A Word for the Year: Power

I love a new year. I always have.

There’s something about the calendar turning that gives me permission to pause—to audit how I spent my time, what I said yes to, what I said no to, and what actually mattered.

Over the past handful of years, I’ve been choosing a word of the year. Not a resolution. Not a checklist. A word that acts like more like a compass than a burden.

My word for 2025 was Creativity. This Substack exists because of that word.

Creativity gave me permission to write imperfectly. To publish before I was ready. To explore ideas without needing them to become optimized or impressive or useful. Sometimes expression is the outcome.

As I look back on this year, I feel something I don’t always slow down enough to name:
Satisfied.
Happy.
Fulfilled.

I focused on fewer things—more.

More presence with my family.
More intention in my work.
More care for my body.

I made real progress toward being healthier. I stretched beyond survival and into growth. Thriving is different than keeping up. It’s proactive, not reactive.

When life feels full (sometimes overflowing), “new” can feel threatening. New means change. Uncertainty. Disruption. New most certainly means more work. It’s easier to prioritize stability in the hopes of just not dropping the ball.

But I’ve always believed newness is opportunity. A fresh start. A chance to realign.

As I thought about my word for 2026, my instinct was Strengthen—to continue expanding on the foundation I built in 2025.

Then a friend said, “Strength implies there’s something you have to be strong for. What about power?”

Power.

Stepping into it.
Taking it back.
Harnessing it.

Just feeling it.

Power isn’t bracing.
It isn’t defensive.

Power is ownership.

Power comes from inside.

It’s knowing where your energy goes—and choosing it deliberately.
It’s trusting your instincts without over-explaining them.
It’s building from alignment instead of obligation.

Sometimes power looks like restraint.
Sometimes it looks like clarity.
Sometimes it looks like rest.

So I decided, I like it - my word for 2026 is Power.

Here’s to a new year.
Here’s to possibility.
Here’s to power.

Do you have a word for 2026? I’m always curious and inspired by what are friends around me are building towards… let’s help each other!