January 1 is as arbitrary a day as any for new starts, because let’s be real. You can start a novel any day. Start working out any day. Resolve to stop getting take out lunch any day. Start a new hobby any day.
But, a year is also a container–and I’m all about containers (hello, Revision Road Map!). And so I, too, spend much of December reflecting and planning for the year ahead.
While I do have some plans and goals for both my writing and my coaching, I find this time to be even more helpful in reviewing my mindset.
Hence, my love of picking a word of intention for the year.
Last year, my word was butterfly. And to be honest, I still feel a little bit in the goo and not quite a fully formed butterfly. Apparently, transformation is on its own timeline.
As I looked back on the year 2025, as usual, I tended to wallow on the things I didn’t get done.
The new rough draft I haven’t made as much progress on as I would have liked.
The new services I didn’t launch.
The publishing contract I have yet to receive.
The goals I fell short of achieving.
When I forced myself to take a bigger step back and look at the whole year, I saw that 2026 was also filled with a lot of wins:
- My oldest graduated high school and started college. Surviving the spring of senior activities, preparing for and moving him in this summer, and adjusting to the day-to-day routines without him in them have all been a challenge for all of us. But he’s settling in and establishing himself into his new home away from home.
- My youngest started the year with pneumonia, broke his arm in the spring, and still managed to keep a smile on his face and knock the second half of his freshman year and first half of his sophomore year out of the park. We still get to be band parents thanks to him and had a blast being groupies traveling to all his competitions.
- While last year at this time, I was able to share about the excitement of “the call,” I’ve since shared that roller coaster, not exactly the ride I was hoping for. While no fun and not something I’d recommend, the experience was a huge testament to my own persistence, hope, and optimism. If anything, I feel more resilient as a professional writer because of it. A win to be sure.
- In 2025, I also added college essay coaching to my quiver of arrows to help writers of all ages. It’s been such a rewarding and fun experience! I’m already hearing from some of the students I worked with about where they are getting accepted and I can’t wait to see what they do next. Being a small part of their journeys has been such an honor.
- Last winter, I went on a coaches retreat that was way outside my comfort zone but one of the most validating and inspiring experiences of my career. I went on another writer’s retreat at the beach where the camaraderie outshines the views. In both instances, I know I am in the rooms I want to be in with the people I want to be with. These coaches and writers are soul sisters, mentors, and friends. I adore them all.
- I did a massive edit of my book before it went on submission in a very truncated amount of time. A win all around that I even managed to survive the aggressive schedule I held myself to—even though I did end up with pneumonia after (0 out of 5 stars, do not recommend).
In analyzing my year, I noticed that many of my wins were more personal in nature, having to do with family and relationships. Where I felt I fell short was in growing my business and my writing.
Part of that is a-okay with me. I have created a career that gives me flexibility to be there for my family, to be able to rest when I’m sick, and that honors my core value of connection.
I want to take the best of 2025–connection and trying new things–and pair them with my second core value, creativity, to elevate my writing, my business, and my relationships in 2026.
A while ago, a wise gardening friend shared with me that there is a rule when planting new trees. In the first year it sleeps as it adjusts to the new environment. In the second year it creeps, experiencing slow growth as it continues to acclimate to its new home. In the third year, it leaps showing off big growth that may include flowering and fruit.
I am ready for my leap year.
I have spent the last few years of my business in creep mode, slowly but surely learning things about myself, the writers I serve, what works best, and how to reach them.
This year, I want to take that knowledge and create the services that will serve writers in the revision process so they can finish their stories faster. I want to take what I’ve learned writing and revising what I know was my best manuscript to date and add new skills to my writing toolbox and write an even better story.
With focus, intention and a little stretching, I want to stand on the shoulders of 2025 and leap into new risks, new opportunities, and new relationships.
I have found in my life that the times I’ve trusted my intuition and just gone for it, I have ended up exactly where I need to be. Whether that’s been every time I’ve moved or taking that job that didn’t look like a good fit on paper but launched my career or the side gig that taught me to write cleaner, faster. None of those experiences were comfortable or easy, but they were authentic and true and insanely rewarding.
For 2026, I am choosing LEAP as my focus word.
Are you ready to jump into 2026 with me?
Tell me, do you pick a word or intention for the year? What is it?
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