Word of the year: Here are my demands for 2026
I’m not going to lie — 2025 was an uncomfortable year for me. I’m being quite diplomatic with the use of “uncomfortable”. Part of me wants to downgrade it to some profanity, but I am guarding against that urge. I’m trying to be kinder to myself, you see, since I do think I lived up to my 2025 Word of the Year, “Move”.
I physically moved my body (as the big 4-0 is creeping nearer, I’ve become quite obsessed with safeguarding my mobility!), through a gentle routine of walking, yoga and tai chi.
I did also “move” in my business. There was a firm shift in perspective (some of it planned, quite a bit of it forced); I worked towards goals of discovery and development (some of them reached, some needing to be reimagined). BUT, unfortunately I also made a mistake (thus causing the major discomfort): I become pretty complacent! For way too long, I’ve stopped branching out, but remained stagnant in the same little proverbial pot. I became root-bound; my soil grew stale and devoid of all moisture and nutrients.
Instead of realising this sooner, and making the decision to repot into a bigger pot with fresh soil and room to grow, I remained in my comfy little pot of denial for way too long. When massive change was forced upon me mid-way through 2025, it felt like my little pot was blown off the wall, shattering. Instead of a carefully thought out, structured and “safe” repot on my own terms, I am still dealing with the fall out (or ‘fall down’!): Seeking out a new, bigger pot; sourcing soil, nutrients, water; trimming old, damaged branches that are only weighing me down; easing my roots through unexplored territory… It feels like I’m starting from scratch. Not fun. In fact, at times it's been quite demoralising!
Of course, on our extended journeys, we tend to forget that we started out as seedlings. Instead of acknowledging our growth, we focus on the fall — the pain; the “what ifs” and “if only”…
Back to the whole ‘being kinder to myself’-thing: If falling off the wall doesn’t qualify as movement, I don’t know what does! Did I plan it? No. Did I enjoy the wild ride? Absolutely not. But, I’m trying to see it as the universe giving me a firm kick up the bum: A harsh reminder to always-always live spherically.
As I imagine my new, 2026 Word of the Year, I instinctively lean towards something sweet and gentle. Not a bad instinct, as I feel like we could all use a bit of sweet-and-gentle in our lives! I’m thinking, “Grow”. Good one, right? But then I take a moment to read through my note books from last year. I do this every year — it’s a great way to form a ‘summary’ of the year. I also go over things I wrote down that resonated with me (usually shared by my coach or one of the amazing women in my business support group).
“Sometimes we are just not ready to stand in our own confidence.”
“Allow yourself the opportunity to succeed.”
“Move from an undeserving-mentality to an abundance-mentality.”
These are just a few of the phrases that, read all at once, made me notice a striking pattern: I have a fear of success!
I know that may sound pretty irrational. “A fear of failure” seems much more likely. But I’ve passed that point — I’ve been making a living from my art for the better part of a decade! I have put myself and my work “out there”! The way I see it, fear of failure keeps you from showing up. Fear of success makes you doubt that you deserve the spotlight. Which explains why I have been sitting in the same pot for so long.
For this reason, I don’t want to settle for a Word of the Year that is sweet and gentle. I want something bold and daring; a word that a bold and daring person would use, that speaks directly to a desire to create success and wealth. No, that still sounds too sweet and gentle… Demands. A word that demands success and wealth.
ABUNDANCE.
When I hear this word, I feel powerful. I turn my leaves to the sun, expecting its life-giving warmth. Strengthened, my roots dig deeper and wider than before, anchoring me as my branches grow long and lush. I can already visualise them bearing fruit. Fruit that will not only feed me and my loved ones, but that will feed others, too.
This year, I will demand abundance. Abundance that will not change me, but empower me to empower others.
