Resilience - My Word for 2026

I started doing #yearplanner in 2020 — so let's just say that first year was a misfire. But a couple of years back Patrick and I started doing it together, and it's been really helpful (though I would argue the planning we did in late 2025 for 2026 was also...a little altered once we got into January.)

One of the elements of it is to pick a word for the year. Last year, one was ATTEND, and it was pretty inspirational. My word for 2024 was BUILD, also a win. Based on what I *thought* 2026 was going to be like I almost picked "Grow," but I am glad I did not.

My word for 2026 is RESILIENCE (Patrick has two, for what it's worth, ADJUST and ADAPT.)

So when Playwrights Center did a panel about artists and resilience last night, I knew I had to be there. And I am so glad I went. Anytime you get Signe Harridan, Sarah Bellamy, Maija Garcia, Anh Thu Pham, Laura Zabel, and Mark Valdez in a room, it's going to be a provocative conversation.


Here are my top things I put into notes:

- (on the last few weeks in the Twin Cities) - "It's more terrible and awful than you are seeing...and more beautiful."

- Writing a love note to ourselves and to the future we are imagining

- The practice of striving

But here's the real importance. The evening was not valuable just because of the brilliance of the people on the panel (though that was good too). It was amazing because it turned it around to us, and what we are going to do together, how we are going to be resilient together, and how we need each other.

Resilience was a good pick for this year. I hope I can live up to it.

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