How to Make Your Word of the Year Work for You in 2026
Choosing a Word of the Year is Just the Beginning
You’ve probably picked a word of the year before. Maybe it was brave, focused, or creative. That single word felt powerful, inspiring — almost like it chose you.
But if we’re honest, most of us forget about our word by February. Life gets loud. The to-do list takes over. The word fades into the background.
What if 2026 was different?
What if you chose two words instead?
Your first word still comes from your heart. It captures your desire. It reflects who you want to become.
Your second word? It’s intentional.
The Power of Pairing Your Word with “Intentional”
Choosing a word is a beautiful practice. But choosing how you live it — that’s where the transformation happens.
Think of this pairing as a lens:
Creative becomes intentional creativity
Courage becomes intentional courage
Balance becomes intentional balance
Grow becomes intentional growth
Now you’re not just hoping the word will influence your year. You are shaping your behavior around the word.
This shift is subtle but powerful. It moves you from inspiration to action.
Having a hard time picking your word?
What Does It Look Like to Be Intentional with Your Word?
Let’s explore a few examples:
Creative
Intentional creativity means setting up space and time to create on purpose. You don’t wait for inspiration. You schedule play. You build routines that support experimentation, whether that’s new recipe formats, food styling techniques, or a brand refresh.
Balance
Intentional balance means defining what balance looks like in your life, and then protecting it with boundaries. Maybe you batch your content in four days per month. Maybe you log off by 4 PM. Maybe you say no more often.
Grow
Intentional growth means tracking your progress and choosing the kind of growth that matters most — whether it’s income, confidence, visibility, or systems. You don’t try to grow everything at once. You choose.
Courage
Intentional courage looks like setting specific stretch goals and facing the resistance head-on. You do one scary thing each week. You show up even when you’re not sure. You create systems that reduce the friction.
How to Make Your Word Work for You
Here are 5 ways to live intentionally with your word in 2026:
Define what the word means in your life. Get specific. Write a short paragraph about how you want this word to shape your mindset, habits, and results.
Create weekly checkpoints. Add a recurring journal prompt: "How did I live out my word intentionally this week?" Reflection builds awareness.
Design your calendar around it. Block time each week for actions that support your word. For example, if your word is “creative,” schedule a 2-hour creative lab.
Use visual cues. Put your word where you’ll see it — your lock screen, your planner, your kitchen wall. Pair it with your intentional actions.
Celebrate evidence. At the end of each month, track what you did to live your word. Progress builds belief.
You don’t need a perfect streak. You need consistent reminders that your word matters.
You Get to Choose How Your Word Shapes You
Your word may feel like it chose you — and maybe it did. But you get to decide what to do with it.
When you add intentionality, your word becomes more than a mantra. It becomes a guiding framework for how you lead your blog, your business, and your life.
This is how you evolve into the next version of yourself. One small, intentional action at a time.
Ready to create intentional growth in 2026?
Mini FAQ
Q. What is the benefit of having a word of the year?
A. A word of the year offers clarity, focus, and an emotional anchor to guide your personal and professional growth.
Q. Why add the word "intentional" to my word of the year?
A. Pairing your word with intentional creates a commitment to act on it instead of just feeling inspired by it.
Q. How can I apply my word of the year practically?
A. Define it clearly, build routines around it, reflect on it weekly, and celebrate progress regularly.
