Shining Brighter - Volume 2

Happy 2026!

It’s the start of another new year, and that means setting new intentions and goals for the year to come. It’s always exciting to look forward to the future and dream of all the things we want to achieve.

However, at the same time, it’s important to look back on past accomplishments and lessons learned. Not only is this necessary to celebrate our growth and what we’ve already achieved, but it’s also to give ourselves a clearer picture of where we’re at in the current moment and what we’re working with. And going into this new year, I sure have a lot of lessons and accomplishments to look back on.

2 years ago, I wrote this list of goals for myself and my writing:

I thought it was a good list of goals. Granted, some of those goals were pretty ambitious. But for the most part they were totally feasible. And I planned on accomplishing all of those and then some, as well as writing a list of goals like this at the end of 2024 for 2025, but… life happened, as it always does.

I ended up having to take time away from writing to tend to some personal obligations, and it both allowed me less time to write and drained my creative energy. So I wasn’t active on Vocal or writing for most of 2024 or 2025.

But despite that, I still managed to write a little bit and accomplish some of the goals I set. And 2025 has actually been my most successful year on Vocal so far!

Here’s a quick recap of what I’ve accomplished in the last 2 years:

2024:

- Reached 40,000 reads

- Published 14 stories (including 11 poems)

- Earned my 2nd Top Story (A Token Of Gratitude)

2025:

- Reached 50,000 reads

- Reached 100 total published stories

- Published 45 stories (including 39 poems & 1 short fiction story)

- Earned my 3rd Top Story (Grandmother Moon)

- Earned my 4th Top Story (The Season Of Lights)

- Earned my first challenge placement (A Chilling Warning)

This year I plan on aiming for pretty much the same goals I set the last 2 years. And with the way I’ve accomplished those goals, I’m confident that I can accomplish these too.

My goals for 2026:

- Reach 60,000 reads

- Reach at least 200 total published stories

- Write more original stories and poems (not challenge entries)

- Write more short fiction stories

- Earn more Top Stories

- Place in more challenges, and win at least one

I’m so excited to work towards these goals. Although honestly, I’ve been so eager to accomplish them that I spent the end of 2025 getting a head start!

I recently posted another story talking about how I started using Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com as writing inspiration, as well as a list of words I’ve compiled from their Word Of The Day feature. It’s already helping me, and I hope it helps others too!

If interested, you can find those stories here:

Thank you to everyone who’s read and supported my writing along the way. I’m so grateful. And I wish you all the best as you work towards your goals this year.

Happy New Year, and happy writing!

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