My Word of the Year for 2026: Cultivate
- Rebecca Gulley
- Jan 13
- 4 min read
As I’ve been thinking about the year ahead, one word kept quietly returning to me.
Cultivate.
Not because I need to start over.
Not because I haven’t been growing.
But because I’ve realized how much I’ve already planted.
For a long time, I approached January the same way many of us do - with resolutions and big plans for the year ahead. I would map out goals, imagine how things should look, and promise myself that this would be the year I finally followed through.
But life doesn’t move in straight lines. And it definitely doesn’t stick to January plans.
Some years bring change you didn’t expect.
Some seasons require steadiness instead of ambition.
Some chapters ask for care instead of hustle.
Over time, I’ve learned that trying to predict an entire year only adds pressure - and often pulls me away from what actually needs my attention. That’s why I no longer choose resolutions.
Instead, I choose a word.
A word I can carry with me.
A word that leaves room for real life.
A word that can guide me, no matter what the year brings.
Why Cultivate Kept Returning
Cultivate feels like the season I’m stepping into - one where I intentionally tend what’s already here.
The ideas. The routines. The relationships. The community. The creativity.
Instead of rushing toward what’s next, I want to care for what I’ve already created and help it grow stronger, deeper, and more sustainable.
Cultivate isn’t about doing more. It’s about choosing what to water.
What Cultivate Looks Like in Real Life
For me, cultivating means slowing down enough to notice what’s working, and honoring it.
It looks like nurturing consistency without pressure. Letting growth happen bit by bit. Allowing routines to support me instead of control me.
Cultivate is steady. It’s quiet. It’s intentional.
It’s trusting that small, repeated care adds up, even when progress doesn’t look dramatic. And maybe especially then.
Letting Go of the Hustle Narrative
Not every year is about starting over.
Some years are about strengthening roots. Some are about tending what survived hard seasons. Some are about choosing depth instead of expansion.
2026 doesn’t feel like a hustle year to me.
It feels like a care-for-it-so-it-can-flourish year.
And that feels exactly right.
My Cultivate Mantra
Before I share this, I want to say this gently:
This isn’t a checklist. It isn’t a standard to meet. It’s simply a reminder I can return to - whenever I need it.
These words will guide me through this year of intentional living:
I choose to tend what matters. I give my energy to what helps me grow. I water what feels aligned. I release what no longer needs my care. I honor consistency without pressure. I trust slow growth and steady progress.. I allow things to deepen in their own time. I let care create strong roots. This year, I cultivate with intention, patience, and heart. I am not rushing - I am tending. Slow growth is still growth.
A Simple Tool That Can Help You Find Your Word
Sometimes choosing a Word of the Year feels easier when you give it a place to land.
One of the ways I like to do that is by creating a small, intentional space in my journal. Not to overthink it, but to explore ideas as they come. Something as simple as a dedicated page can help you brainstorm, reflect, and let your word surface naturally over time.
A Gentle Invitation to Choose Your Own Word
If you’ve never chosen a Word of the Year before, here’s the truth:
You don’t have to find the perfect word.
You just need one that feels like a steady hand on your shoulder.
Here are a few questions to help you discover yours:
1. What do you need more of this year? More calm? More courage? More boundaries? More joy?
2. What are you craving less of? Less pressure? Less chaos? Less comparison? Less “should”?
3. If this year had a theme, what would you want it to be? Not a goal - a guiding feeling.
If it helps to see examples, here are a few Word of the Year ideas that pair well with real life:
Nourish: Body, mind, home, heart
Simplify: Less clutter, less noise, fewer “shoulds”
Steady: Consistency without intensity
Rooted: Grounded, calm, anchored
Restore: Rest, healing, resetting
Align: Choosing what fits and letting the rest go
Breathe: Space, pauses, gentler rhythms
Brave: Because quiet courage counts too
Choosing a Word of the Year doesn’t have to be a solo practice. There’s something powerful about naming it, and letting others hold space with you.
If you’re willing, share your word (or a word you’re considering) in the comments below. I’d love to cultivate this year together.🌱 Bit by bit.
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