Every December, I feel it creeping in.
The pressure to set goals.
The lists.
The declarations about who I’m going to become on January 1.
And every year, I resist it just a little more.
Not because goals are bad. I love goals.
I literally teach productivity for a living.
But because resolutions often feel performative.
They focus on what we want to do instead of how we want to live.
This year, instead of resolutions, I chose something simpler and far more powerful.
Three words.
This practice was inspired by my friend Becky Sharpe in her book, Three Words: Live Your Legacy.
The idea is beautifully straightforward.
You pick three words that describe who you are and how you want to show up in every area of your life.
Personal. Professional. Everything.
These words aren’t goals.
They’re filters.
They guide decisions, energy, boundaries, and behavior all year long.
Here are the three words I’m intentionally infusing into my life and business in 2026.
#1: Fun.
This one surprised me.
I realized I was missing fun.
Not joy. Not gratitude.
Fun.
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Somewhere along the way, work became serious. Corporate.
And while I was still effective, something felt flat.
When I named fun as a word, everything shifted.
It’s why I started adding GIFs every week.
It’s why my live trainings are more interactive, playful, and full of laughter.
It’s why I recently started making fun reels.
Fun isn’t frivolous.
It’s fuel.
When something is fun, we engage.
We remember. We return.
Fun creates momentum, and momentum creates results.
#2: Empathetic
This word reflects a strength I’ve always had but now claim intentionally.
Empathy allows me to relate quickly, draw out real feelings, and understand what people are actually struggling with.
Not the surface problem but the real one underneath.
This is why my solutions work.
Empathy helps me listen better, ask better questions, and design systems that fit real life instead of ideal life.
It keeps me grounded in service instead of assumption.
In business, empathy creates relevance.
In life, it creates connections.
And when people feel seen, change becomes possible.
#3: Inspiring
I believe in people. Deeply.
I believe most people are capable of far more than they give themselves credit for.
They just need clarity, permission, and simplicity.
Inspiration doesn’t have to be loud or complicated.
Sometimes, the most inspiring thing is making something feel doable.
This word reminds me to remove unnecessary complexity.
To simplify frameworks.
To explain things in a way that clicks.
When things are easy to understand, people act.
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When people act, they build confidence.
And confidence is inspiring.
The Bottom Line
Instead of asking, “What do I want to accomplish?”
Try asking, “Who do I want to be?”
Choose words that feel true, grounding, and energizing.
Three words can become your compass for the entire year if you let them.
They can change how you make choices, how you treat yourself, and how you lead others.
Take a few quiet minutes, choose your words, and write them somewhere you’ll see often.
And if you feel like sharing, tell me what they are.
I read every reply, and I love seeing the values people choose to live by.
With love and appreciation,
Mridu
PS. Want to make 2026 the strongest, most fulfilling, and fun year in your company? Let’s talk about what training or coaching looks like.
PPS: Know someone who could benefit from this message? Share this with them!
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