An Intentional, Soulful Action Plan for Mindful Living
For the past 28 years, I have chosen a single word to guide my year. This word becomes a thread—quiet yet strong—woven into the tapestry of my life. It’s not a resolution or a goal to accomplish, but an intention to return to again and again.
My word for 2026 is Presence.
Presence feels both simple and profound. It asks nothing dramatic of me—only that I show up fully for the life I am already living.
Why I Chose Presence for 2026
We live in a world that constantly pulls us away from the moment we’re in. Even meaningful things—healing, relationships, work, growth—can become rushed or lived on autopilot.
Choosing presence is my commitment to:
- Be where my body is
- Listen before reacting
- Noticing instead of rushing
- Live my life instead of racing through it
Presence is not perfection. It is awareness. And awareness changes everything.
What Presence Means to Me
Presence means meeting my life as it is, not as I think it should be.
It is:
- Breathing before responding
- Listening without planning the next sentence
- Caring for my body with attention, not impatience
- Allowing my habits to be conscious rather than compulsive
Presence is how I want to live—in my health, my relationships, my work, and my daily habits.
A Soulful Action Plan for Living with Presence in 2026
Rather than setting rigid goals, I’ve created gentle anchors—ways to return to presence throughout the year.
Presence in My Health
My body has taught me many lessons over the years, and in 2026 I want to honor it with deeper listening.
My practices:
- Daily check-ins: What does my body need right now?
- Moving mindfully instead of pushing through
- Resting without guilt
- Choosing nourishment that supports healing and energy
Presence in health means responding instead of forcing.
Presence in My Relationships
Presence in relationships means truly being with the people I love.
My practices:
- Putting the phone down during conversations
- Listening to understand
- Allowing silence without rushing to fill it
- Speaking honestly and kindly
Being present is one of the greatest gifts we can offer another person.
Presence in My Work
My work is meaningful, and I want to meet it with intention rather than urgency.
My practices:
- Beginning workdays with a grounding breath
- Focusing on one task at a time
- Creating instead of constantly consuming
- Honoring energy levels instead of pushing productivity
Presence in work allows creativity and clarity to lead.
Presence in My Habits
Habits shape our days, and our days shape our lives.
My practices:
- Morning rituals that begin in stillness
- Pausing before automatic behaviors
- Noticing patterns without judgment
- Choosing small, sustainable actions
Presence helps habits become supportive rather than controlling.
How I Will Return to My Word Throughout the Year
A word of the year only works if we remember it.
Ways I will stay connected to presence:
- Writing the word in my journal regularly
- Asking, “What would presence look like right now?”
- Letting it guide decisions both big and small
- Allowing it to evolve as the year unfolds
This word is not a rule—it is an invitation.
An Invitation to Choose Your Own Word
Choosing a word for the year is a powerful mindfulness practice. It creates a compass rather than a checklist.
If you feel called, ask yourself:
- What quality do I want to live with more deeply?
- What do I need to return to this year?
- What would support my becoming?
Then listen. The word often arrives quietly.
A Closing Reflection
Presence reminds me that my life is not waiting somewhere in the future.
It is happening now—
in this breath,
this body,
this moment.
And that is where I choose to meet 2026.
