My Word for 2026

Mandy Ford
Jan 3
2 min read

It is hard to believe that January is here and it's time for word of the year again! Do you choose a word for your year? I've been picking one since 2011 - whoa that is a long time. 15 years of words!

When I begin thinking about choosing a word for the new year, I start keeping a list of any words or feelings that pop up. I think about how I want to feel and how I want to show up for myself.

Over the last few months I have been feeling a major shift and experiencing light bulb moments of realizing tendencies and thought processes that are harmful and not serving me as I move forward. Any time a word would pop up that felt tied to this, I would add it to my list. After compiling quite a long list of words, "release" rose to the top as my choice for 2026.

release

[ri-lees]/ rɪˈlis /

a freeing or releasing from confinement, obligation, pain, emotional strain, etc.
liberation from anything that restrains or fastens.

Then I started documenting what I want to release, and as I typed each one I felt my shoulders dropping and my jaw loosening...like a major exhale.

The past five years

The weight

The trauma

The self judgement

The expectations

The conditioning

The responsibility

The guilt

The ownership of what isn't mine

The need for approval

The need to please

The need to explain myself

The need to conform

I've been holdng on to so much. And I know this is a long list that can't be accomplished over night or even in a year. I am hoping over the next few years I can experience a significant release of these tensions I've been holding and feel at peace with myself.

Yesterday I pulled out my crafting supplies and created a collage for my word. Every year I like to create or buy something that will help me stay focused on my word and this felt like the perfect creative "release." I love how it turned out!

Here is my full list of words since I began in 2011. It is so nostalgic to look back on each word and think about how each one helped me navigate different seasons of life.

2026 - release

2025 - reclaim

2024 - ease

2023 - emerge

2022 - I didn't choose a word

2021 - remember

2020 - manifesting

2019 - and

2018 - balance

2017 - magic

2016 - renew

2015 - leap

2014 - become

2013 - grow

2012 - commit

2011 - action

If you are looking for some help in choosing your word for 2026, I have a free mini course you can grab over on my website! Scroll down a bit and you'll find it.