2026 Word of the Year: Adaptation

Every year, I choose a single word to hold my attention and shape my listening. Not a goal and not a slogan, but a lens. A way to notice what is already happening instead of forcing something new. This year, the word arrived quietly and kept returning when I was not looking for it.

Adaptation found me in memory, in stillness, and in the slow recognition that the season I have been living in is changing. What once kept me safe is now asking to grow. What once felt like shelter is beginning to feel like a doorway.

This is a reflection on sanctuary, on healing, and on the moment when refuge turns into readiness.