My Word for 2026

Finding My Word

My 3 Intentions:

Create with Presence, not Pressure

Leave Fingerprints of Belonging

Be Intentional about Where my Energy Lands

Every year I choose a word. Not a resolution — a compass. Something to return to when the year feels full, fast, or uncertain. And every year, I try not to force it. I wait until something real shows up.

This year, my word is Fingerprints.

My husband asked me in late December what my theme for the year was. I had to admit I didn't know yet. So I sat with that — which, honestly, is not my natural resting state. I like having answers. But I waited, and then one quiet morning the word just arrived. Fingerprints. A little unexpected, maybe a little strange. But immediately, deeply right.

On the most literal level, my fingerprints are actually in my work. Every piece of jewelry I make is shaped by my hands — formed through touch and pressure and presence. No two pieces are ever exactly the same because no two moments of making are the same. When I hold a finished piece, I can sometimes see the tiny ridges where my thumb pressed into the clay. My mark is there whether I intended it or not.

That's what stopped me. Because it's true in every direction, isn't it? Everything we touch carries an imprint — the words we say, the way we show up, what we choose to give our energy to, and what we let go of.

So I Set Three Intentions…

And I’ll be honest: the third on is the one that’s going to challenge me most.

Create with presence, not pressure. I have a long-standing love affair with deadlines. The clock ticking, the stakes high — I've always told myself that's when I do my best work. But I'm getting older and the pace is real. I balance a full-time job alongside building Anam Cara, and some days after eight hours of work I head straight into the studio for another hour. I want this year to feel less like urgency and more like intention. I want to ask myself: does this piece carry my fingerprint, or just meet a deadline?

Leave fingerprints of belonging. Connection is the whole point of Anam Cara. Soul friend — it's right there in the name. This year I want to be more deliberate about the warmth I build into every touchpoint — the packaging, the words, the stories I share. I want people to feel something when they interact with this brand, not just receive a product.

Be intentional about where my energy lands. This is the hard one. I give my energy freely and sometimes without noticing how much it costs. I don't have this figured out yet. But the question I want to carry is: Is this a place I want my fingerprints to live? If the answer is yes — I want to show up fully. If it's no, I want to practice letting go without the guilt that usually tags along.

Whether I’m ready for it or not…

There's something about making jewelry by hand that keeps teaching me this lesson: you can't rush clay. You can't press too hard or it loses its shape. The best pieces come when my hands are steady and my mind is actually in the room. That's not just a making philosophy — it turns out it's a life philosophy too.

What I put my hands on this year, I want to mean it.

Here's to a year of fingerprints…

The ones pressed into clay, the ones left in relationships, and the ones we make when we choose, deliberately, where to show up.

I'd love to know: do you choose a word for the year? If you do — or if one finds you after reading this — come tell me. Reply to this post, drop a comment, or find me on Instagram. I genuinely want to hear it.

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Bonus Material

Finding Your Own Word

If you’ve ever wanted a guiding word for the year but weren’t sure where to start, here’s a little advice from my own experience:

Sit with it – Don’t rush. Sometimes the word appears when you’re least expecting it, in quiet moments or in reflection.

Notice what resonates – Pay attention to words, ideas, or themes that keep coming up in your thoughts, reading, or journaling.

Think about your year ahead – What do you want more of? Less of? What energy or intention do you want to carry through the next 12 months?

Test it out – Say it aloud, write it down, or journal about it. Does it feel alive? Does it inspire or guide you?

Your word doesn’t need to be perfect — it’s not a rule, it’s a compass. Even a small, simple word can hold enormous meaning and help shape your choices, your focus, and your intentions throughout the year.