Step by Step Into 2026

I began 2026 with intentions that looked very different from how the year actually started. And perhaps that, in itself, was the first lesson.

Right after Christmas and just before the new year, I had a ski accident that resulted in a complete tear in my left knee. It did not only bring physical pain or limit my mobility. It forced an unexpected pause. In that brief moment on a steep slope, when I slipped, fell, and heard a sound I will never forget, life slowed down instantly. Everything else went quiet. What followed was not panic, but perspective. A clear reminder of how fragile, and at the same time how precious, life truly is.

Those who know me well know how active I am and how much I value movement, the outdoors, biking, and horseback riding. What made the timing even more ironic is that only two weeks before the accident, I had bought my dream Friesian mare, something I had looked forward to for years. I imagined long rides, bonding time, and enjoying the beauty of our winter weather. Instead, I found myself learning patience in a very different way.

As I have learned repeatedly over the years, plans do not always go as planned. This experience was a reminder that control is often an illusion, and that resilience is built in how we respond, not in how perfectly we plan.

So I shifted my priorities. I decided to take things literally slowly, step by step, without rushing outcomes or timelines. I reframed this period not as a setback, but as an invitation to realign.

This year, outside of work and titles and responsibilities, I am choosing to invest in myself in quieter ways. I am committing to learning French, not for necessity, but for the joy of learning. I am developing my photography skills, training my eye to notice details I once rushed past. And I am deepening my understanding of horsemanship, focusing not on riding, but on connection, trust, and presence.

2026 did not start the way I imagined. But it may be starting exactly the way I needed.