Inspiration
Self-care Express: Your Word of the Year
The month of January, named for the Roman god Janus who looks both forward and back, is a natural time for both review and planning. If you are new here, we’ve taken this occasion for the past few years to declare a Word of the Year for ourselves.
What is the point and power of this word? It’s a theme (oh! and if you have a theme, do you maybe want a theme song??) and a reminder, and a statement of intent.
If we keep our word in front of our eyes and our mind, it helps create the world we want to live in.
This year, before we forge ahead and choose our 2026 WOTY (if you already have, it’s all to the good), I suggest taking a look back. Especially if you’ve been doing this for a few years.
What do you see about the relationship of these Words to each other?
What’s the nature and structure of their relationship?
- Is it an oscillation? A pendulum swing?
- Is it a spiral? Do the words recapitulate one another?
- Do you see a deepening journey?
- Or is it an adventurous smorgasbord, fresh and new every time?
It goes without saying they’re all good! It just might be interesting to know something about your approach, so you can appreciate the wisdom in the way you’ve played with this little practice.
Another way to look back is to observe how these words influenced your world. A big word is a magic spell, after all, and as the magicians say, magic always produces results. Let’s note last year’s results (especially the successes!) before moving on.
In the comments below, tell us about your results from WOTY 2025, if you want. And of course, your WOTY 2026! We can’t wait to read them.
PS: I have a phrase this year: USE IT UP! We’ll talk about that soon.
Resources
In case you’re thinking of a knuckle tattoo and your WOTY has eight letters, generate your pattern here. Or if you’re not ready for ink, you can create the image, print it out, and post it on the fridge, which is what I’ve done.
For a deeper dive, here are previous WOTY discussions from 2025, 2024, 2023, and 2022.
Image credit: Woman in a Yellow Dress, Jules Chéret, c. 1900. Minneapolis Institute of Art. Used with permission.
My word of the year is COMPASSION
2025 was STRENGTH
2024 was FORGIVENESS
I like thinking about how they intersect.
My word is, “declutter”, which i had to shorten to, “DCLUTTER” to generate a tattoo. It turned out pretty cool and goes along with another WOTY, “FLOW”. THANX, I love your posts.
My 2026 word is “Savor”.
It’s time to go deep,slow down and take time to notice with the senses.
Last year was Balance.
One of the monks who is doing the Walk for Peace calmly told a reporter that we should aim to do one thing at a time. So much flows from that. So I’m going with FOCUS as my word of the year. It takes a ton of effort to do one thing at a time—and when I manage to focus, it feels so good, so peaceful, so simple.
LOVE this as a word of the year. Thank you!
I needed to hear this. Thank you.
2025 = gather
2026 = create
2026: RESTORE . . . a personal journey of sorts during a time of transition. Restore the joy, restore the focus, restore the curiosity . . .
My WOTY is ADVENTURE. This is my first year to select a word. In the past I would think about it and was never able to come up with a single word to describe my intent, this year ADVENTURE popped into my head and it feels so right.
A great word!
2025 = RAGE
2026 = COURAGE
(Totally using Margaret’s GREAT format! Kudos)
I’m building on last year’s WOTY because it served me very well. Controlled RAGE applied with reason & compassion helped me to encouRAGE others into 1st-step actions (on SO many levels).
This year, COURAGE is needed (on SO many levels) and it’s definitely built on/from last year’s WOTY.
You might be interested in one of the workshops inspired by Bishop Mariann Budde’s book How We Learn to be Brave. The book is good, and so is the workshop if you can get a spot. https://mariannbudde.substack.com/p/be-brave-together?utm_source=%2Fbrowse%2Ffaith&utm_medium=reader2
I’ve never chosen a word but maybe this year needs one.
Honestly I have never done this. However after listening to a brief podcast I found myself pondering a word – what would it be as I consider retirement this year. All the words that initially came to mind were “action” oriented like “transform.” Then after further contemplation STILL or STILLNESS sat on my shoulder and quietly gazed at me.
My word this year is LISTEN. It’s hard to do, but I need to learn from it.
While planning my seed order for this year, I picked PURPLE as a theme for the garden. I don’t see why this can’t also be a WOTY. I am picking a color for my clothes each month. This month it’s black, gray and brown, but in February it will be purple. Not sure after that. Some purple ink for drawing would be good. Rather than a moral direction, mine is an aesthetic direction.
After a fair amount of thought I decided My WOTY is contentment. This word takes a lot of the outside noise out of your head. Gratitude , harmony and inner peace.
My word of the year is GODSGIFT. The older I get the more I realize each day is a true gift so don’t waste it and be thankful!
I’ve got a few swirling in my head. Will be back with a WOTY when I’ve pondered my options a bit more.
Perhaps because I was just reading the news (Minneapolis!?) my word is Resolute. I have to stand firm for what I believe in and what I believe our country should and could be.
I haven’t done this before, but my word is FINISH. I am a great starter, but a poor finisher. There is always some new, shiny project begging to be started. Currently, two pairs of socks on needles, one shawl, one sweater that needs a yoke, and I just signed up for Bang Out a Sweater! And that doesn’t count the unfinished quilts!
I haven’t done this before, but I love it! My word this year is CHANGE. Things will be changing around me and I hope for CHANGE in the larger world.
Courage
Declutter. I just retired. I need to ‘clean house’ mentally, emotionally and literally. It’s going to be a great year!
My 2026 word is LUCKY as defined by Nathan Fillion. 2025 was True as in To thine own self be true. I have 10 years of words lined up and building on each other
Max, I always love, love your posts. You speak to my heart. I had a total knee replacement surgery last July and on Monday had my other knee replaced so my word this year is WALK. It seems simple, almost everyone does it, yet it has profound significance for me. For two years, I have been struggling to walk as both knees were bone on bone, no cartilage left. During that time, I have dreamed of walking and walking and walking. I’m almost there and that is how I will spend my time in 2026. Savoring the simple act of walking.
This is my first time to choose, and the word I keep landing on is RESILIENCE. Then I looked at last year’s post about that being triggering. I hope this reasoning isn’t: I’m feeling like life and my reaction to it is becoming very brittle, and I would prefer to not break. I’m not looking at it as being knocked down and bouncing back up with a smile.
I have pondered but never officially chosen a word. This year, I am: BRAVERY.
My word of the year is stewardship. I like the reminder to pay attention and take deep care of the people and spaces around me.