Looking Forward to 2026

Ending December

The holiday spirit has been alive and well in the Desai household, thanks to our three little elves 😂. They never fail to remind us that it’s Christmas time…especially Kai!

Maybe you saw this on my IG but we set up a little call between him and Santa! Good thing he made the good list this year, his reaction was absolutely priceless! 🥹 I’m going to miss these days when he get’s older, especially since the older two have come to terms with who Santa really is. Kai’s youth is really precious to us, so we try to make it special for the little guy. ❤️ 

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, and however this season looks for you… traditions, little ones running around, getting together with fam and friends, I hope you’re finding space to slow down and soak it all in. These days with our kids move so quickly, and it’s often the simplest moments together that stay with us the longest. Sending love to you and your family. ❤️ 

Planning for 2026

I’ve gotten so many DMs asking about our 2026 goals plan and family discussions. I thought this newsletter was the perfect time to give you a glimpse into how we operate as a family and why goal setting for the new year is such an important part of our traditions.

If I’m being honest, I have kind of a love-hate relationship with these family goal sessions. Veeral is a BIG planner and huge on goal setting. He does this every year with the whole family and shares prompts that make us think deeply about the year ahead, the year that just passed, and ourselves.

And every year I’m like, “Do we reaaally need to do this?” and the answer is always “YES”. 😂 

But I’m glad he really pushes us to do it.

What may feel uncomfortable at first actually forces growth and creates a sense of optimism for what’s ahead. It’s not easy facing reality, looking back at the year, and seeing what we’ve been able to accomplish (and what we haven’t). But again, this practice is sooo important, not just for us as adults, but especially for the kids.

We want to teach them early on that they should be VERY clear about what they want from life and actually put effort toward those goals. Whether it’s getting A’s in science or being able to hit an ace on the tennis court… you have to write it down and then pursue it.

I, too, have goals for 2026, and I will do my best to accomplish them. I’m keeping that promise to myself. 🫶

With that said, let me share the prompts we use for our goal setting. And thank you to Veeral, who always pushes our family to do their best and dream big! This practice wouldn’t be possible without his initiative. ❤️

Our Goals Template

Read prompts. Write what you want to reflect on. Take your time.

⬆️(Printable copy linked above)⬆️

2025 Reflections

Academics/ Learning

• Subjects I improved in this year were______ because_________

• A challenged I faced in school was_______, and I handled it by________

• A school moment I’m proud of is____________

Friends/ Family/ Core Relationships

• A way I was a good friend this year was_______

• A friendship challenge I had_________, and it taught me ___________

• A special relationship that grew this year which I am happy about__________

Personal Growth

• One way I’ve grown or changed since start of 2025 is_______________

• A mistake I made this year that helped me learn____________

My Passions

• I am really proud of the progress I have made in my passion area______

• I am struggling with this in my passion area _________

• I have learned _______ through my passion area

General Reflections

• How do you feel about 2025? How would you grade your year relative to your goals and why?

2026 Goals

Academics/ Learning

• What are main goals for the rest of school year?

• What are habits I want to build to help me learn better and become an even stronger student?

• I want to feel more confident in_________ and I will work on this by__________

Health and Wellness

• I want to take better care of my body by__________

• One way I can manage stress or big feelings better is_____________

• A physical goal I have (sports, movement, strength & conditioning) is____________

Personal Growth + Fun Goals

• A character trait I want to grow in 2026 is_________

• A goal just for fun is___________

My Passions

• My goals for each of my passion areas for 2026 are__________

• What will be most important if I want to achieve these goals?

Bonus Reflection

• If I could give my 2026 self one piece of advice, it would be______________

My Final Thoughts

I hope these prompts help you and your family with the upcoming goals for the new year! I wish you nothing but the best in accomplishing the goals you set for yourself. ❤️ 

I shared a little heart to heart on my stories last week about some of the struggles/ mental challenges I faced this year. But I am so grateful for the immense growth I’ve had in the last week. Really took it as a sign to KEEP GOING… no matter what!

I’m currently in Hawaii, spending the last few days of 2025 with my family in Hawaii. Can’t express the amount of gratitude I am feeling right now. This year was difficult but also very fruitful in so many ways. I will take this trip to unwind, relax and truly be present with the kids and hubby (also put my phone away 🙈). Incase you don’t see me post much this week, just know I am taking some much needed rest and I will be back and fully ready for 2026.

I suggest you try and carve out some time for yourself. Last few days left as we all welcome new beginnings and new chapters in 2026. 💫 

I pray for you and your family. May all your 2026 dreams and goals come true, but most importantly may you be surrounded by love, joy and peace ❤️.

Here’s to the new year… It’ll be the best one yet!

xo, Ami