My 2026 Goals
- Morgan Bailey
- Jan 2
- 3 min read
I’ve learned that dreams don’t become real just because we want them to. They become real when we name them, commit to them, and keep showing up, even when it’s uncomfortable, slow, or imperfect. As I look toward 2026, I’ve set five goals that feel big, meaningful, and deeply connected to who I am today.
Speaking at six different venues. Traveling somewhere every month. Growing my social media presence. Creating a Stroke Warrior coloring book drawn with my right hand. And turning my book into an audiobook for people who can’t easily read.
None of these goals are about productivity for the sake of productivity. They’re about accessibility, creativity, healing, and connection.
Speaking at Six Different Places to Inspire Change
Speaking has become one of the most powerful ways I know how to connect with people. Sharing my story, especially the parts that are messy and unfinished, opens space for others to feel less alone. By the end of 2026, I want to speak at six different venues, including schools, support groups, and rehabs.
Each space matters for different reasons.
Schools are where resilience is still being formed. Support groups are where survival is actively happening. Rehabilitation Centers bring together people with a shared story. My goal in every talk is the same: to remind people that their story still matters, even after it changes.
I prepare by listening first, learning who I’m speaking to, using storytelling instead of lectures, and always leaving people with something tangible they can take with them.
Success for me isn’t applause. It’s a conversation. It’s someone saying, “That helped.”
Traveling Somewhere Every Month
Travel has always helped me feel alive. It shakes me out of routine and reminds me how big the world still is. In 2026, I’m committing to traveling somewhere every month, sometimes close to home, sometimes far away.
This doesn’t mean constant motion or exhaustion. It means curiosity. Some trips will be quiet and grounding. Others will challenge me. All of them will teach me something.
Travel feeds my storytelling, my speaking, and my creativity. It gives me new perspectives and reminds me that growth doesn’t happen by staying still.
Growing My Social Media Presence
Social media has become a place where I share my recovery, my creativity, and my life as it actually is, not just the highlight reel. In 2026, I want to continue growing my platforms, not for numbers, but for impact.
That means showing up consistently, being honest about the hard days, responding to messages, and building real community. I want people to feel seen, understood, and encouraged when they land on my page.
Growth will be measured in connection, not just analytics.
Creating a Stroke Warrior Coloring Book
One of my most personal goals for 2026 is creating a coloring book, this time, drawn entirely with my right hand.
After my stroke, my right side changed. Drawing with my right hand isn’t easy. It’s slow. It’s imperfect. And that’s exactly why this matters to me.
I want this coloring book to be simple, accessible, and gentle, something you can work on without pressure. No complicated patterns. No expectations. Just something calming, achievable, and encouraging.
This book isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. About meeting yourself where you are. About creating something meaningful with the body you have today.
Turning Stroke Warrior Into an Audiobook
Another goal close to my heart is creating an audiobook version of Stroke Warrior, specifically for people with aphasia or reading challenges.
I know firsthand how exhausting reading can be after a brain injury. How words can blur, disappear, or feel overwhelming. Stories should still be accessible, even when reading isn’t.
An audiobook allows people to listen at their own pace, pause when needed, and still feel connected to the story. This isn’t just a format change; it’s an act of inclusion. And it matters deeply to me as a person who suffered from aphasia herself.
When Things Get Hard
I know these goals won’t always be easy to balance. Travel, speaking, creating, and showing up online all require energy, and I’ve learned to respect my limits.
I’ll use planning tools, protect rest, and stay flexible when plans change. Healing has taught me that pushing through burnout helps no one. Listening to my body does.
The Bigger Picture
These goals aren’t separate. They feed each other.
Travel fuels stories. Stories fuel speaking. Speaking fuels connection. Creativity fuels healing. And accessibility fuels purpose.
By sharing this journey openly, I hope to encourage others to set goals that feel aligned with who they are now, not who they were before life changed.
Whether your goal is to create, to travel, to speak, or simply to keep going, it all starts with believing your dreams are still worth honoring.
And I believe that deeply.
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