Welcome back to the Plan Like a Boss Podcast. Today we are going to be talking about your 2026 focus in your business. But before we talk about clarity, before we talk about focus, planning, or even goals for 2026, I want to share something very personal. I don't know if you do a word of the year or not, but I do. And my word of the year this year is recovery. It's not hustle, it's not scale, it's not optimize, it's recovery. Recovering my health after cancer, recovering my energy, recovering my trust in my body, and recovery in my business without sacrificing myself. Basically recovering my life. And I'm sharing this because clarity did not come to me in a perfectly crafted plan. It came from realizing that everything could not matter equally anymore. If you're going through a season where your capacity has changed, where your priorities have shifted, or where your body, brain, or life has asked you to slow down, then this episode is for you. Today, we're talking about letting go of the belief that everything matters. Instead, we are going to choose a one-year thing that supports your real life and more importantly, helps you decide what not to carry forward into 2026. This isn't about doing more, it's about choosing what deserves to stay. So grab your coffee, your planner, or your notes app, and let's get into it. The first thing you need to do is let go of the mentality that everything matters. Now, I know that can feel very uncomfortable to hear, especially if you're a creative, a multi-passionate person, or someone who's just been told that success comes from doing all the things. But here's the truth: not everything matters. Not everything needs to get your best energy. Overwhelm happens when all of your goals live at the same priority level. Every idea feels urgent and you don't have a clear yes or not now filter. Now, some things can be really good ideas and still be wrong for this year. And clarity comes when you stop asking, what could I do? And instead start asking, what serves my focus right now? Now, I'll be the first to tell you cancer has a way of clarifying things really fast. Because when your energy is limited, when your body says, this is all I've got today, you learn quickly that not everything can be urgent. And honestly, most overwhelm comes from treating every goal like it's life or death. But here's the truth: some things matter deeply. Some things matter eventually, and some things, well, they don't actually matter anymore. When I finally stopped asking myself, how do I get back to everything I was doing before? And instead asked, what needs me right now? Clarity showed up for me. Overwhelm isn't failure, it's information. It's your system telling you we need fewer priorities right now, not better motivation. Now, this is why I like the idea of a one-year theme, because a theme gives you permission. My theme, recover, becomes a filter for everything. Not just health decisions, but what projects I say yes to, how I structure my work days, and what kind of growth I allow in my business, and what I intentionally decide to pause. Now, this is not a productivity hack, it's a values statement. For me, the word recovery means building systems that support my energy. Letting my business be stable instead of constantly expanding. Choosing visibility strategies that compound quietly in the background instead of demand daily output. And your theme doesn't have to sound impressive. It has to be honest. A theme isn't a rigid plan, it's a lens. It helps you decide what gets attention, what gets simplified, and what gets postponed without the guilt. Now, some sample themes might be foundation and stability, visibility with ease, focusing on SEO optimizing all your visibility streams, systems over hustle, sustainable growth. Because when you start to grow too fast, you start making shortcuts and that hurts your business. Clarity before expansion. Don't let your business get ahead of you. Your theme is going to answer this one question. If this year could only be about doing one thing well, what would that thing be? And here's the key your theme should support your energy, not fight it. This is especially important if you're recovering from burnout, if you're managing a chronic illness like me, or if you're rebuilding momentum after a really hard season. That's okay. A good thing creates coherence. It makes your decisions easy and it gives you a way to check alignment without overthinking it. When a new opportunity pops up, you ask, does this support my theme? If the answer is yes, then lean into it. If it's no, then say not now. It doesn't mean no forever. It means no right now. Move it to your future idea parking lot. That's clarity. And it is more strategic than any 12-step plan. Now, let's talk about what you're not going to be carrying forward into 2026 because this is just as important as choosing your focus. Because clarity doesn't come from adding, it comes from letting go. Recovery has taught me something very important. You can't heal while dragging everything with you. Now, here are a few things that I'm personally not carrying forward. And you might recognize yourself in some of these too. First of all, I'm not carrying forward goals based on who I was before. I'm not rebuilding my life or my business to match an old version of me. I'm building it for who I am right now. I am not bringing in visibility that costs too much energy. If a strategy requires constant output, emotional labor, or pressure to perform, it's just not aligned with my theme of recovery. That's why I've doubled down on the systems that work while I rest. I'm also not bringing in guilt for slowing down. Slowing down isn't failure. As a matter of fact, sometimes it's the most intelligent move you can make. I'm also getting rid of the push through it mentality because recovery doesn't happen through force, it happens through support. Letting go is not quitting, it's choosing sustainability. I want to remind you of a few things. One, you're allowed to outgrow your goals. You're allowed to change. You don't owe past you completion of a project at the expense of present you. And just because something worked once doesn't mean it deserves a spot in your future. Energy is a resource. Protect it. You don't need to continue to carry something just because you said yes at one point in your life. You're allowed to renegotiate. Letting go will create space. And that space is where clarity lives. Here's the part I want to be very clear about. Recovery doesn't mean disengaging from your goals, it just means building them differently. This is exactly why my work has shifted toward fewer priorities, stronger systems, and long-term visibility that doesn't require my constant energy. Now, once you have a theme, fewer priorities, and clearer boundaries, the next step is building your support systems, not relying on motivation, because motivation it comes and goes. This is where planning, visibility, and decision making start to work together in. And honestly, this is the part most people try to DIY and then get stuck yet again. This is why I have my creative SEO members focus on one primary thing at a time. It's the entire membership is set up like a choose your own adventure. You pick the focus you're working on right now. We focus on building visibility that compounds instead of exhaust and creating plans that fit your real life and your real energy, not the life and energy you wish you had. And for some people, especially if you're at a big transition point or carrying a lot of mental load, this work is even more powerful in a one-on-one coaching space because sometimes what you need most isn't another strategy. It's having someone there with you helping you decide what no longer belongs. So as you think about 2026, I want you to remember this. You don't need a perfect plan, you don't need more goals, and you don't need to do everything. You need one clear focus and the permission to let the rest just wait. Now, if this episode helped you exhale just a little, I would love for you to reflect on this question. What do I want 2026 to feel like, not just look like? You can explore my membership for ongoing guidance and systems, or apply for one-on-one coaching if you want personalized support, choosing your focus and building around it. All the details are linked in the show notes. Now, next week, we'll talk about how to maintain momentum without burning out because clarity is powerful, but sustainability is what makes it last. Until then, choose less, trust yourself, and keep planning like a boss.