Happy New Year! I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday season and that 2026 is off to a good start.

I wanted to start the year with a reminder of the importance of preparing for the ‘what if’s. If I have learned anything from my cancer journey, it is that life changes on a dime. As a result, if you are not prepared, you find yourself in a situation that can be devastating to yourself and your family.

In July, I wrote a series of six posts to help you start thinking about what matters to you and your family before a disaster strikes. Discussing these topics will help you, your family, and your friends understand what is important before a life event. I hope you will read each post, share it with your families, and take action to ensure your affairs are in order.

Part One: Preparing for End of Life: This post outlined the experience of a friend whose sister passed after battling breast cancer. Anne had lots of time to prepare. Her sister, her executor, was surprised by how unprepared they were to address the various issues that needed to be handled after Anne passed. Despite spending time together during the cancer journey, the sisters did not address issues that needed to be taken care of. What to do with her home, her art, her savings, her business, and other things we accumulate as part of our lives. All of these issues needed insight and direction. But with Anne gone, the sister was left to deal with personal problems on her own. Don’t let this happen to you. Prepare so you leave your loved ones with instructions that will take the burden off of them, as they know your wishes.

Part Two: Organizing Your Documentation: In This Section, we review the documentation required to execute our wishes. Having these documents prepared, reviewed by an attorney, and in place will provide your loved ones with peace of mind when the time comes.

Part Three: Technology (Tech) to Keep Documents, Information, and Wishes Secure. Today, technology gives us many options for storing our documents so they are accessible, secure, and ready when we need them. Tech-savvy users are already using these documents today, but many of us have not taken the time to explore this area. In this post, I ask a colleague deeply entrenched in this area to explain how new technologies are helping us ensure our wishes are available when needed for those we have asked to handle our affairs.

Part Four: Preparing for a LifeQuake: Navigating Care in a Complicated System. The healthcare system is complex, costly, and too often impersonal. Many feel it has evolved into a system driven more by profit than by compassion. It’s easy to lose sight of the humanity that should lie at the heart of it all. But amid the chaos, there are people/professionals who bring empathy, connection, and healing to the lives of those who navigate the health system and health insurance industry. In this post, we highlight professionals who help people navigate the complex healthcare system.

Part Five: Processing a ‘LifeQuake’ – Learning Through Our Stories Getting bad news from the doctor is a nightmare situation. The doctor tells you that you or a loved one has a life-altering condition — something that is going to call on your deepest resources of strength to handle. A bad diagnosis can land like a bomb, frightening and disorienting you in a way that little else can. In this post, I share practical strategies to help you take the next steps and restore balance as you navigate your own ‘lifequake’.

Part 6: How to Be Your Own Best Advocate. In the final post of this series, I want to share information on how YOU can be YOUR Own Best Advocate. Take time to watch the video; it will help you and your family be active members of your healthcare team.

Best of luck in 2026. Make this the year YOU start to prepare for the changes that come with living life.

Have a good week!