Innovation.
That single word became my guiding theme for 2021.
It’s a word born from the upheaval of 2020. That year forced so many of us into survival mode—personally, professionally, emotionally. It was difficult and relentless in ways most of us had not experienced before. And yet that hardship also revealed an unexpected gift: clarity. When the noise and rush were stripped away, what remained were the essentials—what mattered most and what could be let go.
I feel profound gratitude that my business not only survived but thrived. In fact, last year ranked among my best-performing years ever. I managed to run a successful, high-end retreat in mid-summer with a group of talented food bloggers—a surprising achievement given the challenges of securing sponsorship and coordinating events during a pandemic. At the same time, I was able to stay home and care for Charlie while keeping the business moving forward. That balance felt like an innovation in my own life: adapting work and family in a new, sustainable way.
Looking back, 2020 was, in many ways, an opportunity—a blank slate to rebuild and refocus. It invited us to reassess priorities and to experiment with new approaches in both personal and professional spheres. That’s why I chose Innovation as my word for 2021: not innovation for its own sake, but intentional changes that create resilience, clarity, and growth.
By definition, innovation means introducing something new—an idea, value, or method. This year, I believe many of us are on a trajectory toward reimagining how we live and work. The challenges of 2020 exposed weaknesses in systems we once assumed were solid, but they also revealed what we don’t need. From that pruning comes the space to design better systems, products, and daily habits.
Over the past several months I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting, researching, and doing due diligence. I studied trends, listened to mentors and peers, and tested small changes. Those efforts convinced me this year could be one of meaningful growth. Innovation, when applied deliberately, can drive change, enable smart pivots, and produce ideas that scale over time.
So where does innovation begin?
Innovation often grows from the micro level. Before 2020, many of us were caught up in a culture of “bigger, better, more.” We packed our schedules and chased outward markers of success until the structure we relied on faltered under stress. That collapse showed that accumulation doesn’t always equal progress. True innovation frequently starts small—within routines, mindsets, and daily choices.
Think about it: you’ve already done significant work. Last year forced many of us to discard obligations, commitments, and distractions that didn’t truly serve our goals. That decluttering created a blank canvas entering 2021. That blankness is powerful; it invites experimentation and a sense of freedom. When you remove the old noise, you gain clarity to build intentionally.
Personally, I made a concrete list of small, practical problems to address before the end of the year. These were micro-level tasks—household systems, workflow tweaks, personal habits—that collectively held me back. I tackled them bit by bit, and the cumulative effect has been freeing. Clearing out those small obstacles made room for new thinking and gave rise to several promising ideas that will come to fruition this summer.
Innovation isn’t reserved for tech founders or large corporations. Every one of us has the capacity to create something new—an improved routine, a redesigned product offering, a healthier work-life balance. These incremental changes compound. They become the foundation for larger growth.
Ask yourself: what small barriers can you change today? What tiny experiment can you run this week that might unlock new potential? Maybe it’s redesigning a client onboarding process, simplifying a morning routine, delegating one task, or trying a fresh content format. Small shifts are low-risk and high-learning. They provide the feedback you need to iterate and scale what works.
As we move further from the disruptions of 2020, the opportunity to innovate remains. Use the lessons learned to reshape your priorities. Start small, stay curious, test quickly, and let those experiments guide you toward meaningful growth. Innovation begins with one thoughtful change—then another, and another—until the cumulative result transforms your year.
What small change will you make today to spark a larger transformation this year?