As we begin 2026, there’s been a friendly debate in our house about how best to approach a new year.
For the past several years, I’ve chosen a “Word of the Year”. It’s usually one word to help set my focus, vision, and direction for the months ahead. I think of it as my front windshield, the lens through which I look at the road ahead. This word usually reflects a goal or area I feel compelled to grow in.
After much prayer and reflection, my word for 2025 was Listen. At the time, I knew I needed to become a better listener to my family, friends, and clients. What I didn’t know was just how deeply the Lord would use that word in my life.
My husband, Merrill, takes a different approach. Instead of choosing a word at the beginning of the year, he prefers to look back once the year is over. Reflection helps him learn, grow, and set future goals. He believes wisdom comes from evaluating where you’ve been before deciding where you’re going.
After years of this discussion, we’ve come to realize there’s really no debate at all. Both perspectives matter. But there’s a reason the rearview mirror in your car is much smaller than the front windshield.
Looking back can be valuable, but we can’t live there.
As you reflect on 2025, be careful not to get stuck in the past. You can’t move forward if you’re constantly looking back with regret. Don’t dwell on mistakes or “if only” moments. Release past hurts. Don’t allow disappointment to trap you in fear. It’s healthy to acknowledge the past, but it’s not healthy to relive it or remain stuck in it.
In May of 2025, I sensed the Lord nudging me to step down from several outside commitments. I felt called to be more flexible and available, though I didn’t fully understand why. My father’s health was declining. Our son and daughter-in-law were preparing to welcome their fourth child. I wasn’t sure what was coming, but I was trying my best to Listen.
On June 22, 2025, my dad fell and broke his hip. After surgery and severe pain, he spent months moving through rehabilitation centers, working to regain strength. In that moment, I could see more clearly why I had been prompted to slow down, so I could be more available to help my dad.
Then, just a month later, on July 23, 2025, my husband, Merrill, went to the hospital feeling “off.” After ten days in the hospital and two brain surgeries later, he was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain cancer called glioblastoma. Talk about a gut punch for him, our family, and Rock Solid Families.
Despite the unimaginable challenges of 2025, if you ask Merrill to sum up the year, his word would be Gratitude. He is grateful for God’s provision, protection, and presence in his life. Merrill has been given a rare opportunity to evaluate his life and this past year through the lens of thankfulness rather than regret or resentment.
How about you? As you glance in the rearview mirror and reflect on the year behind you, keep your eyes fixed on the larger windshield ahead. Pause long enough to learn, but not so long that you get stuck and stop moving forward. Ask yourself these important questions:
What lessons from last year can guide me in the year ahead?
What kind of person do I want to become?
What relationships around me do I need to get rid of or strengthen to support that growth?
Our prayer for you as we begin this new year is that you take time to reflect and learn from the past but also have hope for the road ahead.
May we learn from where we’ve been but move forward with intention, faith, and gratitude.
Linda Hutchinson is the Executive Director of Rock Solid Families, a faith based coaching organization with two locations: St. Leon and Lawrenceburg