This is the seventh year that I’m choosing a word and a colour for the year. The tradition began with my fab friend and longtime YLF member Laura, who has been doing this for decades. She invited me to join her in 2019, and I haven’t looked back. Thank you, Laura! I treasure this meaningful ritual of ours, look forward to it every year, and happily encourage others to join the word and colour fun too.
Pick a word that you want to hold close for the year. Take it to heart, and let it shape your actions. The right word can uplift, comfort, stretch, motivate, challenge and inspire you. Personally, I find the ritual meaningful because it encourages personal growth and reflection.It can help me break bad habits, and keep me focussed on small and big picture goals.
The colour I choose might be one I’m especially drawn to now, or one I’d like to welcome more intentionally into my life this year. It can come through in my style, our home, the environment, and others components of daily life.
Onto a word and colour for 2026
WORD: Nostalgia
Nostalgia is a sentimental choice, which symbolizes a sentimental year. Twenty years of YLF, thirty years of marriage, and a forty year high school reunion are some of the things that make me feel nostalgic about this year. Choosing nostalgia as my word is an invitation to revisit the people, places, adventures, things, fashion, style, and moments that shaped who I am, and to hold them close. It’s not about longing for a past I cannot return to, but about carrying the best of it forward. I want to savour meaningful memories, uphold traditions, amplify gratitude, and nurture connections that truly matter. In a way, it’s like coming full circle in life. I appreciate that although much has changed, a lot is the same and deserves celebration. I also want to remember more things about the important people in my life who have passed away. I worry I will forget these memories entirely if I don’t make an extra effort to keep them alive in my head and heart.
COLOUR: Sky Blue
To complement my word, I’ve chosen a nostalgic colour. Saturated sky blue is soft yet strong, fresh yet familiar, cool yet warm, and full of possibilities. It’s the colour of one of my pairs of specs, the colour of the header on the front page of YLF, the colour of our newly remodeled stairs, and other items in our home decor. The colour brings calm, comfort, clarity, and hope. I want more of that energy in my life this year. I look forward to tones of sky blue coming through in my style, our home, the beautiful scenery around us, and in an important work project that is close to completion.
This tradition is not about perfection, pressure, or sweeping resolutions. It’s a reminder to live with intention, and to stay connected to what feels meaningful. If you choose a word and colour for the year, I’d love to hear them. There is something special about cheering one another on, celebrating our choices, and watching them unfold over the months ahead.
