One Word. One Year. So Much Freedom.

As I’ve shared before, resolutions really aren’t my thing. Instead, I lean into the One Word concept—choosing a single word and allowing my year to unfold around how that word shows up in my life (check out my other blog on this topic).  This year, my word is FREEDOM, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how often it has already appeared. Maybe freedom even means freedom from all the goals I feel pressured to set.  So, as I look ahead to 2026, I’ve been asking myself: What do I actually want this year to bring me? These are a few things currently on my mind.

Read

I want to read more. I’ve never been a “natural” reader, but it’s something I want to intentionally make space for—reading for pleasure, for spiritual wisdom, audiobooks during travel, and just plain reading for fun.

I’m proud to say I’ve already finished four books and am in the middle of a few others. If you’re a reader, you know how this goes:

• One by the bedside

• One by the recliner

• An audiobook for the car

• One in my office bag for no-shows

My most recent,  5:41, stories from the Joplin tornado—a beautiful book. Just not ideal when there’s a tornado warning in January like there was last week.

Self-Care (and all that entails)

I want to take a couple of days off each month—not because I have to, but because I need to. For much of my life, time off only happened when I was sick or when someone else needed me.

I hope to start taking time off simply to do things that bring me joy. I once interviewed with a company that didn’t allow PTO to roll over. Their philosophy was that it mattered for everyone to take their two weeks each year—whether in small chunks (which they preferred) or as an extended vacation. That idea has stayed with me.

Do a Sugar Fast

Eek. Ask me about this one in a few weeks.

The idea is to lean into God instead of sugar—or other things that distract us from our true calling. This one honestly terrifies me, but I know I can do it.

Move My Body

Notice I didn’t say exercise. I want to be intentional without being rigid. I’m not putting a number on it (even though many experts would like me to—hence all those books I’m reading).

I just want to be able to say: I moved today.
I stood a little longer.
I did a few squats between patients.
I walked on my under-the-desk treadmill.
I moved.

Get Enough Sleep

This one is hard. My menopausal body needs eight hours, but my overactive mind believes it needs far less.

This is about discipline, and I want to keep striving. If you struggle with sleep, I can’t say enough about sleep stories. I’m one of the lucky educators who received the CALM app for free during COVID—for life—and the sleep stories are my jam.

They distract my mind from the bedtime anxieties I’ve always battled, and I truly believe better sleep improves everything around me.

Drink More Water

See above (re: sugar fast).

I want to put things into my body that help me feel full and refreshed. I didn’t say I’m going to like it—but I am going to work on craving water more and less…you fill in the blank: Diet Dr. Pepper, energy drinks, or my beloved water packets.

Journal—Consistently

I’ve shared my thoughts on journaling before. Just one sentence. Don’t overthink it.

Today, I’m on a 12-day streak.

So, what are some things you want to do in 2026? Or maybe things you don’t want to do anymore.

I hope you’ll take a moment to be intentional and name what you want to accomplish—or perhaps, what you want to release.