For the past seven years, usually between Christmas and the start of January, my wife and I have set aside time to prepare for the year ahead. This year, we carved out a Monday and spent a couple of hours at a coffee shop—sharing a croissant, people-watching, and talking through what 2026 might hold.
We’re not trying to reinvent our lives. We’re trying to enter the next year aligned and rooted. We talk through the year we just lived, not to dwell on it, but to learn from it. For us, this is less about goal-setting and more about stewardship of our time, our home, and the people God has entrusted to us (our children).
❌ We don’t do resolutions.
❌ We don’t use a template.
❌ We don’t try to fix everything.
✅ We come back to the same set of categories and have honest conversations.
The Categories We Revisit Each Year
The categories stay the same because they reflect the main areas of life that shape a family. What changes are the 1–2–3 items under each category.
Those are chosen fresh every year.
We don’t reuse last year’s list.
We don’t answer the same questions.
We focus on what actually matters in the season we’re in.
Here are the categories we walk through together:
- Personal Spiritual
- Personal Health
- Personal Work
- Home
- Kids
- Husband
These categories help us stay balanced, but they don’t tell us what to choose. That part requires prayer, humility, and paying attention.
Personal Spiritual
This category comes first, not because it’s easy, but because it quietly influences everything else.
Some years, this is about rebuilding consistency.
Some years, it’s about honesty.
Some years, it’s about showing up again.
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We’re not aiming for spiritual performance. We’re asking whether our faith is shaping how we live, love, and lead at home, especially in the unseen places.
Personal Health
Health affects how we show up for our family more than we like to admit.
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Some years, this is about sleep.
Some years, it’s about movement.
Some years it’s about rest.
This isn’t about control or appearance. It’s about having the energy and patience to love people well.
Personal Work
Work is good, but it’s a terrible master.
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Some years, this category is about focus.
Some years, it’s about boundaries.
Some years, it’s about growing in one specific area instead of chasing everything.
We want our work to serve our family, not quietly compete with it.
Home
The home reflects what we value and what we allow to drift.
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This might mean clearer routines.
It might mean simplifying schedules.
It might mean shared expectations that reduce daily friction.
A peaceful home rarely happens by accident.
Kids
This category requires listening more than planning.
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As our kids grow, what they need changes.
Some years, this is about presence.
Some years, it’s about guidance or discipline.
Some years, it’s about creating space for better conversations.
We’re not trying to control outcomes; we’re trying to be faithful to the season or seasons we’re in with each of our kids.
Husband
This category is personal and necessary.
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What does loving my wife well look like this year?
Sometimes it means listening without fixing.
Sometimes it means carrying more weight.
Sometimes it means being more present and less distracted.
Marriage doesn’t drift toward health on its own. It needs care and intention.
Looking Ahead at Travel and Time Away
We also spend a few minutes talking about any trips we need to be thinking about. Nothing detailed or locked in, just awareness. Things like our annual summer trip to Northern Georgia, our usual New York City trip, or anything else that may shape the year.
We’re not planning itineraries at the moment; we’re simply naming what matters. Talking about travel this way helps protect margin, set expectations, and ensure meaningful time together doesn’t get crowded out by a busy calendar. Even a brief conversation helps those trips stay intentional instead of accidental.
How We Choose the 1–2–3 Each Year
We don’t start with a list of questions.
We start with prayer and one simple thought:
What would be wise, loving, and faithful to focus on here in the year ahead?
Then we write down up to three things. Sometimes only one feels honest—and that’s enough.
The categories keep us from ignoring important areas.
The freedom to choose keeps it real.
Why We Keep It This Simple
Three is enough to matter.
More than that becomes noise.
Less than that avoids the hard conversations.
We write them down.
We revisit them a few times during the year.
We don’t score ourselves or track progress.
Grace is built into the process.
The Point of All This
The goal isn’t to complete a list.
The goal is to enter the year ahead with clarity, knowing what deserves attention and what doesn’t. To lead our home with intention instead of reacting our way through another year.
This simple practice has shaped our marriage, our parenting, and the tone of our home more than any system ever has.
A Note About Finances
You may notice finances aren’t part of this review. That’s intentional. We do talk about money, but we keep it separate. This time is focused on spiritual growth, our marriage, our kids, and the overall health of our home. Finances matter, but we’ve found they’re better handled on their own, without letting them crowd out the deeper work that shapes everything else.
