[B1] Vision Board for 2026

Jessica:
Hi everyone, welcome back to 5-Minute English Practice. I’m Jessica, and today I’m really glad you’re here with us. This episode feels a little special, because we’re not just talking about goals or plans, but about how we see our life moving forward. I’m here with Peter today, and we’re going to talk about vision boards and goals for 2026, but in a very honest and simple way. Not the kind of goals that make you feel stressed, but the kind that help you understand yourself better. Hi Peter.

Peter:
Hi Jessica, hi everyone. I’m happy to be here. I like that you said “honest,” because when people talk about goals, it often sounds perfect, but real life is not like that.

Jessica:
Exactly. And that’s why I wanted this conversation to feel calm and real. Before we even talk about 2026, I think it’s important to pause for a moment and look at how we usually think about goals. Many people feel pressure at the start of a new year. They feel like they must change, must improve, must do more. But I’ve learned that goals don’t always start with doing more. Sometimes they start with understanding more. Peter, when you hear the words “vision board,” what comes to your mind?

Peter:
For a long time, I thought a vision board was just a board with big dreams on it, like money, success, a big house, or traveling around the world. It felt very far away from my real life. But over time, my idea changed. Now I see a vision board as a quiet place where I can put my thoughts, my hopes, and even my questions about the future.

Jessica:
I really like that. A quiet place. That’s how it feels for me too. A vision board doesn’t shout at you. It doesn’t tell you that you’re not good enough. It just sits there and reminds you of what matters to you. And what I love most is that a vision board doesn’t have to be big or beautiful. It can be simple words, simple images, or even feelings that you want to experience more often in your life.

Peter:
Yes, and I think that’s very important for people listening, especially English learners or busy people. A vision board is not another task. It’s more like a mirror. When you look at it, you start to see patterns. You start to notice what you keep choosing and what you keep avoiding.

Jessica:
That’s such a good point. For me, when I looked back at my vision board from 2025, I realized something interesting. I didn’t achieve everything on it, but the things that stayed on the board for the whole year were the things that truly mattered to me. Not the goals that sounded good, but the goals that felt right. And that taught me a lot about how I want to approach 2026.

Peter:
What did 2025 teach you, Jessica?

Jessica:
It taught me that I don’t need to chase too many directions at the same time. In 2025, I tried to grow in many areas, and sometimes that made me tired and confused. I was busy, but I wasn’t always clear. I learned that clarity is more important than speed. And when I think about 2026, I don’t ask myself, “What do I want to achieve?” I ask myself, “How do I want to live my days?”

Peter:
That question feels very deep, but also very simple. How do I want to live my days? Not my whole life, just my days.

Jessica:
Yes, because our life is made of days. And this is where vision boards can really help. Instead of only showing big results, they can show small habits, daily feelings, and the kind of energy we want to have. For 2026, my vision board is not full of big goals. It’s full of words like “focus,” “balance,” “presence,” and “trust.”

Peter:
I notice that none of those words are about numbers or achievements.

Jessica:
That’s right. I still have career goals, of course, but I want the way I work to feel better. In the past, I focused a lot on results. Now I want to focus more on consistency and meaning. For example, instead of saying, “I want to succeed,” I say, “I want to show up regularly and do my work with care.”

Peter:
That’s something I really connect with. For 2026, my career goal is not about changing everything, but about improving how I communicate and how I plan my time. I noticed that when I don’t plan well, I feel stressed, and when I feel stressed, I don’t enjoy my work. So my goal is not just to work better, but to feel calmer while working.

Jessica:
And that’s something many people don’t talk about. We often separate work goals and emotional goals, but in real life, they are connected. If you feel calm, you think more clearly. If you feel clear, you make better decisions. That’s why on my vision board, career and mental health are not in separate boxes. They are part of the same picture.

Peter:
I think this is where health goals also come in. When people think about health, they often think about exercise or diet, but health is also about rest and listening to your body. In 2025, I learned that pushing myself all the time doesn’t always lead to better results. Sometimes it leads to burnout.

Jessica:
I agree. For 2026, my health goal is very simple. I want to move my body gently and regularly, and I want to sleep better. That’s it. No extreme plans. Just small actions that I can keep doing. And I put images on my vision board that show calm movement, like walking, stretching, or being outside.

Peter:
That sounds very realistic. For me, my health goal is also about consistency. I don’t need to do a lot. I just want to do a little every day. And I think vision boards help with that, because they remind you of the feeling, not the rule. They remind you why you want to be healthy, not just what you should do.

Jessica:
Yes, the “why” is so important. And the same thing applies to relationships. When I thought about relationships for 2026, I realized that I don’t want more people in my life. I want deeper connections. I want to listen better, be more present, and spend time with people without checking my phone or thinking about something else.

Peter:
That really speaks to me. One of my goals for 2026 is to have more meaningful conversations. Not more messages, but better conversations. And that includes being honest, even when it feels uncomfortable.

Jessica:
That honesty starts with ourselves. A vision board can also show how we want to treat ourselves. For a long time, I was very hard on myself. I always felt like I was not doing enough. Now, one of my goals is to be more patient with my own progress. I remind myself that growth doesn’t always look exciting. Sometimes it looks quiet.

Peter:
That’s a beautiful way to say it. Growth can be quiet. I think many people feel pressure because they compare their vision board to other people’s lives. But a vision board is personal. It’s not for social media. It’s for you.

Jessica:
Exactly. And if there’s one thing I want listeners to remember, it’s this: your vision board is not a promise to become someone else. It’s an invitation to become more yourself. You don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need a direction that feels kind and honest.

Peter:
And that direction can change. If something no longer feels right, you can change it. Goals are not a test. They are a conversation with yourself.

Jessica:
I love that idea. A conversation with yourself. And as we move into 2026, I hope people feel less pressure and more curiosity. Instead of asking, “What should I do next year?” maybe ask, “What do I need more of?” or “What do I want to let go of?”

Peter:
Sometimes letting go is the biggest goal.

Jessica:
Yes, it really is. Thank you, Peter, for sharing your thoughts today. This conversation feels very grounding.

Peter:
Thank you, Jessica. I hope listeners feel a little calmer after listening to this.

Jessica:
To everyone listening, thank you for spending this time with us. Take a moment after this episode to reflect, maybe write a few words, or imagine how you want 2026 to feel. There’s no rush. We’ll see you in the next episode of 5-Minute English Practice. Take care.