What’s your word for the year 2026?

I’ve been choosing a word for the year for several years, and it’s a practice I’ve happily passed on to the women of the See Jane Write Collective.

Some years, I’ve picked three words. In other years, I’ve chosen a phrase.

Some years, I get completely obsessed with the word that I chose. It becomes my mantra or prayer that I constantly whisper. Other years—like this year, I must admit—I forget which word I picked until someone asks me.

Reflections on My Word for the Year 2025

I chose the word BOLD for 2025 because I wanted to make bold moves in all areas of my life and because I wanted to look back on this year and say it was a time when I was “boldly becoming the woman I am meant to be.”

Last week, when I was having dinner with a friend, we started discussing our word for 2026, and she asked me what word I’d picked for 2025. I couldn’t remember. I had to scroll through my Instagram for the answer.

Once I saw that it was BOLD, I was about to declare that I’d failed to live up to that word because I didn’t boldly pitch all the media outlets on my Byline Bucket List. But then I remembered that my phrase for 2025 was “Boldly becoming.” I can proudly say that this year I’ve done just that. This year, I have felt more confident in who I am and excited about who I’m becoming than ever before – not because I’ve checked every box on every to-do list. I’ve been FAR from perfect in just about every facet of life. But I’ve released the need to be perfect. And this has brought me incredible peace.

Why I Choose a Word for the Year

I like to choose my word for the year before I set my annual aspirations because I use my word to help guide which goals I decide to focus on. And even if my goals for the year change, my word for the year helps me stay true to my vision and values. That’s why I think having a word is so important. It’s like your True North or guiding light.

In 2022, I was praying for ABUNDANCE. But after careful reflection, I realized that I was too focused on material wealth — instead of true wealth. So my word for 2023 was ELEVATE, a charge to focus not on having more stuff but on having more experiences that make life feel abundant. I wanted to challenge myself to stop playing small and to live out loud.

In 2021, my word was RESTORATION because in 2020, cancer had taken so much from me. Nonetheless, I feel that in 2020, my prayer for GROWTH was answered. After all, you must prune before you can bloom.

How I Choose My Word for the Year

Oftentimes, the events of the previous year inspire my word for the new year. For example, at the end of 2018, I felt like I had lived the same year twice. So my word for 2019 was CHANGE and I set the big, hairy audacious goal to quit my teaching job and become a full-time writer and entrepreneur (or writerpreneur) and I did!

Sometimes I simply choose a word that’s been tugging at my heart, stirring my soul and staying on my mind.

Other times, I choose my word after working through some journal prompts (which I’ll share below). That’s how my 2026 word came about.

My Word for 2026

My word for 2026 is BALANCE.

This is a controversial choice for me. I am the person who loves to declare that balance is a unicorn. For years, I thought balance wasn’t possible. I believed balance didn’t exist. But 2025 showed me that I had simply misunderstood what balance really means.

I used to think balance meant doing all the things all the time. But now I know it means doing the right things at the right time. I used to offer operating in seasons as an alternative to balance. Now I see it is the gateway to it and the pathway to peace.

This past year has had no shortage of challenges. My father had open-heart surgery, and my mother continues to battle her own health issues. I lost two friends to breast cancer. I struggled with anhedonia for most of the summer and had a horrible experience with a client that made me want to shut down my one-on-one coaching program.  

This year, I learned how to make time for self-care even while taking care of my parents.  My business didn’t grow the way I had hoped, but this was the first year I finally felt like the CEO of my life. And I felt like a boss because I felt balanced. I want to hold on to that in 2026.

Journaling Prompts to Help You Choose Your Word for the Year

Choosing a word for the year can be simple, even if you’ve never done it before. Below you’ll find some journaling prompts to help you get started.

Looking back at 2025, what worked well and what didn’t?

In 2025, when did you feel the happiest or most at peace?

What important lessons did you learn in 2025?

What words best describe the person you want to be in 2026?

What are your top 5 values?

How do you want 2026 to feel?

What do you want more of in 2026?

What do you want less of in 2026?

What words best describe the things you want to accomplish in 2026?

How to Use Journal Prompts for Your Word of the Year

When considering things that didn’t work well and things you want less of, you can use antonyms to help generate possible words for 2026. For example, if 2025 was so hectic that you couldn’t really enjoy your life, you may want to choose a word like PEACE, CALM, or MARGIN for 2026.

The journaling prompts above should yield a long list of words. Spend some time with those words and choose the one that speaks to you the most. Then let me know in the comments what you chose!

You may only need one prompt to pick your word. I came to the word BALANCE after this prompt: In 2025, when did you feel the happiest or most at peace?

In my journal, I wrote: This year, I was happiest and most at peace when my life felt busy but balanced.

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Choosing a word for the year is one of the first things we’ll be doing during the Write the Vision: 2026 Goal Setting and Planning Workshop.

Set for Sunday, December 14 at 4 p.m. CT, this two-hour workshop will help you set goals for the year, decide which to focus on first, and develop a plan so you can actually accomplish the goals you set.

And it’s FREE. Sign up here.