Here’s our main focus for this entire episode: 

If 2026 was your best year yet, what would have happened to make that true?

I cannot take credit for the origination of this question. I heard Elizabeth McCravey from the Breakthrough Brand Podcast suggest this writing prompt. She proposed that question and suggested writing a letter to yourself about everything that has happened. For our exercise and the way my brain works, we are just going to do a brain dump. Everything else here is my original thoughts, but she definitely gets credit for that question that I loved so much.

Making Time for This Exercise

If possible, I want you to give yourself an hour to complete this. I know life is busy. It never slows down. But maybe your spouse has some time off work and can watch the kids so you can make time for this. Or maybe you can do this while your kids nap or watch a movie one day soon.

Just you, a pen, and a notebook. Or maybe a blank Google Doc. Maybe even the Notes app in your phone.

I want you to allow yourself to dream. Allow this entire process to be both magical (delusional goals) and actionable (habits that can make the delusional possible)!

Something that feels almost embarrassingly ambitious. Something you would be scared to say out loud even to your close friends for fear of them thinking it’s TOO ambitious or maybe even thinking it’s a little cringe.

Don’t worry about the “how” of the dream yet. Just name the dream.

If 2026 was your best year yet, what would have happened to make that true?

December 2026 you is more wise, she has the year of success and wisdom under her belt. That girl (December 2026 you) is telling December 2025 you everything that is going to happen.

Part 1: Getting Into That December 2026 Headspace

First we need to get into the headspace as if it really is December 2026 when we are writing this letter. 

Jot down some basic details:

How old are you?

How old is your spouse?

How old will your kids be?

Are there any major life changes that you already KNOW are going to happen in 2026, like a job change, maybe you’re moving, or maybe you have a kid that will have started kindergarten in the fall of 2026?

Little details like that to really get into that headspace.

Now I want you to go beyond the basic details and create a snapshot of what you want your life to look like:

In December 2026…

Daily Reality:

What does your morning routine look like?

As you’re drinking your morning coffee, what are you looking at that’s hanging on your fridge? (Photos, ticket stubs, etc)

Emotions:

How do you feel most days? (Content, excited, peaceful, confident)

What worry from 2025 feels almost insignificant now because you figured it out?

What compliment do people keep giving you?

What are you most proud of when you lie down at night?

Relationships:

Who are you texting most often?

What’s your favorite memory you made with your family this year?

Environment:

What’s different about your home or space? (New furniture? Cleaner? A dedicated workspace? Renovations?)

What’s your favorite piece of clothing in your closet that makes you feel most like yourself?

What’s your favorite corner of your home and why?

Capabilities:

What can you do now that you couldn’t do in December 2025?

Part 2: Create Categories and Expand Deeper – Get Specific

Choose the categories that matter most to you. Here are the categories I chose for myself:

Fitness + Health

Family

Personal Growth / Faith

Budgeting + Finances

Friendships

Hobbies

Business + Career

Now, let’s go deeper into each category with specific prompts:

Fitness + Health

What physical activity became non-negotiable for you?

Family

What tradition did you start or revive?

Are you happy with how you managed screen time during family time?

Personal Growth / Faith

Going to church more regularly – X number of times this year?

What book/podcast/course was the most impactful this year?

Budgeting + Finances

Did you live below your means this year?

What categories did you cut back spending in?

Friendships

Who became a closer friend?

How did you become a better friend?

Hobbies

What creative outlet saved your sanity?

Did you schedule time for joy and not just productivity each week?

Business + Career

What project are you most proud of?

What did you say no to that created space for better opportunities?

Part 3: Turning Your Brain Dump Into Actionable Goals

This is where the magic happens – where dreams become reality through intentional planning.

Example: Solidifying Your Morning Routine

From Your Brain Dump: Maybe under your Fitness + Health category you listed out that you solidified your morning routine.

“I stuck with my early morning routine this year. I’m finally at the point where I actually crave those early morning wake ups and the ‘me’ time I get. This habit has created a positive ripple in every area of my life – as a wife, mom, and employee.”

So 2026 you nailed her mornings. 2025 you needs to know HOW?!?! HOW did we do this?

Now we want to translate the morning routine into a goal so we can create a roadmap for current you to follow.

To do this we need:

A vision statement

A deeper why

A milestone goal

A habit to get us there

A first step to take

Vision Statement: “December 2026 me says: Early mornings are my new normal. I now crave them.”

The vision statement is the headspace that 2026 you is in now that she has an entire year of early mornings under her belt.

Why: “This matters because it will make me feel: at peace, accomplished, confident, regulated.”

The why is where the deeper roots are found.

Milestone Goal: “By December 2026, I will have prioritized an early morning routine 208 days – that’s 4 times / week.”

The milestone goal is a tangible thing you can set that is also ambitious.

Habit: “To get there, 4x per week I will: not be an idiot and go to bed on time, set my phone across the room so I have to physically get up to turn it off, and not hit snooze.”

The habit is how we get there (how we achieve those 208 days of early mornings).

First Step: “In January 2026, I will: sit down every Sunday afternoon and write in my planner the days I plan to wake up early based on my schedule that week.”

The first step is something you can do immediately to ensure you take action instead of just getting high off making plans.

Final Framework Summary

Back to that original question: If 2026 was your best year yet, what would have happened to make that true?

Here’s your complete framework:

Visualize the specific details of your life in December 2026 (make it REAL) – age, kids ages, basic life details

Decide on your categories. Mine were: Fitness + Health, Family, Personal Growth / Faith, Budgeting + Finances, Friendships, Hobbies, and Business + Career

List a brain dump of everything that has happened this year (dream BIG)

Translate each into Vision → Why → Milestone → Habit → First Step (make it ACTIONABLE)

Take What You Need & Leave the Rest

Before the year ends, carve out that hour, that afternoon, or even just 30 minutes to sit with your thoughts about this year and the next. Give yourself permission to dream big – even if it feels a little delusional.

December 2026 you is already there, living that best year. She’s waiting to tell you exactly how she did it.