The Journey Has Begun: Reclaiming Ourselves in 2026

The journey has begun. Welcome to 2026 and all that it brings, and all that we choose to make of it.

A new year often arrives with urgency: goals to set, habits to change, expectations to meet. Yet before rushing forward, I invite you to use this moment for something quieter and more intentional, reflection.

In the Akan language of Ghana, Sankofa is a word that means “go back and get it.” It encourages us to return to our past, not to remain there, but to gain understanding from our lived experiences so we can move forward with wisdom. Sankofa teaches us that learning from what we have already lived is essential for growth. It is through remembering that healing and transformation become possible.

Looking back, then, is not regression but rather an intentional act of reclaiming ourselves; reclaiming ourselves with clarity, compassion, and purpose.

What Are You Reclaiming This Year?

As we step into this new year, I invite you to pause and reflect:

How do you plan to reclaim yourself in 2026?

Reclamation might look like rest.It might look like setting boundaries.It might look like softening your inner voice, honoring your needs, or trusting yourself again.

There is no single right answer…only your truth!

Honoring the Journey from 2025

In 2025, our guiding theme was “I Am Love.” Together, we explored what it means to set intentions for a healthier self. We leaned into growth and renewal through learning, and we embraced adventure by stepping outside our comfort zones. As we moved through the fall, a season of transition, we focused on finishing what we had started, gathering our energy, and deepening our focus.

That intentional work allowed us to cross the threshold into 2026 grounded in this year’s theme: “I Am Enough.” This is not a declaration of perfection. It is a reminder of inherent worth.

Reflection Over Resolution

I don’t subscribe to New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I believe deeply in reflection.

The beginning of the year is a powerful time to look back at the experiences of the previous year and intentionally choose what we carry forward and what we leave behind. This discernment is wisdom. Life happens, and while we may not always control our circumstances, we do have agency in how we allow those experiences to shape and define us. Remember, Radical Acceptance!!

Reflection allows us to choose ourselves, again and again.

Walking with Sankofa: Befriending the Self

This month, I will begin the second module, “Befriend,” of my trauma program, Bridges to Belonging: Rebuilding Connection After Trauma.

In this module, we walk with wisdom. We return to the self with compassion. We begin to release inherited and internalized criticism, and we work toward reclaiming trust in our inner knowing. Guided by the teachings of Sankofa, we look back gently. We loosen the voices of self-judgment shaped by trauma. We retrieve what has always belonged to us: trust in ourselves.

As we move forward into 2026, may we remember that healing does not require forgetting. It asks us to remember wisely.

Welcome to the journey.

Fondly,

Dr. C