I’m hesitant to share my word of the year.
The word you pick is supposed to be impactful, right? It should frame your year, keep you focused, and be a theme.
I don’t want the word I picked as my theme, but I need this word. I need to say it and feel it.
My 2026 word of the year is…
NO.
Two simple letters that shut doors and stop journeys. But that’s not why I picked it.
Why Did I Pick NO?
I decided NO would be my word of the year because I realized I have things to do.
I have many stories to write, but they’re not getting written. I talk about them, make schedules and work plans, but my wheels just spin. Something always comes up. Time always runs out.
So, I needed to say no.
Saying Yes Is Saying No
I realized I had been saying yes a lot.
Can you help with this? Yes.
Will you come to that? Yes.
Can I ignore my chores and watch funny videos? Yes.
Should I have another cookie? Yes.
Will you read this, judge this, critique this? Yes
Every yes was a NO to the thing I feel most called to do.
Every time I worked late, I said no to everyone asking when my next novel would come out. Every TV show, every minute scrolling Instagram, every rabbit hole, spam call, and tap of the snooze button was a no to the one person who’s waiting for the story only I can write.
Every time we say yes, we are also saying no.
Discernment Needed
I need to say no to the right things, so I picked NO for my word of the year. It’s not been easy. So far this year, I’ve said no to three great opportunities. They were all things I’ve done in the past. But this year, I said no, and I have felt sad and guilty, but I’ve also had time to write.
When I first thought of no as my word of the year, it was a joke. What a terrible word. We’re supposed to say yes, not no. I desperately want to say yes. I want to say yes to the person who will pick up my book or read my blog and feel God’s loving arms wrapped around them, telling them they matter. I want to say yes and fulfill my destiny, write my stories, share my scripts.
Saying No to Say Yes
Maybe I’ve been saying yes to everything except my writing because I know I can’t guarantee anyone will be strengthened or encouraged through the words I write. All this time could be wasted. But what if? What if someone is encouraged through a story? What if I help someone see they matter? Or draw them a little closer to our loving Creator? What if HE uses those words in a way I never even dreamed possible. I don’t know. I pray for the person who needs hope. I plead for GOD to use these stories. The only thing I know for certain is GOD won’t use my words if I never write them.
I needed the word no, so I could say yes to someone I may never meet but who needs a story to help them see they are not alone. And that’s why I picked no as my word of the year.
How about you? What do you need to say no to? Have you picked a word for 2026?
PS. If you want to know more about saying NO, check out Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud. It’s a great book about taking responsibility for your stuff and knowing where you stop and others start.
Mary Beth, I applaud you for prioritizing your priorities, and then making a commitment to stick to writing your novel. And since you asked, my word for 2026 is Adventure.