Update: Looking Forward
Cancer Project 2025
Last week I spent a day at Dana Farber having my port removed. Every nurse and doctor congratulated me. Yes, it was quite the victory. It seemed like the end of my cancer journey, but we all know this is a journey that never ends. There will be appointments, bloodwork, and scans for the rest of my life. That being said, where does 2026 find me?
It finds me looking forward to what I do next, right now. Every new year I pick a word to guide my year instead of a resolution. This has become a common practice in the last few years and I like it. The last two years my word was WAIT because I just always wanted to be at the next marker way before I was ready. Well, I learned enough about waiting in 2025 to last a lifetime. Nothing teaches you about waiting better than a cancer diagnosis. Why? Because you have no control over what is going to happen to you. You spend hours in waiting room chairs, with your hands folded in your lap, at the mercy of whatever facility you’re being treated at. Yup. You learn all there is to learn about waiting. Time to move on in 2026.
This year my word is FOCUS. My diagnosis lead me to this word. During chemo your brain is mush. You can’t stick to one thing for more than half an hour before you lose focus and have to retire to the couch. Now, two months out of chemo, my brain is returning to normal, and I have a lot more energy than I’ve had in years, so focusing on focusing and getting things done, is the way I’m going to go in 2026.
This week practicing focusing brought me back to the easel. In 2026, now that I’ve got my businesses running, I am going to focus on my art. Step one was to just finish this painting of my beloved fisherman’s shack I started so long ago that I can’t even remember when. Self-talk said, “Just paint these two fisherman, Linda!” So that is my step one, moving forward for 2026.
And so, as another day goes by and we enter into a new year, what are you thinking your word for this year should be? Where did your journey in 2025 lead you? I’d love to know! Drop your word in the comments so we can journey in together in 2026!
And remember:
Every journey starts with a single step. Plan your first step for 2026.