How I Reflect, Set Goals, and Choose My Word of the Year for 2026

Interior Designer Podcast, Interior Design Career, Interior Design School, Interior Design Business, Interior Design Mentor, goal setting, choosing word of the year

Every December, I sit down with a cup of coffee, my Full Focus Planner, and a quiet moment to breathe. Because if there’s anything I’ve learned in my 20+ years in interior design, it’s that the goals we don’t set end up shaping our lives just as much as the ones we do. And when you’re building a design business—or simply trying to thrive as a creative human—intentionality matters more than anything. Without direction, it’s easy to slip into survival mode. But when you pause long enough to reflect, plan, and recalibrate, everything begins to feel lighter, clearer, and more aligned.

In this episode, I’m walking you through my personal reflection of 2025: what worked, what shifted, the word that guided me through a year of centering and grounding, and how that shaped my business and personal life. I’m also sharing how I’m approaching 2026 with my new Word of the Year—radiant—and how you can choose your own word to anchor your purpose, energy, and growth.

If you’ve been feeling scattered, overwhelmed, or unsure of what you want 2026 to look like, this episode will help you slow down, listen inward, and craft a vision that supports both your life and your interior design business. It’s your invitation to step into the year with clarity, confidence, and a sense of grounded intentionality—so you can finally thrive, not just hustle.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

How to conduct an honest reflection of your year—what worked, what didn’t, and what still needs nurturing.
Why choosing a Word of the Year is a powerful anchor for personal clarity and business direction.
How my 2025 word, centered, shaped everything from my finances to my creative energy.
The key elements of creating a meaningful vision board (and how mine helped me manifest my goals).
Practical steps for planning your 2026 goals in a way that feels grounded and achievable.
How personal retreat days can transform your focus, productivity, and creativity.
The mindset shift designers need to embrace to build resilience and financial security in uncertain times.

How to Reflect on 2025 and Create Your Vision for 2026

Before you step into 2026 with fresh goals, clearer intentions, and perhaps even your own Word of the Year, I want to guide you through the same process I use every December.

These are the practices that keep me aligned as a business owner, a mentor, and a human being.

They’re the same tools that have helped me stay grounded during uncertain markets, grow during seasons of change, and return to joy when creativity feels heavy.

Use these teaching points as a guide to create a meaningful and actionable vision for the year ahead.

1. Reflect Honestly on Your Wins and Lessons

Before you dream forward, take time to look back. Reflection is the foundation of intentional goal setting, and it helps you understand what’s working and what needs recalibrating.

For 2025, my guiding word was centered, and it truly shifted everything. I wanted stability, clarity, and calm amidst an industry full of economic uncertainty. That reflection helped me tighten my processes, eliminate unnecessary expenses, and build stronger financial security in my business.

Ask yourself:

What were the meaningful wins of 2025—big or small?
What habits or systems made your life easier?
What drained your energy or pulled you off-center?

Write it all down. You can’t shape a future you love without understanding the year you just lived.

2. Create a Vision Board That Reflects Your Desired Life + Business

I’m a big believer in vision boards—not as magical thinking, but as visual reinforcement of the direction you want to head toward.

Last year, I put a new car, travel goals, and both personal and business milestones on mine. And it’s still satisfying to check them off one by one as they manifest.

A powerful vision board includes:

Images that reflect your lifestyle goals
Words that reinforce your values
Photos that capture how you want to feel
Milestones you want to achieve in your design business

Whether it’s financial security, intentionality, radiant energy, or simplicity—let your board guide your daily decisions.

3. Schedule Quarterly Personal Retreat Days

One of the most transformative decisions I made was implementing quarterly personal retreat days. These days are intentional pauses—designed for reflection, visioning, planning, and resetting.

Here’s what a retreat day can include:

Reviewing your quarterly goals
Checking progress against your annual goals
Journaling or reflecting using prompts
Adjusting timelines or priorities
Doing something restorative (a massage, a nature walk, a shopping trip—whatever fills your cup)

These days ensure you don’t wait until December to realize you’re off track. They gently guide you back to your purpose before burnout hits.

4. Choose a Word of the Year That Acts as Your North Star

Choosing my Word of the Year is one of my favorite rituals. I start by brainstorming words that resonate with where I want to go—not where I currently am. Then I dig through thesauruses, definitions, and synonyms until one word rises above the rest.

In 2025, it was centered.

In 2026, I chose radiant—a word that feels expansive, joyful, and outward focused.

Your word might be:

Intentionality
Flourish
Grounded
Courage
Alignment
Restore
Prosper
Expansion

Let the word guide your decisions, your energy, and your boundaries in the coming year.

5. Set Goals That Are Realistic, Flexible, and Aligned With Your Season

Your goals are here to support you, not judge you. They’re not January 1st deadlines; they’re year-long intentions designed to help you grow steadily.

When planning 2026, remember:

You don’t need to accomplish everything by February.
Some goals take quarters to implement.
It’s okay to pivot as your life or business shifts.
Your goals should challenge you, but not exhaust you.

Break big goals into quarterly milestones and then into monthly or weekly actions. This is how you stay intentional without burning out.

Final Thoughts

I truly believe 2026 can be your most grounded, intentional, radiant year yet—but only if you pause long enough to envision it.

Take time to reflect on 2025, celebrate your wins, learn from the lessons, and bring clarity into the year ahead.

Whether you choose a word like radiant, intentionality, or centered, let it guide your choices in both your personal life and your design business. You deserve a year that feels aligned, fulfilling, and beautifully crafted—just like the spaces you design.

Your Next Steps

If starting or growing your interior design business is part of your 2026 vision, this is your moment. Join me inside the 8-week step-by-step program where I’ll mentor you through everything from setting up your business legally to finding clients, pricing confidently, and building a thriving design career.

👉 Sign up now for the Launch Your Business Bootcamp