Your word for 2026 (and why it actually matters)

Every January, we see the posts. Someone's word of the year. Their intention. Their focus.

And honestly? I love it. But here's where most people stop: they pick the word, they post about it, maybe they put it on a sticky note on their desk... and then life happens. The word gets buried under the day-to-day chaos of running a practice.

This year, I want to challenge you to try something different. Pick a word. But then, actually use it with your team.

Start With Reflection: Peak and Pit

Before you jump into your 2026 word, take time to look back at 2025 with your team. I'm a huge fan of the "peak and pit" exercise.

Peak: What was your highest point this year? When did you feel most proud, most aligned, most like "this is why we do this work"?

Pit: What was your lowest point? When did things feel hardest? Where did you struggle?

Do this exercise individually first, then share as a team. You'll learn so much about what matters to your people. And here's the thing, the peaks and pits aren't always what you expect. Sometimes the doctor's peak was a clinical win. Sometimes it was watching a team member step up. Sometimes it was finally getting a system to work.

The pits matter just as much. Because when you name what was hard, you can decide what you're not carrying into the new year.

This exercise sets you up perfectly to choose a word that actually means something because your word should address what you learned from your pit and build on what you discovered in your peak.

Why a Word of the Year Matters for Your Practice

A word of the year isn't just personal development fluff. When you bring it to your team, it becomes a shared intention. A north star. A reminder of what you're building together when things get hard (because they will).

I've watched practices transform when they rally around a single word. Not a mission statement. Not a five-point plan. Just one word that captures what they need most.

Maybe it's "clarity" because your systems are a mess and everyone's confused about who does what.

Maybe it's "consistency" because you're tired of starting initiatives that fizzle out.

Maybe it's "trust" because your team is rebuilding after a tough year.

The word itself matters less than what you do with it.

How to Actually Use Your Word (Not Just Post It)

Here's what I've seen work in practices that take this seriously:

Start with an honest conversation. Don't just announce your word and expect everyone to get on board. Talk to your team about what the practice needs. What's working? What's not? What do we want to feel different by December? Let them weigh in. You might be surprised at what comes up.

Make it visible. Put it everywhere. Team chat. Meeting agendas. Your scorecards. Not because you're trying to be cute, but because repetition builds culture. When your word shows up in daily operations, it stops being an idea and starts being how you work.

Use it in decision-making. This is where it gets real. When you're debating whether to hire someone or change a process, ask: Does this align with our word? 

Check in regularly. Monthly team meetings. Quarterly 1:1s. Ask: how are we living this word? Where are we falling short? What needs to change? Don't let it become wallpaper. And here's a bonus move: do peak and pit quarterly too. What was our peak this quarter? What was our pit? How does our word show up in both?

Celebrate when you see it. When someone on your team embodies the word, call it out. "Sarah, the way you simplified that workflow is exactly the kind of clarity we're going for." Recognition reinforces the behavior you want to see more of.

What This Looks Like in Real Life

I worked with a practice last year whose word was "ownership." They were tired of a culture where problems were passed around rather than solved. So they made ownership their focus.

Every morning, the huddle started with: who's owning what today?

When issues came up, the question became: who owns finding a solution?

Performance reviews included: Where did you take ownership this quarter?

By December, they had a completely different culture. Not because they had a fancy word. Because they used that word to change how they operated.

My Word: From Momentum to Inspire

I practice what I preach. My word for 2024 was "momentum." And looking back, Everbloom absolutely delivered on that. We built momentum in every area. 100s of coaching sessions. 26 podcast episodes with incredible guests and conversations. Speaking at AAO. New team members. New divisions launching. We didn't just move forward, we accelerated. And I'm proud of that.

But momentum for its own sake isn't the goal. So for 2026, my word is "inspire."

I want to inspire the practices I work with to see what's possible when systems actually work. I want to inspire teams to take ownership of their culture. I want to inspire leaders to build practices that don't burn them out. And honestly? I want to be inspired by the incredible humans I get to work with every single day.

That's what this year is about.

My Challenge to You

Before you pick your word, do a peak-and-pit with your team. Create space for real reflection. Then pick your word together. But don't stop there.

Bring it to your team. Build it into your systems. Make it part of how you work, not just something you talk about in January.

Because systems create culture. And your word? That's part of the system.

What's your word for 2026? And what was your peak and pit of 2025? Hit reply and let me know. I'd love to hear what you're focusing on this year.

Cheers to a year of intention, transformation, and actually living the words we choose!