My Word of the Year for 2026: Why I'm Choosing to EXPLORE Instead of Fix

Have you ever chosen a word of the year that sounded really inspiring on January 1st... only to realize by February that it felt more like a performance review than a guiding principle?

Yep. Me too.

For years, I've chosen words like intentional, discipline, consistency, and rhythms. And while those words weren't bad, they often came with an uninvited sidekick: pressure.

Pressure to do more.

Pressure to improve faster.

Pressure to become a "better version" of myself.

And if I'm being honest, that mindset can start to sound a whole lot like diet culture.

Always striving.

Always fixing.

Always feeling behind.

So this year, I'm doing something different.

My word of the year for 2026 is EXPLORE.

Not hustle.

Not control.

Not discipline.

Not even consistency.

Just... explore.

And friend, I think this simple shift has the potential to change far more than my yearly goals. I think it has the power to reshape how we approach growth, faith, food freedom, body image, and even our relationship with God.

Why I Chose "Explore" as My Word of the Year

Somewhere along the way, many of us started believing that growth only counts if it's measurable.

If we're improving.

Achieving.

Checking boxes.

Crossing finish lines.

But what if growth isn't always about fixing something?

What if growth starts with curiosity?

What if the goal isn't to become someone different, but to better understand who God created you to be?

Whaaaat?!

I know.

It's a radical thought in a world obsessed with optimization.

As I started thinking about the year ahead, I realized something surprising: I wasn't entirely sure how to answer a simple question.

"Brittany, what do you do for fun?"

I could tell you that I'm a wife.

A mom.

A registered dietitian.

A business owner.

A podcaster.

But when it came to hobbies, interests, or things I genuinely enjoyed simply because they brought me joy?

I found myself drawing a blank.

And that realization became an invitation.

An invitation to explore.

To learn.

To play.

To get curious again.

Not because I need fixing.

But because I want to know myself better.

What Exploration Has to Do With Food Freedom

Here's where this conversation gets really important for those of us navigating a complicated relationship with food and body image.

Diet culture thrives on certainty.

It loves rules.

Plans.

Protocols.

Black-and-white thinking.

It wants you to believe there's one perfect way to eat, exercise, or care for your body.

Food freedom, on the other hand?

Food freedom requires curiosity.

It requires exploration.

It asks questions like:

• What does my body actually need today?
• How do I feel after eating this?
• What foods bring both satisfaction and nourishment?
• What would happen if I let go of this rule?
• What is God inviting me to notice about my relationship with food?

That's why all-or-nothing food rules tend to collapse eventually.

Because there's no room for curiosity.

No room for learning.

No room for grace.

Friend, food freedom isn't a performance.

It's a practice.

Just like faith.

Just like growth.

Just like healing.

Creating a Personal Growth Curriculum Instead of Setting Goals

One of my favorite ideas I've encountered recently was the concept of creating a personal curriculum instead of a list of goals.

The teacher in me immediately lit up.

A curriculum feels different than a goal.

Goals often focus on outcomes.

Curriculums focus on learning.

Goals can create pressure.

Curriculums create opportunities.

So instead of building a list of resolutions, I created a 90-day personal curriculum centered around my word of the year: explore.

Think of it like a syllabus.

But way less stressful and with significantly fewer quizzes. 😉

The goal isn't mastery.

The goal is discovery.

After 90 days, I'll evaluate what I've learned, what I've enjoyed, and where God may be leading me next.

Exploring Creative Hobbies: Learning to Bake Bread

The first area I'm exploring this year is creative hobbies.

And specifically?

Bread baking.

Now before you laugh and tell me I've officially become the stereotypical millennial who watches homesteading videos online... you're probably not wrong.

My social media algorithm has fully embraced this chapter of my life.

And honestly?

I'm not mad about it.

There's something deeply appealing about learning practical skills and slowing down enough to create something with your hands.

But what excites me most about bread baking isn't the bread itself.

It's what it represents.

Bread Baking Is a Practice, Not a Performance

Making bread requires patience.

Practice.

Trial and error.

You learn by doing.

Sometimes the loaf turns out beautifully.

