Not a resolution. Not a long list of goals that gets forgotten after a few weeks. Just one word that becomes a guide for the year ahead. A word that helps shape my decisions, mindset, and direction.

For 2026, my word is Courage.

Courage: The strength to move forward with purpose, to create, to heal, and to grow into the next version of myself. It is choosing bold action while staying true to who I am, trusting that every step carries me toward the life I’m building.

For me, this isn’t just a word. It represents a new season of life.

Why I Choose a Word of the Year

I have been choosing a Word of the Year for many years because a single word gives me something to return to throughout the year.

A word can become:

• A reminder of your priorities
• A filter for decision-making
• A source of motivation
• A way to stay grounded when life changes
• A guide for personal growth

My past words have reflected different seasons of my life:

• 2025: Ignite
• 2024: Dare, Dream, Do
• 2023: Resolve
• 2022: Create
• 2021: Achieve

Each word represented what I needed most at that point in my journey.

For 2026, I kept coming back to one thing: Strength.

And strength led me to Courage.

A Year of Big Change

The past year brought one of the biggest transitions of my professional life.

After more than ten years of being self-employed and building my own business, I stepped into a completely different season.

I made the decision to take a job.

That decision was not about walking away from my dreams. It was about making space for something that needed my attention: My health.

That choice came with a lot of emotions.

• Uncertainty
• Excitement
• Change
• Growth
• Questions about identity
• New opportunities

And if I am being honest, it took courage.

Courage Means More Than Being Fearless

People often think courage means having no fear.

I see it differently.

For me, courage means moving forward even when things feel uncertain.

Courage means:

• Taking bold steps into new chapters
• Continuing to create and share ideas
• Prioritizing health and well-being
• Showing up authentically
• Trusting the process, even when I cannot see the full path ahead
• Choosing progress over perfection

I Am Still a Creator

One thing I realized during this transition is that changing direction does not mean losing yourself.

I may have stepped into a different season professionally, but there are parts of me that are still deeply important:

• Storytelling
• Writing
• Community building
• Creative projects
• Sharing ideas and experiences

Those things did not disappear.

I am still a creator.

If anything, I want to nurture those parts of myself even more.

My Hope for 2026

This year, I want courage to show up in both the big moments and the small ones.

I want courage in:

• The big decisions
• The first steps
• The creative risks
• The difficult days
• The quiet moments no one else sees

Because sometimes courage is not loud.

Sometimes courage looks like simply continuing.

Welcome to my Year of Courage.

Every year, I choose a word that serves as a guide. It becomes a reminder of the energy I want to bring into my life and the direction I want to move toward.

For 2025, my word was Ignite.

Ignite: To spark passion, energy, and momentum in every area of my life.

At the beginning of the year, I was thinking about movement. About creating momentum. About waking up parts of myself that may have been sitting quietly for too long.

Looking back now, Ignite showed up in ways I didn’t fully expect.

Some sparks came through change. Some came through creativity. Some came through saying yes to new opportunities and making decisions that supported the bigger picture of my life.

Not every spark has to become a wildfire.

Sometimes ignition simply means taking the first step. Starting again. Allowing yourself to rediscover what energizes you.

As I continue moving forward, I can already see how Ignite helped prepare me for what comes next.

What word has guided your year?

Dare — This year, I’m challenging myself to push beyond my comfort zone. To dare is to be bold, to take risks, and to embrace the unknown with courage. It’s about not holding back and allowing myself to go after what scares me most.

Dream — I’m giving myself permission to dream bigger than ever before. Dreams are the spark that ignites creativity and vision, and in 2024, I’m not placing limits on what I can imagine for my life and work. Every achievement starts with a dream, and this year, I want to let those dreams soar.

Do — Action is where the magic happens. In 2024, I’m committing to turning my dreams and dares into reality. Doing means taking the necessary steps, staying consistent, and making things happen one day at a time. It’s not enough to dream; I must take action.

This year, I will dare, I will dream, and I will do. What will you do in 2024.

To me, “resolve” means showing firm determination—an unwavering commitment to my direction, plan of action, and the tasks needed to reach my goals. It’s about more than just setting goals; it’s about having the discipline to follow through, adapt when necessary, and stay the course no matter what challenges come my way.

Choosing one word each year helps me stay grounded and focused, empowering me to create the life I envision. For 2023, my resolve will drive me to create, build, and grow in every area of my life. What’s your guiding word this year?

SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. By following these guidelines, you can create clear, focused, and achievable goals, increasing your chances of success.

Here’s a breakdown of each step in the SMART goal-setting process:

1. Specific: Your goals should be specific and clearly defined. This means being clear about what you want to accomplish and how you will do it. For example, instead of setting a goal to “increase sales,” you might set a goal to “increase sales by 20% by implementing a new marketing campaign.”
2. Measurable: Your goals should be measurable. Making them measurable lets you track your progress and know when you’ve achieved them. This means including quantifiable metrics in your goals, such as “increase sales by 20%” or “attract 100 new customers.”
3. Achievable: Your goals should be achievable, meaning they are realistic and within reach. While it’s essential to aim high and challenge yourself, if you set unrealistic goals, it can lead to frustration and disappointment.
4. Relevant: Your goals should be relevant to your business and its long-term goals. They should align with your values, mission, and vision and be in line with your current resources and capabilities.
5. Time-bound: Your goals should have a specific timeline; this provides a sense of urgency and motivates you to take action. This can be a specific date or a set period of time, such as “increase sales by 20% within the next six months.”

By creating SMART goals for your business, you’ll set yourself up for success and progress toward achieving your long-term objectives. Remember to review and revise your goals regularly to remain relevant and aligned with your business needs.

This Hubspot article will walk you through the steps to creating SMART goals and provide you with a free template.

What you see here is thanks to some research I did using the Internet Archive, where I was able to recover a few pieces of my old posts. But the truth is, most of the content is gone.

I’ve been reflecting on whether I’ll ever get back to posting as consistently as I once did. It’s a tough loss to accept, but I wanted to take a moment to explain why there’s currently so little content on the site. Thank you for sticking with me as I rebuild—this is just the beginning of a fresh new chapter. Stay tuned!

CREATE

The definition of CREATE is to cause something to happen as a result of one’s actions.

ACHIEVE

The definition for ACHIEVE really resonated with me — “successfully reach a desired objective by effort, skill, or courage.” After a pandemic (and it’s still during a pandemic), and after everything that’s been affected by the events of the past year, I need to focus on what helps me reach my desired objectives.

• Engage
• Create
• Self

• Focus
• Now
• Invest