2025 is coming to an end, and this was quite an exhausting year. So many things I never thought would happen, happened. I grew so much from everything, it’s not even funny. Maybe it’s because I didn’t set any resolutions unlike the years before.
2025 was the first year I decided to freestyle it and LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED. Of course, there were a lot of good things I’ve experienced this year but I’m going to create a bucket list for next year, just to be safe.
Here are some things I’m setting as goals for the upcoming year.
Document life more.
When I was younger, I had severe body image issues that survived into my young adulthood. That caused me to avoid taking pictures or videos of myself. I used to be so angry whenever someone pointed a camera at me.
In recent years, I’ve found that recording moments in photos and videos are really important. It gives you a glimpse into the past so that’s what I’m planning to do this year. Even if it’s as trivial as a screenshot. Maybe even keeping little trinkets from my travels. And of course, recording my experiences here.
Travel once a month.
As a long-time lover of travel and exploration, I’d want to commit to this. Not sure how feasible this goal is, but we’re going to try. Even a day trip to a neighbouring state would work.
I made this one of my must-dos in 2026 because travelling helps me open my eyes to the big picture, showing me that my problems that may seem monumental are actually a minor inconvenience at best. Touching grass or getting sand between my toes really helps me regain perspective of the world and continue romanticising every moment.
Pick up reading again.
If 10-year-old Anushiya saw me today, she’d be so disappointed. The way I went from reading a 300-page novel in a day in school to exclusively reading tweets and posts was lowkey embarrassing.
Next year, I’m making it a point to read more. My current goal is to read one book each month. So I’ll have to complete 12 books by the end of the year. To further force myself to commit to this goal, I’m planning to do a book review at the end of each month.
Immerse myself in art.
This year, I realised that I was actually good at art, contrary to what my teachers in school have said. I’m hella creative. No, I won’t be taking criticism at this time.
Like this year, I’ll be continuing to immerse myself fully into art in 2026; LEGOs, painting, workshops, pottery, you name it. I’ll be there. My room is going to be filled with all my work and nobody can ever call me “bad at art” ever again. Even if they do, whatever. My bad art and I will be chilling in my room.
Spend time with fam and friends.
This is a really big one. Towards the end of this year, I had an epiphany. Life is short, so I need to spend as much time with people who love me (friends, family, Misha, Aishu, Hera). Especially if they make time for me.
Sometimes, as adults with our own lives, there’s limited opportunities for us to meet up with friends and family. But I’m going to make more of an effort to actually meet and catch up with people I love who love me back. I won’t be tolerating any half-assed relationships in 2026. If you can’t make time for me, I’m sorry but your time will be given to someone else who better deserves it.
Fall in love with life again.
At a certain point in my life, I decided to romanticise life. People call it delusional or living in a fantasy, but honestly, the rose-coloured glasses really help me cope with everything. Seeing everything as an adventure or an opportunity really lets you feel like your life can never have regrets.
Would you believe me if I said that I laughed when I broke both my hands in 2024 because “WHO BREAKS THEIR HANDS GO-KARTING? AND IN THAT WAY?” People thought I was faking the severity of my injuries because I was laughing so hard. Along the way, something happened and life got a little harder to romanticise.
This 2026, I’ll be romanticising the shit out of everything. Even more than I ever had. I’ll also be celebrating anything and everything. I hope I don’t get admitted into a psych ward at the end of this.
Make music.
Yep, we’re going back to our roots in 2026. I’m going to go back to playing instruments: guitar (I need to tune the one in my room first) and piano/organ/keyboard (my skills got so rusty, I need to practice again). Maybe learn another instrument for funsies. It would keep my brain working and give it the dopamine hit.
I’d probably go for a ton of karaoke sessions just like this year and previous years, but maybe I could start covering songs. I hope people don’t report my accounts because of how I sound. Maybe I could include the disclaimer that I’m just a bathroom singer. Or maybe they should learn to be more tolerant of the tonally-challenged (not saying I am one).
Write more.
Okay, the last thing in my 2026 bucket list would be to write more. I did a decent job writing more and adding more entries to this blog this year. I’m planning to keep the momentum, maybe even make it more consistent next year. I’ll try to make it a point to write at least one blog post a week.
Not writing for long periods really messes with my creative juices, so this would kinda challenge my writing skills, and possibly help me keep the gears in my head turning in a world where everyone is trying to shut their minds off and depend more on AI.
Besides, who am I if not a creator and oversharer?
I’ll reflect on this bucket list at the end of next year (if I remember) to see if future me listened to current me (which would be past me to that version of me). Okay, this is getting confusing so that’s all for now!