My Word for 2026 — REFIRE

Just as importantly, I paid attention to energy. I trained more consistently, tightened my boundaries, and was more selective about what (and to whom) I said ‘yes.’

Looking back, I see a theme: I wasn’t chasing a new identity. I was building a better operating system.

That’s what growth looks like in real life.

The Question I Heard All Year

After I left Cox, a lot of people asked me some version of the same question: “So… how do you like retirement?”

I understand why they asked. From the outside, it probably looked like I had crossed a finish line. Decades of work. A major chapter closed. Time to exhale.

But I consistently corrected them. “I’m not retired,” I’d say. “I’m on a sabbatical.”

That distinction matters to me because I’m not ready to hang up my cleats. I learned a lot last year, and those lessons helped me evolve.

To me, retirement sounds like you’re done. On the other hand, a sabbatical is an intentional pause. It’s space to reflect, renew, and decide what’s worth building next, with less noise, without rushing or defaulting to the next obvious thing.

That’s one of the reasons Refire fits so well.

I’m not retiring. I’m refiring!

How I Chose My Word for 2026

I didn’t land on my word in one sitting. I circled it for a while, tested it in conversations with myself, and listened for what stayed true after the novelty faded.

This year, I also leaned into something that’s become part of my process: Parallel Intelligence.

Here’s what I mean by that.

I’ve built what I call my Inner Circle of Light. It’s a personal advisory board made up of mentors, teachers, and characters I admire. Some are living. Some are long gone. A few are fictional. All of them represent qualities I want to practice more consistently.

Then I bring in AI (artificial intelligence) as a thinking partner. Not as a replacement for wisdom, but as a tool that helps me surface patterns, challenge assumptions, reveal my blind spots, and sharpen the questions.

That combination changes the quality of my reflection.

Instead of asking, “What word sounds inspiring?” I ask questions with teeth, like:

• What kind of person do I want to become this year?
• Where do I tend to drift (or lose patience) when I’m under pressure?
• What habits will keep me aligned when motivation dips?
• What word will still matter in October, not just January?

When I put that process to work, one word kept returning.

REFIRE !

Why “Refire” Fits

“Refire” means to fire again, but its meaning changes with context: it can be firing a weapon, restarting an engine, remaking a dish in a restaurant, or re-firing pottery in a kiln. Essentially, it’s a redo of an initial “fire” action, often to correct an issue or because the first attempt wasn’t right. 

For me, the context is a bit different. Refire isn’t about drama. It’s about intention. It carries the idea of returning to what matters, not because of a failure, but because life has a way of scattering focus.

Refire invokes a return to center, a focus on what matters. It casts a light on what needs lighting. Here are five reasons this word feels right for me.

1. It honors renewal without rewriting the past

Refire doesn’t imply the flame went out. It simply suggests it’s time to tend it.

Sometimes you don’t need a reinvention. You need a reset that’s grounded in truth.

2. It points me toward the essentials

Evolve helped me build.

Now, I want to protect what matters most, strengthen what’s already working, and remove what distracts. That calls for focus, not frenzy, sprinkled with a little more joy.

3. It supports virtue-driven action

I’ve seen plenty of leaders talk about values while living the opposite. Many know the right thing to do, but circumstances make it inconvenient or uncomfortable. So they compromise their integrity and justify their actions. 

For me, character shows up in the small moments: how I speak, how I listen, how I make decisions, and how I treat people when no one’s clapping (or shooting a video to capture the moment).

Refire reminds me that virtues are more than characteristics we admire. When activated, they’re behaviors that others can see and feel.

4. It challenges me to finish what I start

If I’m honest, I can generate ideas all day long. However, execution is where the real work lives. And the real work is about progress, not perfection.

Refire feels like a gentle insistence to complete, simplify, and deliver—without getting lost in endless refining. Continuous improvement is the result of taking action, not necessarily fifteen revisions before you publish.

5. It nudges me to share the right things

Some work needs quiet. Some work needs release.

Refire carries three simple questions:

• What does the world need now?
• How can I meet that need?
• What am I meant to offer that might help someone else?

Not everything. Not all at once. Just what matters.