Someone once told me to think of life like a bicycle wheel. Each spoke is a part of your world such as career, friends, mental health, and physical health. The wheel only rolls smoothly when all the spokes are balanced. That analogy has stuck with me.

My birthday’s coming up on Friday. I wanted to take a moment to reflect, so I revisited my 2026 goals and mapped them out like spokes in a bicycle wheel.

As I looked over my map, one theme jumped out immediately: “feeling” over “doing.” For me personally, 2026 isn’t about optimizing and becoming a machine. It’s actually about moving with intention and being more human.

Here are some of the ideas I noticed across each of my spokes:

Self-Awareness: Paying attention to how I feel, journaling, and confronting thoughts and feelings that are recurring.

Personal Identity: Reminding myself that work doesn’t define me and setting boundaries to protect my peace.

Moving with Intention: Slowing down, limiting screen time, and being present.

Settling In: Letting go of what was in my 20s and finding sustainable habits for this current decade of life.

Vulnerability: Saying yes more, asking for help, and giving closure when it’s needed.

My hope is to keep things rolling. I hung a copy of my map in my office so I have something to look back at as a reminder of my values. Here’s to growing up!