I Made a “Bingo Card” of My 2026 Goals After a Tough Year, and It Was Transformative

If I could sum up 2025 in just one sentence, it would be the following: “That wasn’t on my bingo card.” It’s a phrase people often use to describe life’s unexpected moments, and in my case 2025 was full of them. I had a persistent cough that led to my being hospitalized and diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease (definitely not on my bingo card).

It changed the rhythm of my life and, in some ways, made it predictable. I can count on daily medications, monthly bloodwork, and regular imaging tests and specialist appointments. But, in other ways, my life is now full of curveballs — like when my disease unexpectedly flared up again, and I was hospitalized for a second time. 

During that second hospitalization, I couldn’t sleep. One night, I found myself doing some late-night scrolling and came across a video with the following caption: “This is your sign to make a 2026 bingo card.” In the video, TikTok user Giuliana Olmos created several bingo cards and used stickers and markers to fill the squares with handwritten goals, such as read 6,000 pages, go to a Dodgers game, and explore a new city.

After planning my year around medical appointments and medications that alter my mood and energy level — and in the midst of a second hospitalization that derailed what I thought my life would look like — the bingo card vision board called to me as a way to take back some control over my life. Plus, the gamified nature and flexibility of it sounded like fun. Here’s what happened when I created one for 2026.

You might be familiar with a traditional vision board, which is a collage of images and words to help you envision your goals, dreams, and aspirations. In contrast, TikTok’s bingo card vision boards are more like the game of bingo. Even if you haven’t played, the rules are straightforward: You have a scorecard made up of 25 squares, and the goal is to get five squares in a row. They can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. 

Bingo means you win. Think of your bingo card vision board as your scorecard. And the idea is to cross off your goals and get as many bingos as possible. 

The bingo card vision board trend seems to have originated with TikTok user Erin Jones, who posted a video in 2023 explaining how she decided to turn her goals into a game. “I’m turning my New Year’s resolutions into a bingo card, and now that it is a game, I’m going to win,” she says in the video. “I’m going to get multiple bingos.” 

The new year is a good time to reflect on your goals, but you can start a bingo card vision board anytime you want to reset and focus on yourself. Creating one can be a solo activity, or you can lean on others for support with goal-setting. Consider inviting friends over and having a fun crafting night, or making it your date night like this couple did. 

Typically, when you create a vision board, you might cut out photos from magazines or collect images for a Pinterest board. “A vision board helps you stay inspired, motivated, and maybe even manifest your goals for the new year,” says Tracy Vadakumchery, a New York City licensed mental health counselor, also known as The Bad Indian Therapist. “It sets the tone and helps you focus on how you would like to feel.”

While a traditional vision board can serve as a roadmap for the future, it can also fall short when you’re struggling to identify your goals or find the motivation to achieve them. “Vision boards can be very inspiring … but for some folks, a vision board can represent lofty and vague goals that aren’t always realistic,” says Vadakumchery.

The key difference with a bingo card vision board is that, like DIY punch cards, it has a built-in incentive to encourage you to keep revisiting your goals. “A bingo card helps gamify your goals, and encourages taking small steps,” Vadakumchery explains. “Those small bingo card squares also encourage you to be specific because there’s only so much you can write in a small space.”

Vadakumchery adds that bingo cards can be especially helpful for people with ADHD or depression, or those who feel overwhelmed by setting goals or tend to aim for lofty goals or unrealistic timelines. “A bingo card activates the hormone dopamine because you want to cross off or put down a chip on every box,” she says. “You also get to visually see how much you’ve accomplished so far, which is important because we sometimes lose sight of how the little things are a big deal.”

Vadakumchery’s advice is to start your bingo card by setting intentions rather than goals or resolutions. Then, try to be specific and clear about what you want and whether it’s feasible for you. Treat your bingo card as a visual reminder of your goals and return to it any time you’re looking for some direction or motivation.

You’ll need thick or heavy paper, pens, markers, and a ruler. Stickers are optional, but fun. To create a 5×5 grid, start by drawing six vertical lines and six horizontal lines, so you end up with 25 squares total. You can use your ruler to space your squares evenly. 

Then begin filling your squares with goals. For example, you can include a goal like having a no-spend month where you’re focused on saving money; doing something fun and rewarding, like going on a vacation or attending a concert; working on daily habits, like walking or meditating; or focusing on a specific accomplishment, such as getting a promotion or starting a side hustle. Think fun and doable. 

Lastly, you can treat the center square as a free or bonus space. For example, you can use it for your birthday or add something you’ve crossed off your to-do list to create some momentum. And remember to keep your board in a place where you can see it and keep track of how many bingos you get. 

As someone who has made my share of collages and vision boards, I found the idea of creating a bingo card version fun and unique. The bingo card helped me think through my goals and focus on what I wanted to accomplish. Instead of looking for outside inspiration, brainstorming ideas for my bingo card encouraged me to look inward and reflect on what I value and what motivates me to achieve my goals.

I also loved how the bingo card would give me the opportunity to pause and reflect on things I would normally dismiss as just another day in my life. For example, I wrote a goal to buy myself a treat following an appointment for an echocardiogram. It’s not just about getting through the exam, which involves a lot of poking and prodding. Creating a bingo card helped me acknowledge all the small steps in between and reward myself for the progress I’ve made since I last had this exam in 2025.

I found some thick cardstock from my scrapbooking days. Because I’m a perfectionist, I used a pencil to mark out a 5×5 grid and went over it with a ruler and a Sharpie. I have myositis (muscle weakness), which made it a little tricky to keep the lines straight. 

Before filling my squares, I wrote down a list of goals and habits I wanted to work on this year on a separate sheet of paper. I thought about broad themes like health, relationships, finances, and career. Then, I tried to think of something specific and doable related to that theme. For example, when I thought of finances, I wrote down one goal: Start an emergency pet fund, because I have two dogs. Other examples could be creating a monthly budget or starting a savings account. 

When I look at the finished product, I can’t help but think that the old me, before my diagnosis, would wince at some of these goals. I used to be able to walk for an hour without worrying if I was getting enough air. Now, I have to check my oxygen level while walking on a flat surface for 15 minutes to make sure the number doesn’t get below 90. Despite these limitations, my bingo card is a visual reminder that even with all of life’s curveballs, I still have goals I want to accomplish, all while listening to my body and learning to prioritize my health.