Welcome to 2026 and the first episode of the new year! This episode is all about reflections, resolutions, and getting shit done. Whether you're sitting with your journal reflecting on 2025 or mapping out your intentions for 2026, this episode walks you through the entire process: from thoughtful journal prompts that help you process the year (the joys, the challenges, and the lovely things), to the psychology and neuroscience behind achieving your goals (we're talking about the reticular activating system, your brain's built-in goal GPS!), to practical strategies that I've personally used over the years to stick to my goals and make things happen.

For my eldest daughters specifically, we’ll touch on saying no and boundary-setting, because the truth is that all the goal-setting in the world means nothing if you haven't established and maintained boundaries to protect your time, energy, and well-being. We're talking about how saying no to requests that aren't yours to carry is actually saying YES to your own goals and how the space you create through boundaries is where your dreams actually get to grow. If you haven't listened to that boundaries episode yet, definitely go back to it after this one; both episodes work well together!

Finally, I end on some verbal and visual practices: affirmations, gratitude journaling, brain dumps, and vision boarding techniques (fun fact: 80% of what I've put on my vision boards has come true!) that you can start implementing in the new year and beyond!

“note on: saying no and boundaries 101”:

• Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/0NSGllicz3y4qii4sQgFhX?si=3l72iPqTTlW3_nE2syQ26g
• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notes-from-an-eldest-daughter/id1827173315?i=1000730687732

Recommended Readings:

• Locke & Latham: Goal-Setting Theory: Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2013). Goal setting theory, 1990. In E. A. Locke & G. P. Latham (Eds.), New developments in goal setting and task performance (pp. 3–15). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group. ⁠https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203082744⁠
• Oscarsson et al. (2020): Approach vs. Avoidance Goals Study: Oscarsson, M., Carlbring, P., Andersson, G., & Rozental, A. (2020). A large-scale experiment on New Year's resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals. PloS one, 15(12), e0234097. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234097
• Lally et al. (2010): 66-Day Habit Formation Study: Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C. H. M., Potts, H. W. W., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40(6), 998–1009. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.674⁠
• Stevens & Hening (2007): Neuroanatomy of RAS: Suzanne Stevens, Wayne A. Hening, Chapter 2 - Sleep and Wakefulness, Editor(s): Christopher G. Goetz, Textbook of Clinical Neurology (Third Edition), W.B. Saunders, 2007, Pages 21-33, ISBN 9781416036180, ⁠https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-141603618-0.10002-5⁠.
• NCBI StatPearls: Reticular Activating System: Arguinchona JH, Tadi P. Neuroanatomy, Reticular Activating System. [Updated 2023 Jul 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: ⁠https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549835/⁠

0:00 - note on intro

2:00 - reflections [personal and general]

7:25 - Reflections for 2025 journal prompts

12:20 - Resolutions for 2026 journal prompts

17:14 - science of goal setting (psychology + neuroscience)

28:10 - the eldest daughter relationship with goals, accomplishments, and requests

32:15 - practical tips and tricks for goal setting

41:30 - outro

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