Word of the Year 2026

2025 was a wild ride for MalWest. In many ways, we were simply holding on, waiting to see what would come next. Some of our best efforts fell flat, while other endeavors surprised us by blooming in unexpected and meaningful ways. As I look ahead, I want to take the reins a bit more and intentionally pour our work into what has always mattered most: relationships and community.

This year brought major milestones—welcoming a new hire, expanding into over 150 stores nationwide—and I want to cherish every minute of being exactly where I am. It’s easy to get swept up in fast growth, constant goal-setting without reflection, and the endless pull of more, more, more. But I want to slow down enough to notice the organic opportunities that have been unfolding and the foundations I’ve been quietly nourishing for years.

As I step into 2026, I want to be deliberate.

I want every choice to be made with care—for the benefit of everyone and everything it touches. I want decisions to be thoughtful, acknowledging that every “yes” carries the weight of a potential “no” to something else that may also be good. I want to sharpen how I spend my time, honoring both the big and small moments, as long as they matter most to me and my people. I want to move forward earnestly, without fear of taking a step back when it serves a greater purpose and a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow.

In 2025, I said yes to too many things which led to too many distractions. While that season stretched me in important ways, it’s not a cadence I want to carry into the new year. I want to learn from the lessons of being spread thin and intentionally choose fewer—but better—things. With less on my plate, I want my creativity to have room to breathe, opportunities to be met with clarity, and pathways forward to feel more open and aligned.

Here’s to a year of moving forward with intention—choosing deliberately, creating with care, and building a future grounded in what matters most.