Recently, we completed another session of Women Who Mean Business, the women’s leadership program I co-teach. Our meetings were inspiring and thought-provoking on many levels.
One of our guest speakers, Andrea Hogan, board member and former CEO, sent me an email after her fireside chat with our group. She said, “My word for 2026 is connection.” She went on to say, connection with: 1. Self. 2. Others. 3. World. 4. Purpose.
While most of the time we think about connections relating to networking and people, I appreciate her expanded view of the word and what she hopes to accomplish by embracing it.
Let’s give this some thought.
- If we are concerned about connecting to ourselves, that is pretty amazing. How do we best get in touch with our true inner self? Our motivations, our fears, our aspirations? What is holding us back from our dreams? This takes some serious time to work out, but I aim to take it on this year and hope you will too.
- Second on her list is others. I see this as an opportunity to connect with people that may not serve or relate to those we need to be in our social and business network. This can include others that you just may not be seeing. Who are these people that we might truly benefit from finding a mutual bond? How can we be a help to them through the connections or friendship we can provide? Or maybe it is just a friendly exchange at the grocery store with a stranger.
- Then Andrea reminds us to connect with the world around us. In my book that can be nature or a larger global reach where we try to understand all that is in our universe and has an impact on us. We can open our minds to those that live and think differently than us. And as I said, that includes all of nature and its creatures that I like to take in and try to understand and connect with.
- Last is purpose. Weeding out the things we do not need to worry about or control, we can put our efforts toward our purpose. We need to ask: “What is our purpose?” Are we living a life that allows us to fulfill our purpose? Going back to the first on our list—self. If we are tuned in to ourselves then we should more clearly find our purpose.
Here’s to connecting in ways beyond the network,
Gay Gaddis
Founder. Author. Artist. Trailblazer.
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