My Word of the Year + What I'm looking forward to

Hey

It’s that time of year again! Planning for the year ahead! I do not set resolutions nor do I set goals - well I have my own unique way of doing that. But I do set a word for the year - something I feel called to work on and shape shift my person and life into!

Like always, my word for the year didn’t come from my head. It came from my intuition.

Receive.

I realized over the past year that I’m not very good at this.

A lifetime of figuring things out for myself has trained me to control outcomes, to hustle harder than necessary, and to believe that effort equals worth. Even when good things are unfolding, I’m often bracing… managing… pushing.

And yet, through that constant striving—and the anxiety that comes with control—I’ve noticed something important:

I often push away the very things I’m trying to create. How can you let it in, if you’re always pushing out? There is no space for its arrival.

Over the final weeks of the year, I began meditating on receiving energy instead of chasing it. Letting myself soften. Letting my nervous system breathe. Letting go of the idea that everything has to be earned through force.

That’s when the ahas started arriving. And then the word revealed itself.

What I’ve learned—year after year—is that when I allow my word to find me, and when I truly commit to it, the year ahead begins to shape itself around that energy in almost miraculous ways.

Last year was about elevating. And elevation is not light work. It asks for deep inner excavation, honesty, release, and recalibration.

This year feels different.

This year feels like an invitation to open my hands. To trust.
To receive with ease what has already been earned through the work.

So, I’m stepping into a year of receiving.

No forcing. No gripping. Just presence, trust, and allowance.

If you chose a word for the year—or if one is still finding its way to you—I hope you give it the space to guide you in ways you don’t yet expect.

Here’s to a year of ease, openness, and receiving what is ready for us. (Hit reply and tell me your word!

What I’m Looking Forward to This Year

While I don’t have a big travel calendar mapped out, I’m staying wide open to receiving what wants to arrive. And a few beautiful things are already unfolding…

January begins in New York City, where I’m attending the IMM Travel Media Industry event. It’s always an intense couple of days—conferences, speed meetings, full calendars—but it’s also one of my favorite times of the year. I get to reunite with travel blogging friends I haven’t seen in years, soak up the energy of the city, and attend special events like Samantha Brown’s launch party for the new season of Places to Love. Exhausting and energizing all at once—and so worth it.

This month also marks something close to my heart: Christina and I are officially launching the Abundance Reset.

We’ve taken my original 30 Day Money Cleanse—which so many of you have experienced—and evolved it into something deeper, more expansive, and more grounded. Bringing Christina’s wisdom and perspective into this work feels incredibly aligned. We’re also preparing to relaunch the Empowered Women’s Collective, which has been in beta this past year. Watching it evolve into what it’s becoming has been such a gift, and I can’t wait to share what’s next.

On the family front, Savannah is doing her best to convince me to take a women’s basketball pilgrimage to Hartford, Connecticut to see UConn play. Honestly, it’s probably a more reasonable request than the full-time RV trip she’s been campaigning for—so we’ll see where that one lands.

Kalyra will be visiting Venice for 10 days for her Spring Break on her university’s Study Abroad program. They’ll be learning about the hospital and medica system there, as well as exploring Venice! I’m thrilled that she is taking advantage of this opportunity - way better than sitting in a lecture hall!

And then there’s a brand-new chapter I’m stepping into…

I’m becoming a tour group leader.

When Christina asked if I’d like to lead some of her group tours as she expands this year, my response was simple: Why not? I’m always up for a new adventure. In October, I’ll be leading a women’s group trip to Morocco, and I can already tell it’s going to be incredible. The itinerary is so good. If Morocco has been on your list—and you’d love to experience it with me and a group of like-minded women—the trip is now open for booking, and I’d love for you to join us.

And beyond all of this… I can’t wait to see what else arrives.

I hope you also have travel, projects, moments of joy, and unexpected opportunities making their way toward you this year.

Hit reply and tell me what you’re looking forward to receiving in 2026.

With gratitude

Caroline