What happened to April Showers?

We are now entering the final week of April 2026, and have gone from Spring, to Winter, and back again. My floors have never been more covered in mud, slush and snow in the short span of two weeks, as the weather continues its bi-polar rampage through the northern hemisphere.

How did we get here? I mean, I know how we got here - greenhouse gases, death to the ozone layer and micro-plastics in our water; I don't actually live under a rock - what I am referring to is: how are we already at the END of April? Whoever hit the fast-forward button on 2026 needs to be removed from power, immediately.

Taking stock of what I had expected to accomplish by this point in the year, and what I have in fact been able to get around to doing is somewhat depressing. And when I say this, I am speaking very generally in terms of life, work, hobbies, etc. I had laid such far-reaching plans and goals at the beginning of 2026 across every venue of my life, and with May quickly approaching, I am starting to question my ability to set realistic expectations for myself.

So, what now? Do I continue with the current goals I have, thus far, failed to meet, or maybe explore the possibility of creating new, more achievable (and forgiving - emphasis on this facet, because, let's be real, who needs the additional stress these days) objectives? I think the answer is pretty clear.

As I have officially missed the first quarter of the year, and the first month of the second quarter, my goals are going to have to be scaled back. Consequently, I have decided to choose 3 areas of my life, and set a single goal for each - the goals themselves have to be attainable within the remaining portion of the year, and interesting enough that I won't "fall off the wagon" so to speak.

1. Personal Interests.

This area of my life is dedicated to the things that make life enjoyable for me. If we were to focus solely on careers, chores and all the other nuances of living that make up the norms and expectations of society, I would argue that we lead pretty boring lives. Wake up, brush your teeth, go to work and answer emails, return home, make supper, clean the dishes, brush your teeth again, then go to bed. Be sure to rinse and repeat this very mundane cycle every day until you die.

Personal interests are the things that we do throughout the day that make it worthwhile to wake up, to spend those gruelling hours at work, and ultimately, look forward to our time away from the societal constraints of paying bills and making money. Now, I have multiple things that come to mind when I explore this area of my life, however, I am choosing to limit myself to a single interest, a single goal.

For quite some time now, I have been struggling to create a healthy, reasonable writing routine that functions well with my work commitments and doesn't leave me drained at the end of the day or feeling unaccomplished when I ultimately opt for doom-scrolling. My first goal, for the remainder of the year, is to carefully curate a writing routine that fits my lifestyle and makes me excited to sit in front of my laptop.

2. Health and Wellbeing.

What is the point of going to work every day and building up a savings account for later on down the road, if we never actually make it to "later on down the road". Our health is what allows us to navigate the world, to experience the environment, and can have such an important impact how we choose to exist on this magical, floating rock.

Within this area of my life, over the next several months, I would like to see growth (note: growth does not mean an overnight change in my lifestyle and eating habits - it refers to improvements, no matter how small) in habits that directly contribute to my overall health and wellbeing. I am strategically keeping this goal broad, as I firmly believe that health is a spectrum and as long as you are consciously working towards betterment, you are making a positive impact for your future self.

3. Presence.

No, I don't mean social media presence, or putting myself out there into the general public - I am nothing if not vocal about how introverted and reclusive I am. I enjoy my quiet evenings at home, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, surrounded by my adoring animals and my loving husband. What I mean by presence, is being present in the here and now.

I often become so caught up in planning ahead; preparing for the next big move, or attempting to decipher all the possible ways a decision could back fire and go wrong, that I tend to forget to stop and enjoy the current moment. Our lives were meant to be lived as if traveling through a residential 50 zone, not full speed on the freeway. We miss the important moments and opportunities trying to fast-forward to the part where we are living the life we are so desperately attempting to reach.

My third and final goal is to slow down; appreciate the present and be grateful for where I currently am. Whether that present moment is washing the dishes in the kitchen with my husband while we listen to an oldies' playlist, or outside on a beautiful day walking the pups - I want to take in the small moments I am living and practice being mindful and present as they unfold around me.

We are now at the end April, and although the snow refuses to leave, Spring is fresh in the air and right around the corner. With these new (and ATTAINABLE) goals in mind, I look forward to the coming months and the possibilities that they represent as the season begins to shift and change. April showers have not arrived to bring May flowers, but perhaps, April snow will allow for May hopes to flourish.

HB