Now that we are officially back in business [and by that I mean back to school + work this week], it’s time to start living out our best lives for 2026. I’m not going to lie… 2025 was a great year—filled with many accomplishments and successes—but it was also full of challenges. Walking through family loss, overcoming obstacles both personally + professionally, and of course the everyday stress that life brings, all shaped this past year. All in all, I feel good about what the past 365 days looked like, but I am ready to write the next chapter in my life and usher in all that 2026 will bring.
But before I chat about my next word of the year, let’s revisit where we’ve been—the road much traveled—taking a high-level look at what I’ve set my sights on over the past seven years, when I started saying no to lofty resolutions and focused more on one singular word…
Taking it back to 2025, balance shaped my life and taught me to shift my perspective. In 2024, I learned to savor every single thing God brought my way. 2023 was geared to inspire not only myself but others as well. 2022 showed the true meaning of living with heart, and 2021 helped me celebrate1 the good, the bad, and the ugly. 2020 focused on all things joy, and for my very first word of the year back in 2019, it was to invest in the things I love most.
Looking back, it’s amazing to see how a single word can help shape so many areas of life—relationships, faith, career, and even the everyday moments in between. Once again, I started brainstorming during the holidays, jotting down words that felt meaningful for this next chapter, and then I came to you, asking what word you saw for me for 2026… P.S. I love getting feedback, and here are some of the top words that were repeated over and over again:
But in the end, I put pen to paper and really got down to the nitty gritty to what I’m hoping 2026 brings my way and what all I’m hopeful for within the next 12 months… with that, my official word of the year is EMBRACE. When I sat down on Sunday reading my new devotional, the word literally popped up on my page after it had made it to the shortlist and I knew I had found my motto for 2026.
Embrace fits my life for so many reasons:
+ Learning to Adapt | Embracing the change that comes my way in both my career and my personal life.
+ Growth | Choosing to evolve with an embrace-type mindset that aligns every part of who I am.
+ Focusing on the Positive | Embrace implies a choice—to lean into the good and gently step away from what no longer serves me.
+ Accepting the Unknown | Whatever comes my way, I will embrace it and make the very best of every situation.
It feels like the perfect word for where I am right now—seeking a fresh start while learning from the past, growing through change, and leading with hope, optimism, and encouragement. It reflects a deeper sense of purpose in who I am and who I am becoming.
To bring this to life, you know I’m a visual person, so I always create a yearly vision board to serve as a daily reminder… and this year’s board is no different. It captures the details of how I plan to EMBRACE everything that comes my way in 2026.
And more than anything—embracing what I love and what I am passionate about.
Dressing for Myself + My Life, Not the Grid
Not focusing on what may or may not be appealing to my social media life, but what brings me joy inside my closet AND out in the read world and my daily moments: running errands, coffee dates, travel time, messy days and more. I love to use my style as self expression, not an outward point of validation from others and/or what the algorithms are expecting me to post!
Embracing Imperfection
Romanticizing my everyday life… it may not always be glamorous, but it’s mine and that enough is something to celebrate. Getting dressed everyday, sharing the ins and outs of my work, more behind the scenes moments = life isn’t polished perfectly and it’s fun to share the imperfections because it’s WAY more relatable.
Not Playing Scared
Sharing my opinions + what I love, saying what I mean and meaning what I say… this is all about making choices from desire, NOT fear. Not waiting to do something until I feel “ready” but going full force and diving in anyways because confidence is built through action! Another thing for me is the fear of failure but it’s OK to be bad at something because that will allow me to grow…
Making My Own Rules
This is one I am absolutely embracing this year… not living by someone else’s strategy but my very own. Deciding what success looks like to me and giving myself the permission to do it my way! This involves creating more non-negotiables and setting my worth by what matters most with setting internal rules to protect my future self.
Turning Up My Life
And last but not least, it’s time to turn things up… stretching myself outside the boundaries I’ve created previously. Wearing the special outfit on a normal day, using the fancy china for a regular dinner at home, trying a new hobby that otherwise would’ve intimidated me = basically bolder options in every aspect of my life!
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