2026 Side Quests

Capturing data about myself and my life (aka lifelogging) has been an interest and hobby of mine for about a decade. I’ve written about it a few times. Based on the year I may change up what data I am capturing. For instance in 2026 I am not going to log sports I watch. It wasn’t hard but what does it mean to watch a sport. If I have to tackle a chore and miss 20 minutes or am hanging with friends and just barely paying attention does that count? Do I capture percentages of games or only full event viewings? You get the picture.

I am also fascinated with completing goals and improving myself. That plays nicely with setting yearly goals, action items, and things I want to accomplish.

This year I’ve purchased an app called Habit Pixel to combine those interests. Essentially, you add habits you want to track (either daily, weekly, or monthly) and then when you perform or don’t perform your habit you mark it off. The entire year is shown in a pixel grid where each day is colored in when you performed the habit.

I’m only a week in but I am enjoying it. Everything except the empty squares for where workouts should have been done. But that’s a me problem and not an app problem.

For 2026 here are the goals I am setting for myself.

  • Read 26 books
  • Drink water everyday
  • Go for a walk/cardio/workout 5 times a week
  • Take out my contacts and wash my face every night
  • Add a picture to the picture a day book every day
  • Give a compliment every day
  • Balance reading a book or comic, playing a video game, or writing every week.
  • Call my parents every week
  • Get a will created
  • Tackle my home improvement projects and other to-do lists that I have put off with being at soccer every weekend

Feels like there are some stretch goals mixed in (aka the exercise ones) but its a plan.