📚 What I’m Reading, Loving, and Learning Lately

This is one of those “behind the scenes of my life and brain” kind of posts—what I’m reading, what I’m loving, and what I’m learning in this season.

We’re already a good month and a half into 2026, which honestly feels a little wild. This is usually the point in the year where people fall into one of three camps:

• Totally on track with their goals
• A little off track
• Or completely over it 😅

No matter where you’re at—I’m here to remind you: you’re not behind, you’re not out, and you’re definitely not done. You can fall off the rails and get back on. There is absolutely nothing that says one rough week (or month) means the whole year is a wash.

📖 What I’m Reading

If you remember, one of my big goals for 2026 is to read 26 books this year. So far, I’m already on book #4, which feels pretty good!

Right now, I’m reading (listening to, actually) How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis. If audiobooks are your vibe, this one is a quick and very gentle listen. It definitely falls into my “self-improvement / personal growth” category—and my plan is to make every third or fourth book something in that lane to keep things balanced.

This one, especially, has been a good reminder that:

• Your home is there to serve you, not the other way around
• Care tasks are morally neutral
• And doing something “halfway” is still doing something

Honestly? It’s the kind of book that feels like a deep breath.

💛 What I’m Loving

Right now, I have a few big projects happening at work, and I’m genuinely loving them. They’re exciting, meaningful, and the kind of work that makes me feel really energized and proud of what I do.

But I’m also very aware of something I try to protect pretty fiercely: my work and home boundaries.

I care deeply about my job—but I also care deeply about my family, my home, and my own mental space. So this season has been a good reminder to enjoy the busy, fulfilling work without letting it quietly take over everything else.

🧠 What I’m Learning

I’m learning (and re-learning) that:

• Progress doesn’t have to be perfect to count
• Routines exist to support us, not shame us
• Focusing more on habit shifts than hitting perfect goal marks

This ties back a lot to what I’ve taken from books like Atomic Habits and now How to Keep House While Drowning: small, kind, realistic steps actually stick way better than all-or-nothing plans.

✨ A Little Check-In for You

So now I’ll ask you the same thing:

What are you reading, loving, or learning lately?
Are you still chasing your 2026 goals or making habit shifts? Tweaking them? Restarting them?

✨ Want to use the Simple Growth Journal for yourself?
👉Grab the printable here:

✨ Printable • Undated • Instant Download

Wherever you’re at—you’re allowed to start again. You’re allowed to shift the plan. And you’re absolutely allowed to keep going, even if it looks different than you thought it would back in January.

We’re still here. And there’s still plenty of year left. 🌻

Simply Samantha 🌻
Simply Real. Simply Me.