My Word for the Year Was Health. Here’s What Changed After One Year

There’s something about a new year that gets me excited. Starting with a blank page to fill with new goals, new intentions, and a new mindset.

Word for the year

Each year, I choose a word that I use to focus on. I haven’t quite settled on my 2026 word just yet, but I was reflecting on the word I chose for 2025. I thought this was the perfect time to share my story.

My word for 2025 was Health. Here’s How It Changed Everything.

Not a vague resolution. Not “lose weight” or “work out more.” I wanted to invest back into my health and become the best version of myself that I could realistically be. Not perfect. Just better. More aware. More intentional.

I kept notes on my progress as it happened, so I could remember and look back on them. That reflection is what I want to share with you today. Now that it’s a new year and most of us have set out with good intentions and goals, it feels like the right time to share some of my story. There is much more to the story, but let’s start here.

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What “Health” Looked Like for Me in 2025

When I chose Health as my word, I didn’t overhaul my life overnight. I made small, intentional changes that added up over time.

1. I invested in an Oura Ring.
This was a game-changer for me. I wanted real data. Not just how I felt, but what was actually happening inside my body. Tracking sleep, stress, recovery, and cycles gave me insight I didn’t have before. Perimenopause is something I’m navigating, and sleep has become incredibly important. If you’re trying to get more in tune with your body, I truly think it’s worth it. This is the one I have.

2. We added an infrared sauna to our home.
I read so much about the benefits and knew I wanted it to be part of my wellness routine. It’s become a place to decompress, sweat, and reset. Some of the benefits that drew me in included improved circulation, muscle recovery, stress reduction, detox, and more.

3. I started walking consistently.
In the spring, I made it a goal to move my body daily and hit my step count. Not only was I getting exercise, but I was also getting a sense of therapy. The sunshine, fresh air, and the quiet. Just nature. It grounded me more than I expected and helped regulate both my nervous system and energy in a gentle way.

4. I stopped lifting heavy weights and doing HIIT workouts.
This was a big shift. I started noticing that intense workouts left me exhausted and inflamed instead of energized. There’s growing conversation around how heavy lifting and constant high-intensity training can elevate cortisol, especially for women in midlife. Hello perimentopase. I’m not anti-strength, but I realized my body needed something different right now.

5. I found Pilates.
Both mat and reformer Pilates completely changed how my body felt. I loved it so much that I bought a reformer and created a workout space at home. Pilates is strength, mobility, posture, and mindfulness all in one. I didn’t know how much I needed it until I found it. Now, I can’t imagine my routine without it. I have a full post you can read about it here.

6. I stopped drinking alcohol.
This one started as an experiment. I decided to give it up for 30 days after coming across something called the sober-curious movement. It’s about questioning your relationship with alcohol, making more intentional choices, and sometimes taking a break just to see how your body responds. I had never heard of this before, but I became curious. The things people were saying about how they felt after cutting out alcohol intrigued me.

In 2024, I had someone tell me they did “Dry January” and how much better they felt. I had never heard of that until she told me about it. I distinctly remember thinking I could never do it. I like my wine. I like a good cosmopolitan. I like champagne. Giving that up for a month sounded miserable. It’s also why I never considered things like 75 Hard, which is a very strict discipline workout and lifestyle change, including no alcohol.

But after watching videos, listening to podcasts, and reading about sober curiosity, I decided to try it for 30 days. I wasn’t trying to quit forever. I just wanted to feel better. I wanted to see if the things I was reading and hearing were, in fact, true.

So in February 2025, I committed to 30 days without drinking.

Here’s what happened just after two weeks:

• I was sleeping better.
• I woke up earlier and actually felt ready for the day. I was happy and prepared to be productive. I am not, nor have I ever been, a morning person.
• My thoughts were clearer.
• My skin was looking better.

After my 30 days, I decided to keep going. I was already seeing results and feeling good, so why would I stop?

After 90 days, I was seeing even more results:

• The inflammation in my face and body went down significantly.
• I lost some weight.
• I felt more present.
• I stuck to my skincare routine consistently.

At the time, I was shocked at how good I felt, and it showed both on the inside and the outside.

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Where I Am Now

It’s January 2026.

I still haven’t had a drink.

Not because I set out to quit forever. I just kept choosing how I felt without alcohol over how I felt with it.

The 30 days quietly turned into months.

It’s been almost a year since I “broke up” with alcohol.

I sleep better.
My anxiety is quieter.
My skin looks better than it has in years.
My inflammation had decreased.
My energy is steady instead of up and down.
I’m more present in my life.

And most surprisingly, I don’t miss it all.

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Choosing Health as my Word for 2025 quietly changed my life. And reflecting on it now is helping me step into 2026 with more clarity than ever. If you’re here from Instagram or FB and want the deeper story, I’m glad you’re here. Feel free to subscribe to my newsletter, and I’ll send these updates right to your inbox. I have much more I can share on this topic over the last year. If you want to hear more, let me know. Leave me a comment, send me an email, or DM.

Maybe this is the year you choose yourself too.