I’ve got it! It’s locked in, loaded, and ready to go. My word for 2026 is CLAIM. Behold and absorb the visual of me breathing a giddy sigh of relief. I flirted with some other real-deal contenders. But claim landed like a slap to the face that I soothed into sticking, and a friend helped me see why. Reveal wasn’t strong enough. For me, anyway. I didn’t need to show who I am. I already know. This year is about claiming it. Phase two of who the heck knows. Claiming the work I’ve been doing quietly.Claiming the parts of myself I held back while waiting to feel comfortable.Claiming forward movement…
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How To See January as a Continuation, Not a Correction
When I think about resetting, January is the biggest, dustiest, stankest lie I feel like we all agree to tell ourselves. We pretend it’s the start of a brand new season, when the holidays literally just ended five minutes ago and I’m still too full to dive into anything with any real gumption. Don’t push me. January equals dark I still love all my January birthday babes, February ones for that matter, too, but January is dark! It’s dark when we wake up, dark when we leave work, and dark when we get home. And somehow we’re, read I’m, supposed to hop up and reinvent our lives right here, right…
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Why You Don’t Need to Be Brand-New in 2026
A little hello from me… serving GOOD VIBES only ✨Happy New Year! ✨ Drop a 💫 if you’re stepping into this year with intention, not apology, and say it out loud so it can meet you there.
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Reveal to Claim: My Word of the Year Journey
Earlier this week, roll back to Tuesday, I shared that I’ve been stuck choosing my Word of the Year for 2026.Not because I did, or did not, have a bevvy of ones to choose from—but because the weight of the right word matters to me, because it really, really works. These 5 are the ones I’ve been circling: A friend recently said something that stuck with me: You already know who you are. You don’t need to reveal it, you need to claim it. And once you do, you can actually own what comes with it. KWL Umm… OK, Babe! Lovin’ the thought process! Backstory: A few years ago, this…
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Holiday Traditions That Need To End in a Lawsuit
My Possibly Unhinged, Maybe Accurate, But Deeply Necessary List The holidays: a magical time of joy, connection, warmth… and an absurd number of expectations no one signed up for. Some traditions are sweet.Some trigger warm memories you actually want to hold on to.But those other ones? Jail. They need: So, in the spirit of healing, humor, and all the chaos I feel is needed, here’s your (my) completely necessary list of… Holiday Traditions That Should Absolutely, Positively End in a Lawsuit… beginning in 2025. 1. Unnecessarily leaving the comfort of my home to go into the ‘Winter’ First of all? Why? Second of all, who’s asking? Third-of all… why?Absolutely not!…
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The 48-Hour Pre-Holiday Survival Challenge
Non-apologetic. Completely necessary. Do it once, then repeat as needed. I’m learning that the best skill for navigating any holiday isn’t planting a fake veneer of cheer on your face. It’s doing what you actually want and fully enjoying it in the moment, and again when you look back once it’s all over. So before the chaos hits, here’s the 48-hour reset that I praying will keep me sane, hydrated, and unbothered like a champ. Feel free to steal all or some of mine, or create your own, and then protect your peace like it’s the fragile sliver of calm before the internet gifts you more political clownery with a generous helping…
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Happy Thanksgiving 2025: Gratitude, Laughter, and Time with Loved Ones
A little hello from me… serving GOOD VIBES only ✨ Drop a 🧡 if you’re serving GOOD VIBES only today, and tell someone “I’m grateful for you”, because it matters.
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When It’s Not Your Turn
(A short story by Irene B.) “Yes, yes, yes… okay, girl! I’m going to lock up as soon as you get off my line, crazy!” she said, half-laughing into the phone.Then she paused.“Mmm-hmm. Bedroom’s already locked.” Another pause, then a soft giggle. “You and your single-girl fortress routine.”Silence lingered on the other end, until more laughter broke through.“And you know I appreciate you, so thank you.”Her voice dropped just slightly, as if still listening.The call ended, and the room went still. Tisha liked to measure her mornings by sound. The hum of the refrigerator intermittently followed the grinding of the ice machine. And now, with it being summer, the rush…
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How to Redefine “Enough” in the Holiday Season
Lately, I’ve been hearing the collective exhale from people everywhere—friends, strangers online, across the globe, all saying some version of: “You know what? I don’t need anything this year.” “I’m so over all this unnecessary spending, going broke, and for what?” The mass consensus: Let’s cancel all the holidays! Woah Nelly! Hold up! Slow down! Christmas is LITERRALLY my FAVE holiday. It was the time in my childhood that my mum (RIP❤️) was the least nuts, and in fact, full of cheer – brimming over if you will! Me and my sister could damn near do no wrong, and cancelling?… That ‘aint happening! Nope! #IWillFightYou. OK fine. Calm down, cause…
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How to Find Help and Hope During Tough Times
Sadly, while this is not a new situation, people all over the world continue to fall into tougher and tougher situations. Everything from famine, wars, and poverty on many levels just keeps coming. Living in the DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia), the most recent hit that has many people walking yet another razor thin line, is because of the masses of federal workers on furlough, families dealing with layoffs, and folks trying to stretch one paycheck (or no paycheck) too far with the rising cost of everything. If that’s you, or someone you know, you’re not alone. You’re not invisible, and there are places to turn Hardworking federal workers,…
