Words have power. As a writer I should know this. But sometimes I forget just how much power they wield.

Years ago, I once considered a career as a corporate trainer, teaching management about customer service and leadership skills. Though I wasn’t very good at it, I do recall one personally significant discovery. I learned that information is transferred through three elements of communication and that each of these elements carry different weights in getting your message across successfully.

1. Body Language: Nonverbal cues such as facial expressions, posture, eye contact and gestures are the most significant element of conveying a message. 55% of it.
2. Tone of Voice: Pitch, pace, volume, and the emotional context behind the communication conveys 38% of the message.
3. Words: The literal meaning of your message—the words you choose—only convey 7% of what you are trying to express.

So here we are, hours away from the 2026 ball drop, where the majority of our communications to each other occur by Text, Messaging, Email, and an assortment of “social” media* channels, all of which eliminate 93% of what you are actually intending to express. With a 93% potential for misunderstandings, families can come to blows, friendships can struggle, and even corporate messaging can create a backlash—all because the words we choose will always be open to interpretation.

The advice to choose your words wisely has never been more apparent!

So, about that …

Each year, as many of you readers know, I choose a word as a guidepost. In 2025 I selected “Clarity.” Halfway through the year I wondered if the word was having any impact at all. What Clarity had I found? But as I look back into the year now, I realize that I found Clarity in so many key experiences and moments. I’ve learned more about myself and what holds genuine importance to me. As I’ve transitioned to an emptyish nest with fewer years left in my career than behind me, seeking Clarity for “what’s next” is a strange place to be.

But in 2025 I started to puzzle that out. What was next for Jenni Carmichael Clark? What belonged, what needed to be released, what needed to be strengthened, and what needed to be explored further? What did I enjoy and wish to do more of? What had served its time and could be surrendered? Only in December, looking back, did I fully experience the gift that word presented to me.

A few days ago, I wasn’t quite sure what word would find me for this new year. What word could offer me guidance, direction, or discovery? What word would serve as the foundation for my continuing adventures? What word could help direct my steps in the coming year? Then, suddenly, during a conversation with my family on the day after Christmas, the word appeared.

For 2026 my word is Simplify.

What, you ask, does that mean?

Well, I don’t always know. But, today, I know that in 2026 I want to invest in the people, activities, projects, and experiences that are most relevant to me and opt out of the others. (Opt Out was a phrase I heard during a particularly meditative yoga class this past week and the message stuck!) I want to Be Present when I’m with people important to me. I want to Renew myself with healthy choices and habits. And finally, I want to truly Accept that I am powerless over others, arguing or debating less and ceasing to try to make others accept the relevance of my perspectives. We all see things differently. And the Words and the Messages/Ideas we all express will always be interpreted uniquely based on our own experiences, biases, and ideas (Ah Ha! You see that clever tieback to my opening!). That said, forcing my view on others will never succeed. In Simplifying my personal approach in the new year, perhaps I can gently settle in and cease trying.

I don’t know where 2026 will lead me and what lessons it will bring. But, beginning tomorrow I will embrace my new word and find out.

*Asterisk here since I am currently off the channels and wondering if today’s version of “Social” Media is more of a hindrance than a real form of communication.