Happy New Year! And, if you are new here, welcome to this bi-weekly-ish newsletter hand-typed by Valentina Thörner, the Empress of Remote. I talk about remote leadership (as a product person), humans (not only) at work and how to support them. And sometimes it’s just about me. Like today. All posts are written by myself. All pictures are AI, because I am a word-nerd not a designer. All opinions my own.
Almost two weeks into 2026 - how are things? How are your resolutions coming along, if you decided to make them?
For me the new year starts on the first Monday that school is fully back in session, which was yesterday. On that day Christmas and the twin’s birthday parties are definitely done and dusted, and I can focus on what is to come.
And there are so many things on the horizon already! While last year I chose a work to focus my activities on, this year I am choosing a word that elevates the activities that are already in the making.
My birthday party this year will be a daring event mixing circles of my life that never overlapped before - for an entire weekend.
I am already signed up for three Spartan races (and a couple of “regular” trail runs) to get that Spartan Trifecta medal in 2026. Yes, I know, I am judging myself just as hard.
In my new position as Head of Operations at Mission Equality I am essentially working towards dismantling capitalsm. Or at least creating the blue print for how that could look like.
I am relaunching the Remote Leadership Accelerator in combination with an in-person leadership retreat for founders and managers who want to do right by their distributed teams (and don’t quite now how to do that). More to come in the very near future - send a message if you want to know more already.
And this is just what’s on the agenda right now.
Dare to grow
Every one of these events or activities feels exciting, and also a little bit scary. Not the unpredictable horror movie scary, but the calculated stepping into the roller coaster scary. It doesn’t matter how safely you are strapped in, how mentally prepared you are, the adrenaline will still kick in on those descends.
So my word of the year is dare. This is what the dictionary has to say:
verb (used without object)
Example: You wouldn’t dare!
And this year, I do dare!
I dare going bigger than my initial comfort feeling wants me to. I dare to try things I would not have thought I’d be capable of a year ago. I dare to do things because I can - even if I get some eye rolls.
Or maybe I am just getting wiser, and the time to care too much about other people’s judgement has long since past.
Dare - and enjoy the ride
My word for last year had been “joy” - and the year delivered.
Musicals and opera visits, brunch at my place and Michelin star dinners, conferences and intimate get-togethers, a new sofa and a newly sanded table, more space through decluttering, and so many plants: the highlights did not fit on the year compass page I used to close 2025.
With intention, you can make your life more social, kinder, more colourful, more alive, more YOU!
So - what’s your word of the year? Do you choose one? If you don’t, how do you set your intentions? I’d love to hear how you handle new beginnings - comment below or reply to the email, I read all the answers.
If you need inspiration, here are my past words:
