Choosing My Word of the Year for 2026

If you’ve been following me for a while, you may remember my post about choosing my word of the year back in early 2025. In it, I revisited the journey of selecting my words beginning in 2021 and how each one shaped me. Now, as we welcome a new year, it’s time once again to choose a word that will guide me in the months ahead. Time has flown!

My word for 2025 was align, and as I reflect on the past year, I’m struck by how powerfully that single word shaped my decisions, inspired my actions, and brought me joy. It asked me—sometimes gently, sometimes firmly—to let my choices pass an internal test. Was this aligned with who I’m becoming? With what I value? With the life I want to create?

How “Align” Guided My Year

2025 gifted me one of the great joys of my life: the chance to fulfill a lifelong dream of going on safari in Tanzania. I was invited to join an existing group with an itinerary already in place, and the moment I said yes, I felt that click of alignment—my soul whispering, “This is yours.”

“Align” also supported me in:

• Prioritizing my Sacred No so I could stand fully in my Embodied Yes

• Speaking my truth even when my voice trembled

• Fortifying cherished friendships and allowing others to release naturally—my own version of weeding the friendship garden

• Following my longing to create a celebration for my 60th birthday, bringing together friends and family in a new place, honoring connection, joy, and the woman I’ve become

As I planned that celebration, the word align stood beside me like a quiet friend, asking whether the people I invited, the energy I invested, and even the resources I devoted reflected the values I hold around abundance, connection, and authenticity.

Even the small, everyday choices—meaningful friendships, slower conversations, and conscious decisions about where I said yes—were gently shaped by alignment.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Remembering how “align” served me this year naturally led me to ask:What do I want to invite into my life in 2026?

Since my youngest left for college in 2024, I’ve been experimenting with how I spend my time. For years, the school calendar guided my decisions—when I could travel, how long I could be away, how often I needed to be home. Now, there’s more freedom, and I’ve fully embraced it, taking longer trips and exploring more of the world.

But on my most recent trip, I was gone for seven weeks…and it was too long. When I returned home, I needed nearly two weeks just to recalibrate. That experience made it clear that 2026 will be about finding the right rhythm: a balance between savoring my home routine and expanding my comfort zone through travel.

Being home a bit more will also allow me to devote more energy to my business—supporting more people, creating more, sharing more—and that is one of my deepest intentions for the year ahead. I also want to continue prioritizing my health: nourishing food, movement, and being more mindful about how many glasses of wine are truly aligned with how I want to feel.

And at the same time, I want to keep adding new countries, new states, and new connections to my life—because those experiences light me up.

Choosing the Word

To choose my word of the year, I journaled about how 2025 feels as it draws to a close. What came through clearly is that 2026 feels like a year of integration and expansion with rhythm and grace. I want to call in abundance, creative flow, and growth that feels alive rather than chaotic—an outward blossoming that’s anchored in inner steadiness.

Some of the words that surfaced were:

• Harmonize – bringing inner truth, business, and life rhythm into seamless cooperation

• Evolve – expanding naturally from all you’ve already become

• Expand – a continuation of “align,” but with more reach, confidence, and spaciousness

• Bloom – beauty, fullness, and natural expression

• Flourish – maximizing growth in all areas; taking alignment to a new level

I narrowed it down to Flourish and Harmonize. Harmonize felt aligned with integration, but I sensed I’m not quite there yet. It feels like a word for the next season of life—perhaps my companion for 2027.

My internal compass pointed unwaveringly to Flourish.

What “Flourish” Means to Me

To me, flourish carries a vibrant, generous energy. It’s not just about growing—it’s about thriving. Flourish evokes images of lushness, vitality, and a life that expands in every direction with ease and confidence. It means being well-nourished from the inside out: emotionally, spiritually, creatively, and physically. It’s growth that feels good. Growth that feels natural. Growth that feels like becoming more of who I already am.

Flourish calls me to step into abundance without forcing anything, to allow new experiences to root and blossom, and to trust that I can thrive in both the quiet rhythms of home and the wide-open spaces of the world.

It aligns perfectly with how I want 2026 to feel.

Daily Practices to Anchor Your Word of the Year

Now that I’ve chosen my word, the question becomes: How do I weave this energy into my daily life?

Here are the practices I’ll be using—and ones you can adopt once you choose your own word:

1. Morning Intention (1–2 minutes)

Close your eyes, place your hand over your heart, and say silently:“Today I flourish. I invite abundance, creativity, and joy into every area of my life.”

2. Spot the Growth (5 minutes of journaling)

Write down one area of your life where you’re expanding or thriving—relationships, career, creativity, inner peace. Notice how it feels in your body.

3. Micro-Action (throughout the day)

Take one inspired step that moves you toward flourishing—reach out to a friend, start a creative idea, follow a spark of curiosity, nourish your body, or open yourself to something new.

4. Evening Reflection (2–3 minutes)

Ask yourself:

• Where did I notice abundance today?

• How did I express creativity?

• What small win can I celebrate?

These simple practices subtly pull your word into your decisions, your energy, and your way of being. Over time, they shift not just your habits, but your identity.

A Final Invitation

Choosing a single word to accompany you for a year can feel daunting, but try not to overthink it. There are many words that could serve you well, and your intuition will lead you to the one that resonates the most. A word can become a steady companion—comforting, clarifying, and surprisingly powerful when life feels uncertain.

I’d love to hear what you choose.Leave a comment and share your word—and check in throughout the year to let us know how it’s guiding you in unexpected ways.