Attend weddings, bachelor and bachelorette parties. Celebrate our 30th birthdays. Save for a dog. Make time for grandparents, parents, siblings and friends. Self-care. Volunteer. Donate. Prioritize date night.
"Can we do it all?!?"
A lot of couples, my boyfriend and me included, are asking this question as we plan our 2026. No, we didn't book a conference room and use a white board like this couple on TikTok, whose video has nearly 11 million views. But we did open a blank collaborative Notes app page and plot out our shared goals for the new year.
"It helps a couple discuss important yet difficult issues," says Deborah Carr, sociologist at Boston University, of this practice. "Once you say it out loud and write it down, the other person can help keep you moving toward that goal."
While it may seem like social media couples have their 2026 goals perfectly mapped out, the exercise isn't meant to be aspirational, Carr says. It should be about affirmation and accountability, she says.
