Central Florida Explorer’s New Year’s resolutions for 2026

As the new year begins, I’m asking myself the same question that so many others have: “Where did the last 12 months go?”

In reflecting on the last year and setting my sights on 2026, I’m continuing the annual tradition of setting my Central Florida Explorer New Year’s resolutions, focusing my intentions for the months ahead. For example, I’m hoping to limit my phone time, incorporate movement into my day and visit more state parks.

Before looking ahead to the next year, let’s see how well I fared with my 2025 goals.

2025 in review

The last 12 months have taught me the challenge of making new habits, but also the feeling that comes from finding a groove and sticking to it — at least for a while, anyway.

I wasn’t sure how well I did on the goal of spending as much time as possible outdoors, then I did a quick tally. By searching through my camera roll from the past year, I realized I spent time outside on around half the days. This included hikes, camping trips, outdoor concerts and festivals, bike rides and time spent by the pool, among other things.

While that was encouraging to see, I think I could do even better in 2026.

Several of last year’s goals focused on health and wellness, including eating a well-balanced diet, working out, taking care of my mental health and doing things that fill my cup.

In the last year, I did not eat fast food — no Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Taco Bell or anything of that nature. Exceptions were made for Wawa, Starbucks and Chipotle, which I believe rank just a hair above other drive-thru fast food joints. I also cooked many meals at home with healthy options.

I did find a consistent workout routine at one point, visiting the bouldering gym once or twice a week while filling in the gaps with at-home workouts. At some point in the last few months, I fell off the wagon a bit. The start of a new year presents a great opportunity to get back on it.

There were also extreme examples of progress, like biking from coast to coast in Florida over the course of four days. After that trip, my quads and calves were absolutely jacked. If only I could have kept those muscles.

I do need to be better about slowing down through journaling, meditation and being intentional about my mental health. While I find I am happy and most present during time outside, having an at-home self-care routine will also help me feel grounded and content.

Cruises, an epic bike ride and more: Central Florida Explorer’s 2025 year in review

With the goal of uncovering off-the-beaten-path attractions and experiences, I wrote about goat yoga at Orlando’s Wildflower Farm, saw fireflies glowing after dark at Blue Spring State Park and swam with manatees in Crystal River. I also covered the second annual Florida Man Games. While those were amazing experiences, I would like to continue finding more Sunshine State hidden gems to share.

In the category of environmental stewardship, I did not find a chance to pitch in for outdoor trash clean-ups this year, but I did write about a stormwater-related photography project and a story about the ways that Florida manatees are being threatened by proposed changes to the federal implementation of the Endangered Species Act. This year, I hope to find new ways to pay attention to, write about and care for Florida’s environment.

Here are my New Year’s resolutions for 2026.

1. Spend as much time as possible outdoors, including small doses on a daily basis.

I’m recycling my first goal from last year’s list, which is an ongoing aspiration of mine, no matter the year. I feel most at peace and at home in nature.

I love nothing more than to escape to a camping destination for the weekend, complete with a bonfire and a starry night sky. When that’s hard to find time for, I hope to supplement with smaller doses of time outside. This can include bike rides, walks around the block, hikes, trail runs, paddles or even hours spent on the back patio.

2. Embark on at least one backpacking trip.

Somehow, 2025 slipped through my fingers without a single backpacking trip in the books. There’s something thrilling about setting off on foot, leaving the trailhead behind with everything you need to survive in the woods for a few days.

I don’t know where or when it will happen, but I do know that 2026 needs a backpacking trip somewhere on the calendar.

3. Limit my phone time to under two hours per day.

Almost everyone can relate to the modern-day struggles of trying to “break up” with their phone and truly be present. My phone screen time hovers around three hours on average, sometimes more.

I know that the best of life has to offer can’t be contained within a screen, so I’m hoping to keep that number under two hours per day. Ideally, it would be even less. One thing helping me has been the Brick, a physical device that blocks distracting apps on my phone with just a tap.

4. Incorporate movement into my day, at least 5 out of 7 days per week.

Last year, I made it a goal to build an exercise routine and find ways to track my progress. I did find my stride at one point in the middle of the year with small home workouts and trips to the bouldering gym.

As my fall got busy and the holidays ramped up, my progress stalled. Now, I’m recommitting to keeping my body in shape and starting small. It could look like doing a few push-ups when getting up from my desk or going for a jog around the block. It doesn’t matter what it is, but movement is key.

Having a timeline or goal to work toward is always helpful, too. Putting a big adventure on the calendar always inspires conditioning.

5. Find ways to be more present and in the moment. Balance productivity and experiences with rest and relaxation.

Another goal that escaped me last year was building a consistent routine using the Headspace meditation app or finding other ways to be more grounded and present.

I usually feel better when I stay busy and keep finding cool things to do, but I won’t be able to fully appreciate those times if I don’t take care of myself. I’m hoping to remember to take time to slow down, appreciate what’s around me and reflect on what’s already happened rather than being distracted or consumed by the future.

6. Continue uncovering Florida’s hidden gems in outdoor spaces, attractions and good stories.

Since I started working at the Sentinel in 2018 and wearing my “Explorer” hat on Sunshine State adventures, I’ve gone searching for the Florida Skunk Ape in the Everglades, driven a tank and found countless interesting attractions to share, like Solomon’s Castle.

The work is never done. This year, I will continue searching for good stories to share and interesting places to visit. Not everyone can say their job is a walk in the park, but some days my assignment is just that, for which I’m very thankful.

7. Enjoy one high-caliber adventure of multiple days and nights.

While I’ve enjoyed many weekend trips and single-day outings since moving to Florida more than seven years ago, the last two years have included a few high-caliber adventures. My kayak trip on the St. Johns River kicked off the trend in early 2024, followed by a four-day backpacking trip on the Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail last November and a coast-to-coast bike ride this year.

Each year, I aim to do at least one multi-day, high-adventure experience. My 2026 one might involve paddling, but it’s too soon to say exactly what the months ahead will bring.

8. Visit at least 10 new state parks.

I am a big fan of Florida state parks, having visited nearly 60 of them in my travels. I even have the Florida state parks specialty license plate.

I hope to add at least 10 new parks to my list in 2026. I would love to finally visit Wakulla Springs near Tallahassee, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park in South Florida, Caladesi Island and Honeymoon Island, both of which are on the Gulf Coast near Tampa.

9. Shed a light on Florida’s environment and pay attention to the most pressing issues.

I don’t think it’s possible to be someone who loves the outdoors and who also doesn’t care about the environment. In my opinion, a passion for nature also carries a sense of environmental stewardship and responsibility.

This is an area where I’m always aiming to do better. It’s hard to sit back and read the headlines only to feel helpless at the prospect that there’s nothing we can do. It can take the form of writing letters to legislators, pitching in for trash cleanups and spreading the word about Florida’s environment through my work.

Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com. Stay up to date with our latest travel, arts and events coverage by subscribing to our newsletters at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.