2026 Word of the Year: Return

Hello 2026. I am in disbelief that the year is over already.

How did that happen? I feel like every year, time slips by that much faster. If you know me at all, you’ll see that I’m 100% down some rabbit holes, but time doesn’t seem real anymore. These last few months of 2025 have been deep. Deeper reflections, slower moments.

When I thought that I was getting ahead of the game, life handed me sick kids (and then made me ill). But life also gave me less stress with fewer dinners and commitments during the busiest season of all. #grateful (is this aging me?)

I’m bringing it back old-school a little. I’m bringing back the word of the year. Remember when these were “the thing” to do? After a long couple of months doing some deep soul-diving, I’m ready to bring it back for the new year. I’m digging deep into the archives and honestly can’t find me doing one of these (although I could have sworn I did!!). So here we go. If last year’s word for me was “grounding”, this year’s is:

Return

This year is about me returning to my roots. Not self-shaming because I’ve fallen off my goals, just gently allowing it and then I return.

Not going backwards or living in the past, but bringing aspects of my past back to the forefront. The things that served me, like writing. Allowing the creative side of me to come back, without apology, urgency, or explanation.

It’s me, not waiting for permission to start.

My Mantra for this year “I don’t start over. I return.”

2026 isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about remembering who I was before the noise, and choosing her again, on purpose.

I beat myself up when I don’t manage to maintain the goals I’ve made up in my mind, and then it’s so hard for me to get back into that rhythm or routine. The best example is my physio. I know I need to do it, I get into a rhythm of a few weeks or a few days, and then life happens. And then I beat myself up mentally for not continuing, putting so much pressure on myself.

Instead, I want to take a deep breath and mentally tell myself, “I return,” and pick it up again. Of course, this will be easier said than done. But it’s all about changing mindsets! I struggle with consistency, so fingers crossed that this helps.

A Return to Journaling

I did a huge deep dive into my old journals, and it made me LAUGH out loud. But also encouraged me to pick up the journal I had started earlier this year and write again. In an interview with Stephen Colbert, Emma Thompson discussed the brain’s connection to the hand in writing, and how she first writes by hand before doing anything else. And I agree wholeheartedly. Sometimes I find it difficult to get the creativity to write going if I’m just sitting at the computer. Not impossible, but just stilted.

And I gotta say, being able to re-read them? Priceless.

This year, it’s not about goals

It’s almost about vibes, but it’s not even that. It’s about staying present and keeping gentle reminders to not spiral.

Reading over some of my past “New Year’s” posts, some were detail-oriented, some were just rambling about keeping it together (hey 2021, I’m looking at you), so this is a mix of both. I have some projects I’d like to complete before the end of the year, but I’m also realizing that I don’t need to put extra pressure on myself when I’m running a household and managing the lives of 3 other people.

Let’s keep it real. Keep it consistent.

Let’s return.

J x

If you want to read last year’s post, check it out here.