My Word of the Year for 2026

Welcome to 2026. I know we’re already a couple of weeks in but I’ve been gently introducing myself to the new year and it’s taken me some time for my Word of the Year to come to me. But I think I’ve landed on it. 

My Word of the Year started in 2023 - my word was “Light”. 

The following year 2024 it was “Energy”. 

In 2025 I got greedy and chose two - “Ease” and “Flow”. 

And this year… 

First, let me backtrack and give the context. 

It’s been a bit quiet on the Passion Pioneers front. I always take December and January off from my business so I can enjoy the holidays and the Australian summer nice and chill. Projects are often paused, clients are on break too, students are busy living their best lives so I flow with the seasonality of my industry and take a break as well. 

Admittedly in December I started with a new client, am still finishing off a small piece of work with a previous client over these two months, and have spent the start of January planning out my 2026 launches and promotions. But it felt ok - I travelled so much last year including two trips overseas, speaking at my first international conference, and working with an interstate client that it felt kind of natural to let my work seep a little into my December and January break time. 

What I didn’t expect was my partner having another liver transplant in November (he had the first one in 2022) and there being several complications which means that, as at the time of writing, he’s still in hospital (10 weeks on and still going strong).

Or the devastating Bondi shooting in late 2025. When it first happened, I was a little numb about it probably due to my focus on my partner’s challenging recovery. But as I watched reels of the footage, heard interviews with first responders, and spoke to friends, students and colleagues who had been there or known people there, within a day or two I was absolutely distraught and cancelled or rescheduled the rest of my business content. I popped prayer hands on my LinkedIn profile headline and pretty much stayed off social media until early January. For anyone affected, to the whole Jewish community, and to Sydney and Australia in general, my heart goes out to you and I send so much love and light your way for 2026. 

And lastly, I’ve been getting more and more concerned about the possible impacts that perimenopause will have on my health and my quality of life. I’m only 37 but I’m fully aware that perimenopause could start at any stage from now and given every year I seem to suffer more and more symptoms from my endometriosis, the thought of adding perimenopause issues on top is hard for me to comprehend. I’m glad perimenopause is being discussed more openly these days, that we have social media and the internet to learn more about symptoms and treatments, and that women are no longer having to suffer in silence or be dismissed by medical professionals. At the same time, it does fuel some anxiety because there’s no stopping it: it’s a natural part of life and being a woman, and I won’t really know what symptoms I’ll face until they happen.

Which brings me to my Word of the Year for 2026. 

STRENGTH. 

In all its meanings. 

In all its magic. 

In all its manifestations. 

What I want to draw on, experience, grow, and build this year is strength.

Emotional strength to support my partner with his continuing recovery and discharge home, which hopefully won’t be too far away.

Spiritual strength to believe that love and hope and community and connection and care will always conquer fear and hate and violence and destruction.

And physical strength, as I start swapping out my beloved cardio for more strength training to build muscle and bone density to reduce risks of osteoporosis and heart disease as I move into the age of perimenopause. 

I think this Word of the Year of Strength is also quite fitting given we’re entering the Year of the Fire Horse - if there’s two things that are definitely strong it’s fires and horses!

I wouldn’t say that I’m not a strong person already. But I’ll admit 2025, which I absolutely loved, did leave me a little weathered and weary. So it’s time to put down roots for a bit, rebuild that solid foundation, and enter back onto the scene from a place of inner strength.

This year from me, you’ll see more live in-person events and trainings held in Sydney, as I’ll be hanging out here in my hometown until my partner reaches his 12-month post-transplant milestone. I’ll continue to bring you your free Change Inspiration enewsletter every week. I’ll be sharing my musings and ideas on LinkedIn most days. There’ll be free classes and workshops as well as special offers and promotions, like my Leading Successful Change New Year Bundle Special that’s available for just this week (check it out here). 

I look forward to sharing 2026 with you and growing stronger together and thank you once again and as always for being part of my Change Inspiration network.

If you’ve got a Word of the Year for 2026, or even just a goal or dream or intention for the year ahead, shoot me a DM on LinkedIn and let me know what it is. I’d love to hear about it and cheer you on for everything you dream of and deserve for the Year of the Fire Horse. 

All my belief, 

Lata xx

P.S. Send me a DM on LinkedIn and let me know your Word of the Year (or goal, dream or intention) for 2026. I respond to each and every email and given mine is “Strength”, I’d love to hear yours.