Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Promises for 2026 & Tell Me Something Tuesday: What Are Your Favorite Snow/Winter-themed Books?

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

Tuesday is back, and with it is our Top Ten Tuesday meme. This week, we're discussing our goals, or as I prefer to call them, promises. Before I get there, though, I want to share my Word of the Year, which will complement my promises.

Last year, I was as close to burnout as I've ever been. You probably felt it in my weekly posts, and I certainly felt it throughout my daily life. As 2026 arrived, I promised myself that change would come. Balance in life is my focus for the entire year. To create more balance, here are my...

Top Ten Promises for 2026

1. Create a calendar that works for me: I am not a time blocker, a lover of planners, or anything else that could keep me organized. All my appointments and blog events are kept in my digital calendar on my iPhone, but the rest of my life is up in the air. I'm open to your ideas, but for now, I maintain a monthly calendar board in my office. I'm writing in appointments, the times to sit down and make calls, and my days off. My plan is for one day off a week, working up to two days off each week. 
2. Set firmer boundaries: I didn't grow up in a family that set firm boundaries. I am not good at setting them now. That's why my days off go out the window when I get busy. That's why my vacations are working ones. In 2026, I'm committed to protecting my day off. More days off will allow for more writing, reading, and blogging, which bring me joy.
3. Increase self-care: Self-care also falls through the cracks. In January, I dedicated myself to starting and ending the day in Scripture. Then each morning, I do 20 squats, 10 arm circles, 10 standing oblique twists, and 10 arm stretches. I've also set a more regular bedtime, which helps me get up with enough time to perform these exercises.
4. Listen more: I do a lot of talking, but God gave me one mouth and two ears, so I should use them accordingly. I've begun asking more questions this year, which puts me in a position to listen more. I'm slipping my phone into my bag at meetings. I'm trying to keep my laptop off the table to decrease the temptation to multitask when meeting topics don't apply to me. I'm taking more notes.
5. Maintain my goal weight: I hit my goal weight in December. It's taken years, but in the immortal words of London Tipton, "Yay me!" Drinking more water and less soda, meal planning, and healthier snacks did the trick for me. I'm still a junk food junkie at heart, and when I get busy, fast food on the road calls my name. Luckily, the fast food often makes me sick now, so I don't crave it as much.
6. Complete my Goodreads Challenge: The only challenge I participate in is set for 60 books this year. I missed the mark last year for the first time in forever. I plan to complete the challenge this year, and already have great books from my TBR pile and the six (2 full-length, 1 middle grade, 2 picture books) I requested to review to give me a good start.
7. Read more books from my TBR pile: Always on my list, but it is happening this year because I will reduce virtual book tour reviews, not use my next Audible credits until I've read the first six books I downloaded, and will only pre-order books from authors I know really well. Honestly, I don't feel the need to own many physical copies these days. 
8. Finish Sheltered Hearts: Through the first week of February, I am plotting the rest of the chapters. After that is done, I will dedicate part of my day off to writing... unless I am spending time with loved ones. 
9. Work with NEPM for branding ideas: This applies to two areas of my life--real estate and writing. Up until 2023, my tagline was "Faith-filled journeys for kids." That doesn't encompass all that I write now. The new website was a start. I need to flesh this out more fully for both of my careers. 
10. Connect with more authors: Attending two writing conferences in 2025 made me realize how much I miss spending regular time in the writing world. The author event that I participated in last year left me yearning for author-to-author connections. I've signed up for newsletters and plan to keep an eye out in our local news for author events and new releases.

Thanks to Freepik for the image

Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is hosted by Jen Twimom at That's What I'm Talking About. TMST is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Participation is optional, and you can leave your comments in the weekly post when you participate. Check it out if you're interested in joining.

Tell Me Something Tuesday is asking us to share our favorite snow/winter-themed books. Take a peek at my choices:

Little Snowman Stan by Guido van Genechten

The Rabbit and the Snowman by Sally O Lee

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Beautiful Snow: 

The Ingalls Family, the Railroads, and the Hard Winter of 1880-81

 by Cindy Wilson

Have you read any of these?