Her Next Chapters

106. My Word of the Year for 2026: Present

• Christina Kohl

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Instead of New Year’s resolutions that fade fast, this episode explores choosing a word of the year—and why present became my anchor for 2026. We talk about what it really means to be present in midlife: not stuck replaying the past, not waiting for “someday,” but recognizing when the future you planned for is already here.

I share the moment my husband said, “the future is now,” and how that landed as we're launching young adults into the world, entering a new season of life, and realizing how often we postpone joy while waiting for perfect conditions. Being present, especially for women and moms in transition, is about letting yourself enjoy what you’ve already worked toward.

We also unpack the double meaning of present—being fully here and sharing your gifts (presents). This episode connects presence, purpose, and energy. 

If you’re choosing a word of the year, I also share how to use AI to brainstorm and refine a word that truly fits. 

What’s your word for the year? Send me an email and let me know! 

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Email me directly at christina@hernextchapters.com

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Christina Kohl:

Hi and welcome to Her Next Chapters podcast. I'm your host, Christina Kohl. I'm a mom of three and soon to be an empty lefter. I'm also a creator for who restarted my career after being a stable mom for over a decade. I created this podcast to connect with moments who have an empty next and horizon and are wanting to redefine their identity outside of a motherhood, which might include job search. On this show, we'll have long conversations about our ever-changing roles of moments. We'll hear from women who restarted their careers and share tips for job search after a career break. So if that's you, you're in the right place, friend. Let's get started. Hi everyone, and welcome to this week's episode of Her Next Chapters and Happy New Year! If you've been a longtime listener, you might have noticed that I didn't publish anything last week. I could have, because it was, you know, every other week, but I really wanted to take some time off. So I did. And so this is the episode I would have done last week, which would have been December 31st. But I figure it's not too late to still talk about New Year's, right? It's only a week later. So happy New Year to you. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and a great start to the new year. If you're listening in real time, it is January 7th. Can't believe it's already 2026. And actually, when I was writing up my notes for this episode, I wrote 2025. So it's gonna take a little bit, take a minute to get used to 2026. But it is here.

Christina Kohl:

And I don't know about you, but a long time ago, I kind of gave up resolutions. I mean, resolutions just feel like I'm I'm resolved to do this, and it's just so so much pressure around it, right? And if you've listened to the podcast in the past, or you know, go back and listen, um, we did a whole episode. Gosh, I can't believe it's been two years ago now, but on Quitter's Day, Quitter's Day is like the second Friday in January, and it's it's international, it's not something I made up, but it's when most people give up their New Year's resolutions. So in my mind, I'm like, why bother? Why bother making a resolution that I'm just gonna be giving up two weeks later? So of course I have goals and things that I want to do and accomplish in the year, but the pressure of a resolution on January 1st, like it just, it's just not worth it. So what I've been doing the last few years is choosing a word as a theme instead of a resolution. Maybe you do that too. I think it's become a lot more common these days than it used to be. Um so I've had words like uh I have the word light, you know, being a light, feeling lighter, um, lighting the way for others, things like that. I've had the word um awaken, as in like tapping into like what's what's inside of me and and awaking, and and I've had flourish as a word.

Christina Kohl:

Well, this year I took some time to think with it because it it's something that, you know, you don't just randomly choose. I mean, I suppose you could and just go with it. Um, but for me, I chose the word present because I really wanted to be more present instead of spending time, I don't know if you can relate to this, but thinking about the past, like, you know, what did I do then or are missing? Like my kids are they're not kids anymore. They're all young adults and and missing that time with them when they were little. And and of course that's fine to reminisce, but you know, I don't, I can't live there anymore because it's it's gone. That past is gone. And then I spend so much time thinking about the future being whether I lose 10 pounds or we have certain money, a certain amount of money in the bank account, or waiting for the calendar to be a certain day, thinking about the future. And I really want to be more present and enjoy the moments that are in front of me that are here right now.

Christina Kohl:

And one of the things that really kicked this off for me was about a month ago, my husband and I are talking about remodeling our kitchen. We've lived in the same house for 24 years now. I can't believe it's been that long. We've raised our family here and and have made a life here, but we've had the same pretty much original everything, and the kitchen is showing its age, and we have some money set aside, but it's just for me, it's just still feels scary to like to be spending all that money on one big project. And my husband told me, he's like, Well, Christina, the future is now, like we've been saving this money for the future, right? And that's what it means to be in the present, right? We've been we've had all these goals. If you've been listening for a while, you already know this. But I have um three kids, and my oldest and my middle, so my son and daughter both graduated college this year, and I can't say this year anymore, they both graduated college in 2025, and so they are young adults launching into the world, and my youngest is away at college, um, enjoying his his college years, and so we're in a different season of life, right? And I we've been planning for this for years, and and here we are. The future is now, and that is really true for any stage of life. The future is now because we're here. We're not guaranteed tomorrow, right? What we have is this moment, and so for me, it means you know, being present is being here, not stuck replaying the past, not living in future anxiety or someday thinking it's now. And you know, for us, it's we've got two kids that have graduated college, both debt-free. The third is living independently in the second year of college, and this didn't just magically arrive. Like this season, we planned, we saved, we've worked for it. And so many of us, we postponed joy because we're waiting for later, right? We're waiting for again, like the 10 pounds that we're gonna lose, or for the bank account to be a certain amount, or for the kids to be a certain age, but it's really now, and this is our time too, right? As moms, as women, and it's not in a selfish way, but it's something that we've earned and it's intentional. Being present enough to actually enjoy what you've worked towards.

