My Word for 2026: TRUST

Last week, I was about to jump into the new year, and work as usual. But my Inner Leader stopped me. She told me to pause and reflect.

So I did.

I sat down and looked back at everything I went through and accomplished in 2025, and let me tell you, it was a lot.

I taught women, leaders, and teams how to consciously own their energy, navigate stress, and lead from their fullest potential. I hosted five Petite Retreat learning experiences for women, something deeply important to my heart. 

I launched my new website to the world (goodbye, perfectionist paralysis). I piloted my keynote, Freeing Yourself from the Perfectionist Hustle. And I completed my Inner Board Members™ series, bringing each of those internal voices to life in a way that’s already helping people recognize their own patterns.

Along the way, clients made real breakthrough shifts. Old patterns were released. And alongside some personal challenges that tested me in ways I didn’t see coming, a clearer vision for Spark With Merilee emerged than I’ve ever had before.

What I learned is this: I can handle hard things and still show up. Uncertainty doesn’t have to mean unraveling.

When I allowed myself to truly see all of it—something sparked. My Inner Leader spoke up, clear as day:

Your word for 2026 is TRUST.

Not hustle more.
Not prove.
Not perfect.

Just… trust.

Trust that I’ve laid the foundation. Trust that I know what I’m doing. Trust that I can step out of my comfort zone and into the next version of my work and myself without needing more credentials, more validation, or more time “getting ready.”

As someone who is passionate about helping people break free from perfectionism, I know this pattern intimately. The voice that says, “You’re not quite there yet.” The one that whispers, “Just a little more preparation, then you’ll be ready.” The Inner Board Member™ who disguises fear and judgment as “high standards.”

I’ve done the work to quiet those voices. And 2025 proved it in tangible, real-world ways I can point to. But knowing something and trusting it? Those are two very different things.

And that’s where I want to pause and turn this toward you.

When was the last time you truly looked at the big picture of your life?

Not the individual moments where you stumbled or felt behind. Not the project that didn’t go as planned. But the whole of it, your growth, your resilience, the small steps that quietly accumulated into something real.

Too often, we sprint into a new year without honoring where we’ve been. We set new goals on top of unacknowledged progress. We chase the next thing before recognizing what we’ve already built.

What if, before rushing forward, you gave yourself permission to see how far you’ve come?

Here’s something I’ve learned, both from my own journey and from coaching others: we don’t stay stuck because we’re broken. We stay stuck because we’re on autopilot.

We repeat the same loops, thoughts, feelings, actions, because they’re familiar. Because we learned them young. Because change feels uncomfortable, even when the current pattern is exhausting and no longer working.

Breaking a pattern doesn’t start with willpower. It starts with awareness.

So I’ll ask you this: What outdated pattern are you ready to release this year? And what belief about yourself has officially passed its expiration date?

I also love that we’re still in the Chinese Year of the Snake until February 17th. The snake represents shedding, releasing what no longer serves you. Letting go of the old skin before stepping into what’s next.

And what’s next is the Year of the Horse, a year of energy, bold action, perseverance, and freedom.

But here’s the thing: you can’t fully move into freedom while dragging old baggage. The shedding has to happen first.

You still have time. What do you need to release before you move forward?

For me, 2026 is a year of TRUST. Trust in myself. Trust in my expertise. Trust in the foundation I’ve built. Trust in the work I’m here to do.

I’m trusting that helping people break outdated patterns of thoughts, feelings, and actions is exactly where I’m meant to be. I’m trusting that my voice matters. I’m trusting that I don’t need to wait until everything is perfect to show up fully.

And I’m trusting you to do the same.

You’ve done more than you realize.
You’ve grown more than you give yourself credit for.
The foundation is already there.

Now it’s time to trust yourself.

So I’ll leave you with this: What’s your word for 2026? 

And if you’re ready to break the patterns keeping you stuck and step into your own Inner Leader, let’s talk. That’s exactly the work I do.

Merilee Smith is a keynote speaker, leadership and mindset development coach, and founder of Spark With Merilee. She helps high-performing women, leaders, and teams ditch patterns of perfectionism and stress, own their energy, and lead from the calm, confident, most authentic version of themselves.