2026: The Year of the Horse (Girl)

2025 was a good year for me.

I got MARRIED!!!!!

Went on a two-week honeymoon.

Found out I’m going to be an aunt (x3 — one sister, two best friends).

Got to meet my first baby bestie!

And spent countless hours with family and friends.

But because I had so much to focus on outside of my business, I didn’t see as much professional growth as I was hoping for. Which is okay! Some years are for building, some years are for enjoying.

ENTER: 2026.

It’s the Year of the Horse, after all. And as a horse girl, that’s gotta be a good sign.

So for the next 12 months, I”m working on turning my big dreams for ByKD into a reality.

My 2026 Word of the Year

I’ve been choosing a word of the year since 2023 after listening to a podcast episode by Elizabeth McCravy. I loved the idea of choosing one word to drive your actions and referring back to it whenever you need a little reminder to just get shit done. So for 2026, my word is …

MOMENTUM.

If I’m being honest, last year was more about maintaining. I had a lot going on in my personal life, and I could not pull my attention away from the millionth Tiktok about wedding invitation suites. Or after party dresses. (Which I ordered likeee 7 of, and didn’t even end up wearing the one I chose! Would not take my wedding dress off if you paid me — who woulda thought!)

So for this year, I want to put all of my energy into moving forward. No more feeling stuck, no more waiting to take action until things are “perfect,” and no more becoming obsessed with two slightly different shoe options.

What I’m Building in 2026

In the spirit of moving forward, I’m delaring 2026 a BUILDING year!

Here’s what I’ll be working on:

🤠 Booking DFY website copy projects — I want to fill my calendar with clients who are just as excited about their websites as I am. My goal is to book 2-3 projects per month consistently, which means I need to be way more visible about what I do and who I want to work with.

🤠 Growing my email list — Last year I started getting more comfortable with sending a weekly newsletter, and I’m officially 20 in! But THIS year, I’m making it a point to prioritize my list and never miss a week. My other goal? Hit 1,000 subscribers by the end of the year. Which means I need to actually promote my newsletter and talk about my freebies wayyyyy more than I currently do.

🤠 Launching my new website in Q1 — My website has been “good enough” for way too long, and it’s time to give ByKD the home it deserves. Fresh copy, new design, NEW BLOG PAGE (because it hurts my soul to look at the current situation going on there), and something that actually feels like ME.

🤠 Growing the ByKD Instagram — Instagram is where most of my dream clients are hanging out, so I need to be there too. I’m committing to at least 3 posts per week, which honestly feels like a lot but also… not that much? The real goal is to stop treating it like a chore, start batching content so I’m NEVER behind, and start using it as a real way to connect with people.

🤠 Showing up consistently on Pinterest — I’ve been ignoring Pinterest for three years, even though Sara (my amaaaaazing copywriting mentor!) keeps raving about how good it is for growing your email list (and she’s right, obviously). So this year, I’m finally committing to it. I grabbed Sarah Burk’s Pinterest planner to keep me organized, and now it’s time to actually use the damn thing.

🤠 Creating and launching a copy template shop — This is the BIG one. I’ve been talking about templates for literally two years, and 2026 is the year I finally do it. Website copy templates, sales page templates, email sequence templates — all the things my clients and some of my faveee website designers keep asking for. Launch goal: Q2.

2026 Business Investments

I’ve always loved a good course or training, but this year they aren’t on my “to-buy” list.

Instead, I want to invest more in products and services that’ll making running my business easier.

I can’t just hire out all willy-nilly (my bank account isn’t equipped for that quite yet), so here’s where I’m channeling my cash:

Success Story: the most laid-back support system I could’ve ever hoped for as a business owner. I’ve been working with Sara for over a year now, and I really don’t think I want to go back to life without her. She’s there for me on Slack whenever I need some advice or want to bounce ideas off of someone else, and she’s my favorite bully when I really just need a kick in the ass.

A hot pink iMac: I spent HOURS limewashing the walls of my office, purchasing new furniture, putting together said furniture, etc. to have a nice home office that I actually WANT to work in. The only thing missing? An Elle Woods-coded desktop computer so I can get my work done on a bigger screen AND avoid getting that li’l neck hump from my impossibly bad desk posture.

Custom website design: I cannot tell you how many website templates I’ve purchased over the years (read: it’s an embarrassing amount 🫣), so THIS is the year that I invest in a website/brand design that actually feels like me. I’m working with my friend Laura, and when I tell you that she’s insanely talented, it’s truly an understatement.

Just goes to show ya — DIY-ing is NOT always more cost effective! I’ve wasted way too much money trying to save money, and I very much regret it.

What I’m Committing to in 2026

To make myself feel generally more ~put together~, there are some lifestyle habits I’m forming and carrying through all of this year.

Prioritizing movement: Getting off my booty is NOT optional this year!

I want to get back into my *athlete era*! I’m planning to compete with my horse, Fox, after he’s fully rehabbed, and frankly, it is not for the weak. My core is nowhere near strong enough to hold me steady around a jump course, and I definitely don’t want to wind up in the dirt.

So, my schedule is going to consist of:

Peloton rides for cardio and endurance.

Pilates by Izzy for low-impact strength.

And Team Define on the Ladder app for deep core and strength gains.

Check back in December to see if I actually stuck to this one. I think I will. Hopefully. Okay yes — we’re doing it.

Daily chores: I have been known to look at a full laundry basket and just keep walking, much to my husband’s dismay. So this year, I want to be more on top of my household to-dos. Because a clean, tidy environment is also a relaxed, productive one. My new yearly planner from The Dailee has a weekly chores breakdown, so I can write out my own cute little plan to stay on track.

Clearing out my email inbox: I have 8,724 unopened emails sitting in my inbox as we speak. They’re mostly promos I signed up for when trying to get that coveted 10% off your first purchase, but now they’re terrorizing me every time I open my app.

No more!

I will be unsubscribing, deleting, and getting that shit down to zero.

Creative date nights: We loooveeee a dinner out. It’s probably one of our favorite things to do together. But in 2026, I want to be more intentional about doing different activities and having new experiences together.

First on the list? Build a Lego set. (I’ve never done one before!)

If you have any creative date night ideas, send ’em my way!

What I’m Letting Go Of in 2026

People pleasing: I am a person who does things I don’t actually want to do because I don’t want to upset someone who wants me to do them. Fuckkkkk that. 2026 is the year I prioritize what I think is important, and value my time and effort the same way I value everyone else’s.

Giving up too early: As a newly-diagnosed ADHD girlie (and OCD girlie, lol), I have an intense need for some relatively instant gratification. If I’m not seeing results ASAP, I assume they’re never coming. In 2026, I’m trying my best to let go of that reflex. Emphasis on trying. I want to stick things out long enough to actually see what happens, trust that consistency beats urgency, and remind myself that not everything is supposed to work immediately.

Hoarding random screenshots: In the interest of tidiness, I need to forget the screenshot button exists. I will no longer lie to myself that I’m “saving it for later.” I will never look at it again, and it’s making both my phone and laptop annoyingly cluttered.