Christina Kohl:

So, like most words or many words in our language, present has a double meaning, right? So I've been talking about it about being present, like in the present moment, stay present, showing up fully for people, not being distracted, um, or only half listening. And there's another word that another meaning of the word present, and it's also a gift. And so it's we're just what a week or two away from Christmas when we gave presents, at least in my household. That was our holiday that we celebrated. And so we give presents. And I'm looking at the word present as also being a gift. Each and every one of us, you that are listening, you have special, unique gifts. And it's hard to recognize our own gifts because they come so naturally to us. We just assume everyone has the same gifts that we do. Um, some one of my clients, she's talking about, yeah, you know, she's really good at organizing things, but she's like, Well, but everyone's like that. I'm like, no, we're not. Not everyone's like that. Come come to my house, see my basement. It is not organized. Um, that is still on the list of to-dos. But my point is, we all have unique gifts, and present is a form of a gift, and that we need to be sharing our gifts, right? And that for me personally, there are times, honestly, with my business, marketing can feel exhausting. And putting myself out there on social media, doing this podcast, putting myself on LinkedIn, talking about my services, it's it's hard. And there's times I'm like, oh, I just don't want to do this anymore. But here's the thing: I have unique gifts, presence that I need to share and I want to share. And so this word present, not only being focused and in the moment, but giving of myself, giving my talent, my insights, my knowledge and experience to the world, right? Um, that is part of keeping me motivated to do this work, to show up on the podcast, to write the newsletter, to be on LinkedIn, to be talking and promoting the stuff that I'm offering, because it really does make a difference for people. It is a gift, it is a present. Um, it it's something that I'm sharing of myself, right? And there's so many free resources that I offer that I know those truly are a gift. Um, and my clients, they are getting something valuable from me through my presence, right? Showing up, showing up and being there and sharing my gifts, right? So, anyway, that's why I've chosen that word.

Christina Kohl:

And then the other thing about being present for me is my health, because being present requires energy. I can't be present if I'm not healthy, if I'm sick, if I don't have energy, if I'm not taking care of myself, it's it's hard to show up and be present for the people in my life or for myself. And so health is another part of that of being present. And I know, like, okay, it's January 7th, whether you have New Year's resolutions or a word or just goals in general. A lot of us really tend to focus on health in January. You know, the holidays are behind us, all any indulging that we might have done. And it's time for a reset. And so, because of that, I'm really excited to have a couple of guests on the show. Um, we've already recorded their episodes, um, they're going to be coming out in January. Some health-focused conversations with some incredible health coaches. So those are coming. Um, and so be sure to listen in.

Christina Kohl:

And if maybe for you, I know I talk on this podcast both about just life, midlife, and changes and the next chapters and all of that, but a lot of it is job search related. If getting a new job is one of your goals for the year, I offer 30-minute resume reviews. These are recorded on a Zoom call with you. So you're on the call live with me. We go through your resume together, you get clear and honest insight from me, and we are focused on making your resume do its actual job, which is to get you interviews. So if you're interested and want to know more, send me an email, Christina at her next chapters.com, or there'll be a link in the show notes to sign up.

Christina Kohl:

And so back to the word, I invite you to consider your own word. If you have one already, I would love to hear it, truly. Send me it, send me an email. I'd love to hear other people's words and get inspired. And okay, so the last couple of years have been really big with AI, right? If you are struggling and coming up with a word that defines your year, ask AI for help. Go to ChatGPT or Claude or Gemini or what's the other one? Pilot, I think Microsoft Pilot, I'm not sure. Um, I tend to use ChatGPT when I'm interacting with AI, but there's a lot of good ones out there. Ask it to help you and ask it to ask you questions to help you come up with your word. You don't have to do this alone and maybe even ask, like, you know, for the word for me, the word present, what are the different meanings of this? How would it mean different things? I love choosing a word that has multiple meanings to me because it's one word. Like, how do you put your whole focus and gear into one word, right? Just what, six, seven letters, that's it. Um, no, like ask ask for help. And and then, you know, the ones that you'll be surprised and the ones that you like, like, okay, give me more like this, give me more like this, and just kind of go back and forth with the AI and see if that helps you come up with a word um that works for you. Because it's just kind of a cool thing to do, I think. I enjoy it, and a guiding principle throughout the year. So I would love to hear what yours are. If you are so inclined to share, um, just shoot me an email. That's the best way to reach me, Christina at her next chapters.com.

Christina Kohl:

And I have a quick favor to ask. If you have been a listener of the show and you're enjoying, you know, the messaging and everything, um, two things actually. One, if you have someone else that you think would benefit from this conversation and and want to be a part in the community, share this with them. And secondly, write a review. It means so much to me. And I read every one of them, and you know, write a review and just send, let me send me a message, let me know that it was you. Because sometimes, like, someone will write a review, I'm like, I don't know who that is. And so let me know that you did so I can thank you. And that is the best way to help the show grow and to reach other people, and it would just mean a ton to me. Um, that would be a wonderful present to me, is to get a review from you. Well, thank you so much for being part of this community. It means the world to me to have you listening. I really truly appreciate it. And I look forward to a fun year with you all um with 2026. Whew, I can't believe that's here.

Christina Kohl:

All right, well, that is it for this week's episode. Have an incredible January, my friends, and we'll talk to you next time. Thank you so much for listening today. I hope this episode hit home for you. And if you haven't already, be sure to connect with me and uh and say hello. Like importantly, thank you for listening to until next time. Remember your story is unique your need and you'll need to have to ready to begin to.