The fact that I’m 38 days late in posting my One Little Word for 2026 is really all I need to explain this year’s word selection.
A symptom of extreme stress for me is the inability to make a decision.
Sometimes it’s big.
Sometimes it’s insignificant and completely unworthy of the time consumed by not deciding.
I freeze. Spin. Overthink. Second guess.
And while sometimes it doesn’t matter, I’m recognizing that lately it is holding me back.
It’s become a pattern I need to disrupt.
I seek complexity and challenge in all things, which is why I can justify how hard it can be to make a decision. However, I want to prioritize my time around what’s truly complex and challenging (and fun!) to figure out—not what feels that way in the moment because I’m dis-regulated due to stress.
What I love about my One Little Word tradition is that it works. By choosing a word—typically a verb—that acts as a mantra, I have a quick and easy way to remind myself of the action I am committing to take.
So in 2026, when I catch myself suspended in indecision, I will do two things.
One, I’ll remind myself to DECIDE, to make the call and take care of the thing.
Two, I’ll tend to what needs tending to take my stress level down.
With one little word, I can take action and take better care (of myself).
Running to School 