Sometimes it looks like it lost a fight.

Either way, you learn something.

And isn't that true of healing too?

So many women approach food freedom expecting perfection immediately.

They want to master intuitive eating by next Tuesday.

They want complete body confidence by the end of the month.

They want freedom without the process.

But healing doesn't work that way.

Food freedom isn't something you perform.

It's something you practice.

One meal.

One choice.

One act of curiosity at a time.

Why Community Matters for Food Freedom and Healing

The second area I'm exploring this year is friendship and community.

And oy vey, this one feels vulnerable.

Because while I have incredible friendships, many of my closest friends don't live nearby.

You know those friends you can call and say:

"Hey, I'm running to Walmart. Want to come?"

Or:

"My house is a mess. Come sit on the couch anyway."

Those friendships are precious.

And I want more of them.

Not because my life is lacking.

But because God designed us for connection.

Healing Doesn't Happen in Isolation

One thing I've seen repeatedly as a dietitian is that food struggles often grow louder in isolation.

Shame thrives in secrecy.

Fear thrives in silence.

Perfectionism thrives when nobody is challenging the narrative.

But healing?

Healing happens in community.

Healing happens when someone reminds you that you're not crazy.

You're not alone.

You're not the only woman who has spent hours obsessing over what she "should" eat.

You're not the only woman who has checked her reflection five times before lunch.

You're not the only woman who feels exhausted by the mental noise around food and body image.

Community reminds us that we are seen.

Known.

Loved.

And worthy of connection exactly where we are.

Join Our Free Food Freedom Community

If you're looking for a supportive place to ask questions, receive encouragement, and connect with other Christian women pursuing food freedom, I'd love to invite you to join our community.

Food Freedom and Body Image Support for Christian Women - JOIN HERE!

This isn't a place for perfection.

It's a place for honest conversations, encouragement, and support.

Exploring Joyful Movement Instead of Exercising for Control

The third area I'm exploring this year is movement.

And if you asked me today what type of exercise lights me up most, I honestly don't know if I could give you a clear answer.

Which is exactly why I'm exploring it.

For years, many women have been taught that exercise exists primarily to shrink their bodies.

Burn calories.

Earn food.

Control weight.

Punish themselves for what they ate.

But that mindset creates distrust.

Joyful Movement Helps Rebuild Body Trust

Control-based movement fuels body distrust.

Joy-based movement helps rebuild it.

When movement becomes enjoyable, something powerful happens.

We stop asking:

"How many calories did I burn?"

And start asking:

"How do I feel?"

We stop chasing punishment.

And start pursuing nourishment.

We stop viewing movement as an obligation.

And start seeing it as a gift.

Because consistency grows best from enjoyment.

Not shame.

Not fear.

Not guilt.

If movement feels miserable, your body will eventually resist it.

But when movement feels life-giving?

It becomes sustainable.

What If You Chose Exploration Over Perfection This Year?

Friend, can I ask you something?

What if 2026 wasn't about fixing yourself?

What if it wasn't about finding the perfect meal plan?

The perfect workout routine?

The perfect body?

The perfect spiritual discipline?

What if this year became an invitation to explore instead?

To explore your relationship with food.

To explore your relationship with your body.

To explore your relationship with God.

To get curious instead of critical.

To ask questions instead of rushing toward answers.

To embrace growth without turning it into pressure.

Because here's what I've learned:

Exploration is not laziness.

Exploration is not avoidance.

Exploration is faith.

It takes faith to step into the unknown.

It takes faith to release control.

It takes faith to trust that God can guide you without a rigid blueprint.

And perhaps that's exactly the invitation He has for both of us this year.

Your Next Step Toward Food Freedom

If this message resonated with you, don't let it stop here.

Subscribe to the Faith-Filled Food Freedom Podcast

The podcast is where we have honest conversations about food freedom, body image, gentle nutrition, faith, and healing from diet culture.

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Friend, 

You are not behind.

You don't need a stricter plan.

You may simply need a softer posture.

One rooted in curiosity.

One rooted in grace.

One rooted in faith.

And maybe—just maybe—the most faithful thing you can do this year is explore.