.

Systems for Travel:

Keeping a good travel bag well-stocked in advance. A travel deodorant, sunscreen, and beauty products are all ready to go. When I am back from a trip, restocking low liquids and skincare products so they are ready to go next time.

I have a space for winter clothes and a smaller IKEA wardrobe for summer clothes. In Chicago, we wear sweaters, boots, and coats more often than warm-weather clothes. The warm weather season is much shorter.

My friend Brooke recently came over, and we organized my summer wardrobe, making it so much easier to pack when I head to Florida to see family. Shorts, dresses, swimsuits, and sandals all have a place.

Systems for Home:

Grocery shopping and meal planning are always a challenge. I try to cook and eat at home a good amount during the week when we aren’t traveling. This year, I am working on surrendering to grocery delivery or pickup when necessary. I am not the norm, and I actually enjoy grocery shopping. The act of cleaning and organizing my fridge is a love language to me.

Meal planning in advance, preferably on the weekend. Mondays are jumping back into work, and having a plan and food in the fridge takes some of the pressure off me.

When we travel, I order grocery delivery from the plane. Fresh milk and eggs are two essentials I need ready to go in the morning. Milk for coffee, and eggs for breakfast.

Friday lunch is usually picked up from a local spot. My groceries are usually low by the end of the week, and I have few lunch options, which allows me to support a local business in our community.

Declutter and Donate Once a Month :

I prioritize donations to people I know in my community and friend circle vs larger donation spots in the city. One of my goals is to get a better system and rhythm of decluttering and donating once a month. This can be done seasonally, but I think a quick monthly sweep of items would help prevent things from piling up.

Brooke and I recently worked on this, too, when she was over.

Home Projects:

We finally found a dresser for our entry, which felt like the biggest hurdle since I moved in 2020.

There is always something on our project list. I thought it would be a new kitchen, but I have pivoted to a tile redo and update on our powder and master baths. Fingers crossed, we get to make this happen.

Work Goals for 2026:

The blog is turning 10 this year! I haven’t wrapped my head around that one and don’t know how I will celebrate. The Print Shop started as an Etsy store in 2009, and the blog in 2016. It has been a wild ride, and I am so grateful for every opportunity. For most of the last 15 years, a book was on my dream wish list. That finally came true in 2025 with Paris Every Day.

Projects for 2026:

The Paris Guide is getting a facelift, and I am launching some new digital downloads, including a Left Bank and Right Bank itinerary by season and a digital guide to Where to Eat and Drink.

I Am Hiring for 2026!

Hire a new employee. My dream is to have someone in Chicago who can come meet in person, bounce ideas, run with projects, and grow with me. If you, or someone you know, is interested in joining the EDP team, I would love to hear from you!

Alyssa has been a joy to work with for the past four years. At the beginning of 2026, we parted ways. I am still sad about it, which is why I haven’t mentioned it. Over the past few years, we have worked virtually side by side. Alyssa helped with the calendar, book outline, and the Paris Guide. We both grew personally and professionally.

Alyssa worked part-time for me, and her professional path looks bright. I knew the decision to part ways was best so we could grow and go our own paths. Alyssa remains a friend and a great person to bounce EDP ideas off of from time to time.

Work Goals: Grow My Email List to Be Larger Than My Social Network

I know this is a big one and may take a second read. Instagram is not where I want to show up every day. Every day, I set a time limit for myself on the app. I know I need to use it for business, but I am always on there longer than I should be. If I had one extra hour in the day, could I make it to the gym, eat/cook a healthy meal, spend time with loved ones, and Henri without a screen? The answer is yes. My goal is to spend more time away from Instagram.

The algorithm isn’t in my favor, and I have more success with my email list and newsletter. It is a lofty goal to have a larger email list than my social following. To be transparent, this is what I currently have.

Instagram: 53.6K

Flodesk: 22, 388 I never combined this with my Substack and started from scratch.

Substack: 11,606

Some of my Flodesk and Substack overlap.

Dream Brands to Work With

I am still currently drafting my dream brands list. This is something I do every year and dream big. J.Crew was on my list for years, and I finally got the opportunity to work with them. Off the top of my head, Polène would be a dream. Also, if a brand wanted to collaborate on pajamas, I would LOVE that. I am a matching pajama girl all the way.

My Book 2 Idea:

I have an idea for a second book, a play off of Paris Every Day. The book has a title and chapter outlines. More on that another day. But as you know, I have never been quiet about wanting a first book, and you have to put out in the universe what you want to get back.

This is much longer than I ever anticipated, and I am probably missing a few things once I hit publish. Did anything surprise you?

Do you have goals you are working towards in 2026? I would love to hear them if you want to share. Thank you for being here and supporting me as a writer, photographer, and creative. xo