My 2026 Word of the Year – Evolve

I finally decided on my Word of the Year. I know that we are more than halfway through January, but it took me a while to decide. I initially leaned toward “healing journey,” but the word I’ve officially chosen is Evolve.

To evolve is to change and develop gradually, which is what I am hoping to do both physically and mentally. Last October, I had a procedure on my hand that left me unable to grip things. So, I started physical therapy to help me regain my strength and flexibility in my right hand.

It was also towards the end of 2025 when I developed lower back and sciatica pain. I’m also in weekly PT sessions to fix that.

Healing doesn’t always feel like a straight line. The word that I chose, evolve, reminds me that every small stretch and every bit of progress is part of a bigger transformation.

Another way that I am evolving is with nutrition. At the end of 2024 and the start of 2025, I had made strict changes to the food that I was consuming. Then in the summer of 2025, I started sliding and the consequences weren’t pretty. I’m convinced that the sugar that I consumed over the holidays and other processed foods have contributed to the aches and joint pain that I’ve developed as of late.

Now that it’s the start of a new year, I’m trying to make better choices. I eat tuna fish on a weekly basis, in the form of tuna salad or a tuna sandwich. I don’t use mayonnaise, but I take low-fat cottage cheese and mix it with a tuna packet from Safe Catch.

Why Safe Catch? It is the only brand that tests every single tuna for mercury levels to ensure its product remains low. Not only that, but it tastes great AND the tuna is sustainably caught.

I found a great tuna cucumber salad recipe that I can’t wait to try out! It sounds really yummy to me, and I thought I’d share it with you!

Please see below for a recipe excerpted from Safe Catch website.

3-Ingredient Korean BBQ Tuna Cucumber Salad

SERVES: 1-2 people
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: None

Ingredients:
6 Mini Cucumbers
1 Can Safe Catch Elite Tuna
1/4 Cup of Your Favorite Korean BBQ Sauce
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:

• Slice your cucumbers into rounds and add them to a large mixing dish along with your Korean BBQ sauce.
• Toss the cucumbers in the sauce until well-coated.
• In a smaller dish, add the contents of your tuna can and use a fork to flake it. Add the tuna to the cucumbers and toss well again.
• Season well with salt and pepper and enjoy!
• Optional: Add an extra drizzle of Korean BBQ sauce on top!

By combining intentional nutrition with mindful movement like yoga and Zumba, and staying committed to my weekly physical therapy, I am steadily becoming the person I envision myself to be. Here’s to forward momentum!

Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post. I received complimentary Safe Catch samples which helped facilitate this write-up. All images are my own unless otherwise noted. As always, my opinions are 100% my own.