Dancing Hearts Blog

 

I am delighted to share something personal and meaningful with you today.

This past Friday was a big milestone in my wellness journey —
I completed my full cycle of chemotherapy. Six rounds of ups and downs… and I made it. 💚

The therapy worked well and significantly shrunk the pelvic tumors, and I’m now cleared to prepare for the next step in my journey. I’ll share more about that when the time gets closer — and I’d love it if you’d keep me in your heart for surgery on March 2nd.

The nurses surprised me with a bell-ringing celebration, and it was pure joy. My sister Linda was there and captured a short video — it’s about 30 seconds long and full of love and laughter.

You can watch it below:

 

As I move forward, my intention to be cancer-free, healthy, and thriving in 2026 is guided by my Word of the Year.

 

💚 My Heart Word for 2026: Kindness

Kindness is my North Star this year.

It begins with loving kindness toward me — my amazing body, my mistakes, my imperfections, and even my unrealized dreams. From there, it naturally extends outward… to my family, my dogs, my friends, and the beautiful, like-hearted community I get to share life with (that’s you).

For me, kindness isn’t a single act.
It’s a practice. A way of showing up again and again with compassion, generosity, and respect — without expecting anything in return.

And that practice matters deeply in our relationships with our dogs.

Our dogs don’t need us to be perfect.
They need us to be present, steady, and kind.

When we lead with kindness – toward ourselves first — we become calmer, clearer, and more trustworthy. Our dogs feel that. Kindness is one of the clearest signals of loving leadership there is.

 

🌟 Why choose a Word of the Year?

Choosing a Word of the Year is a gentle alternative to resolutions.

Instead of pressure or rigid goals, a single word becomes a compass — guiding how you want to feel, act, and show up in the year ahead.

A word can:
• help you make aligned decisions
• bring you back to center when life feels messy
• evolve with you as the year unfolds
• quietly shape your relationships — including the one with your dog

Words like Balance, Courage, Trust, Intentional, Ease, or Kindness can become a steady reminder of what truly matters.

 

💫 A kind invitation

If you feel called, I invite you to choose your own Heart Word for the Year.

You might try this sentence and see what word wants to fill in the blank:

“This is the one word that defines how I will show up for myself and others this year.”

Let it come from your heart — not your head.
There’s no right or wrong word. Only what feels true for you.

With love and gratitude,
Kathy xo 💚