Fifteen Things by Susan Barclay

From DraCat on Pixabay

This month’s prompt asks us to identify ten things we will be doing in the last four months of 2026. Whether short-term goals, intentional practices, writing tasks, or other, the idea is to put into words our hopes, dreams, or current reality.


As a full-time caregiver to my elderly mom who lives with us, at first I was daunted by the request to come up with ten things. When I thought about it, however, it was actually pretty easy.

1. I will continue to give care for as long as necessary/feasible. Admittedly, because caregiving is difficult and my mom doesn’t seem to be getting any better (or progress is extremely slow), I pray that God will be merciful to her and to us in this season.

2. I’ll continue to participate in two in-person book clubs and read a minimum of two books per month.

3. I’ll continue to participate in the life of my church through our small group and the 55+ ministry.

4. I’ll continue to exercise daily, a practice I began on July 6 this year, after neglecting self-care far too long. I strength train my arms every other day and do some form of cardio as well as focus on core and posture every day.

5. My husband and I have been wanting to take ballroom dance classes for some time now. This fall is the year! I will complete an 8 week session (two classes are already behind us). Before this we were kitchen dancers only! We will see what we become. So far, so-so.

6. I’ll continue to help my daughter and her fiancé plan for their wedding.

7. My husband and I will get away for our 33rd wedding anniversary. Only for 24 hours or so, but any getaway is a blessing.

8. My high school is celebrating its 90th anniversary this fall. Having missed the 75th anniversary and most class reunions, I already have my ticket for the 6-hour event. Looking forward to seeing some “old” and friendly faces from just a “few” years ago.

9. I’ll complete my Christmas shopping on time and on budget.

10. I’ll try to stick to a house cleaning regimen.

11. I’ll try to limit scrolling to 15 minutes a day by setting a timer.

12. I’ll try to drink 16 oz of water a day. I know this is much less than the recommended amount, but it’s a realistic amount for me since I tend not to drink more than 4 oz. Unless you count coffee, tea, and juice!

13. My husband I usually read the Bible and a devotional before bed when we are exhausted and yawning. My plan is to shift this to the morning when we are more alert. Reading the Word early sets the tone for the rest of the day.

14. I’ll continue to pray continuously. And finally,

15. I’ll keep writing monthly posts for Inscribe Writers Online. It’s the one writing activity I can currently manage.

And there you have it – a list of 15 things when I was daunted by the thought of ten. You might say I got carried away. Only time will prove how successful I am, but in writing it all down I feel a certain measure of accountability and resolve. I also feel that there’s room for grace in the things I will try to do. I am just one person. I am only human. I’ll take it one day at a time.

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For more about Susan Barclay and her writing, please visit www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

Twenty-Six Before Twenty-Six by Steph Beth Nickel

 

It may seem a little early to post about the upcoming year, but I recently came across Karin Nordin PhD on Instagram.

Each year, on November 1, she creates a list of things she wants to accomplish before January 1 of the following year. Note: To silence the perfectionist, this content creator says the purpose of the list is not to accomplish everything on it, and if we complete even one task, she encourages us to consider it a win.

While we are 12 days into November, there is still time to create our "Twenty-Six Before Twenty-Six" list.

I have included my list below. Hopefully, it will encourage and inspire you to make your own. Note: The following list is in no particular order.

1. Create a barebones outline of the rest of the YA novel I'm working on.
2. Write at least 25K additional words of this novel. (I'm participating in NovNov, ProWritingAid's answer to the now-defunct National Novel Writing Month [NaNoWriMo]).
3. As much as possible, clear my calendar of other responsibilities so I can write at least 1K words six days per week in November.
4. Complete the current draft of my novel before the end of the year.
5. If I get the draft completed, recruit at least three beta readers to give me feedback two months after receiving the manuscript.
6. Declutter our main floor. (My hubby will be laying new flooring throughout. So, this is the perfect opportunity to do so.)
7. Seek to sell at least some of the things we don't intend to take with us when we relocate in Saskatchewan.
8. Schedule Substack posts through the end of the year.
9. Schedule social media posts through the end of the year.
10. Prepare at least one manuscript for self-publishing.
11. Complete the revisions of my devotionals based on the gospel of John.
12. Write at least three guest posts for blogs I contribute to.
13. Work on plans for next year's InScribe writing contest.
14. Take my friend out driving at least 4-6 times. (She needs her license to get a job.)
15. Visit with another friend who is housebound.
16. Make significant headway on the book I'm coauthoring. (We are working on suggested revisions from the potential publisher.)
17. Do resistance training or Pilates 3+ times per week.
18. Go for a walk or hike at least twice per week.
19. Eat more fruit and vegetable.
20. Drink more water.
21. Cut back to one sugary drink per day.
22. Send Christmas gifts to kiddos, who live either out of the province or out of the country.
23. Prep and send Christmas cards by December 1.
24. Write a Christmas poem for my church family.
25. Get together with my "church son" and his family, as we do each year in late November or early December.
26. Connect with my sister at least once a week.

And since I wouldn't classify myself as a perfectionist, I will be thrilled if I get those 25K words written in November.

How about you? Are you going to create your own list? If so, what would be your top three priorities?

Steph Beth Nickel is the former Editor of FellowScript and the current InScribe Contest Coordinator. Steph is an editor and author and plans to relocate to Saskatchewan from Ontario to be close to family in 2026. (Headshot Photo Credit: Jaime Mellor Photography)

Photo credit for the graphic: Download New Year's Day, 2026, Greeting Card. Royalty-Free Stock Illustration Image - Pixabay