Monthly Recap - April 2026

I might be a little behind with my recap this month, but the warm weather has gotten the better of me. Once the sun is shining I am ready to be splayed out like the New England Neglected Lizard I am (NENL for short... and yes I just made that up. You're welcome).

My spirit animal. If you have seen Hoppers let me know if its worth watching... I just love this little guy.

So let's check out the goals from the last monthly recap... (April 2026)

1. Read more books.

2. Write more of everything.

3. Manage my Stress.

4. Prioritize myself.

5. Social Media Upkeep.

Welp. I can tell you at a quick glance, April didn't exactly go as expected based off of that list of goals.

---

1. Read More Books.

Starting off with reading more books. I finished one book. Project Hail Mary and I loved every second of it. It was a book I started in April, but Andy Weir packs so much fun scientific knowledge into his writing that it takes a minute to digest.

In a sense I did read this month, so that is a little victory, but I didn't inherently read more than last month... but that is just semantics... right?

I also plan on posting a book review for Project Hail Mary in the very near future.

A screen grab from the 2026 film adaptation of Project Hail Mary. (Found on Pinterest!)

2. Write More of Everything.

I don't feel like I wrote a lot of public pieces. The number of blog posts published were about the same amount that I wrote in April, and I really didn't share a lot of the work I did. I did write a lot in my journal and a heavy amount for school. I guess that is also a small victory, but we'll get deeper into the school progression and the journal progression in the later goals.

3. Manage my Stress.

This is where my journal comes a bit deeper into play. I use my journal to help brain dump 99% of the time. If it wasn't for that hunk of paper, I think I would genuinely lose my mind. If anyone- especially writers- are debating on getting a travelers journal (or any off-brand similar... like me) I absolutely recommend it. It has helped me so much to have my planner, my common-place brain dump, and project notebooks all in one place. Plus it is a lot easier to carry around compared to three hefty books, or even a small field notes journal that would have barely any space between my chunky handwriting and elephant sized creative ideas.

If anyone is interested in more about my journal, the set-up and products I use I might be making a post about that in the near future!

So ultimately, I have been using my journal to help elevate some of the stress I have been dealing with. Journaling is a technique that is typically recommended to help lower stress, anxiety, and depression. It reminds me of one of my favorite sayings that I discovered recently (someone in the deep ocean that is Pinterest) that "expression is the opposite of depression" rather than happiness. When you allow yourself a safe space to express yourself in any way, shape, or form. It can help fight off those nasty demons and help that weight on your shoulders feel a bit lighter. I will always recommend journaling for mental health.

4. Prioritize Myself.

In the grand scheme of things, I have been trying to prioritize myself more. Whether that be trying to spring clean, declutter, and donate some clothes that no longer serve me. Or simply getting lost in some fiction or fantasy world, either through a video game or reading.

I have still been highly obsessed with Stardew Valley. I have also found out that you can get it as a mobile app on your phone, and it has been the best AND worst thing I have ever discovered. So just know if you message me and I don't answer... I probably am just tending my little farm.

Last but not least, the additional goal that I set for April...

5. Social Media Upkeep.

I just want to say. I did try. It might not have been trying very hard, but there was a bit of effort put into it that we did not have in March.

Moving forward, I want to hold myself more accountable for actually posting. I think a lot of it will be small poems or flash fiction pieces. That might help me break out of the funk of thinking I am "being cringe" or "what if someone judges me?"

I am gonna put it out here in red, bold letters.

I plan on posting flash fiction, prose, and maybe some journal inspiration on my Instagram in May 2026.

So you better make sure that you are following me over there. God knows I need the encouragement.

As we continue to move into May, I am planning on keeping the same goals. I don't want to add any new ones since I slacked a bit in April. However, it should be a bit easier to stay consistent since I AM OFFICIALLY GRADUATING THIS MONTH!

That scary class that I have been worried about for the past two months?? Yep, passed that one with over a 99%. Was my anxiety unjustified? A little bit. BUT it doesn't matter because WE MADE IT! I will probably be posting about it in the near future on my social medias (as long as I stick to my goals).

With another monthly recap in the books... I hope May brings all the brightest flowers, and less (April) showers!

xx,

Kylie Rose