Expanding From Expansion

For the past few years, my cocooning season starts right before the holidays hit in the beginning of November + I don't feel like I'm really into my year until about mid to end of January.

And you know what? That's okay. (Talking to myself here.)

So you know I used to fight it (as recently as December’s newsletter). I'd try to force my "word of the year" to find me before 2025 ended because I love organized endings + fresh launches right on January 1st. But that's just not how my personal ecosystem works. This year is about being deeply ok with exactly how I was created and spending time and energy bettering my natural expertise and growing in the areas that are getting in the way of my goals.

So Many Ting ‘Ums (Bahamians Know)

I'm birthing so many things this year - I want to feel freer to be me + do scary things. I want to expand my thoughts + my visions + how far I see myself going. I want to take BIG HAIRY SCARY risks. I want to harness the power of neow. I don't want to look behind + ruminate or overly reflect + I don't want to be living ahead + worried about what's coming. I want to be present here + now while looking forward – not with anxiety or force, but with intention; with today's actions aligned with tomorrow's vision.

I want to move! I want to do a lot of new things + make a lot of new mistakes. I want to hear a lot of “No. Nope. Nah. No thanks. Not now. Hard pass.” , which makes room for, “Yasss! Let’s do it. Yes please. Hell yes. F*ck yeah!”

My (final, for real this time) word for 2026 is LEAP! (all caps, exclamation point, PERIOD!)

Liberation. Expansion. Audacity. Presence!

I’m already bringing all these things into this year, + it's already requiring me to die to the parts that are getting in the way of LEAPing:

✔️Like needing the last word + relishing in that dopamine hit of unleashing the snarky comeback that shuts people up + let’s them know who I be. (Which is who exactly, a mean girl? 🙃❌ )

✔️Like replacing impulse shopping with walks in nature, painting + (hopefully!) ceramics. Like sitting still, being present, meditating—because the good Lord knows I need an abundance of patience!

✔️Like having to be right all the damn time, have all the answers, + over analyze everything. Sometimes the audacious thing for me to do is show a potential client a rough draft or ask someone for help.

Our Power Is Real AF

I'm recognizing something huge right now: my personality + overall winning spirit (inside joke) have the power to shift, ignite, inspire, + connect people. I have the power to make people feel loved, seen, valued, + appreciated. And we all need that!

So this year, I want to blow my own mind. I want to lean in—might I say, leap in—to everything I do (+ don't do) with more certainty, more confidence, + more bad bitch energy. Aye!

A Foundation of Gratitude

I'm a pretty grateful girlie in general, but this year after every gift of “no” + “yes”, I want to immediately turn to gratitude + think on the interconnected happenings that got me to that point. I want to harness the accompanying emotions too: the disappointment, excitement, anxiety, frustration, joy, concern, contempt, + bliss that they will provide me.

I envision a long list of things that the Source + my community did to provide those gifts. And I’m giving myself credit too – “Thank you me for me!” (In my Snoop D-O-Double G voice).

Your Turn

🫆What does your word of the year mean to you?

🫆What are you birthing?

🫆What are you dying to?

Write it down. Say it out loud. Record a voice memo. Do something!