Every year, we are told that growth has to look a certain way.
New year. New you. Reinvent everything. Fix what feels unfinished. Become someone else by force of will and calendar timing.
That narrative has never fully served us. And in this season, it feels especially out of step with where we actually are.
So, as we step into 2026, I want to be clear about what we are choosing at The Curvy Fashionista.
Our theme for 2026 is ASCEND.
Why ASCEND, and Why Now
ASCEND is not about transformation.
It is about elevation.
Transformation suggests that who you are is not enough yet. That you need to be reshaped, corrected, or refined before you are allowed to take up space.
Elevation starts from a different place entirely. It assumes worth. It honors growth without erasing identity. It allows you to rise without shrinking first.
For plus size people, that distinction matters.
So much of the messaging directed at us has been rooted in fixing. Fix your body. Fix your confidence. Fix your habits. Fix yourself, then you can live.
ASCEND rejects that premise completely.
What ASCEND Means to Me (And Why I Chose It)
ASCEND is about rising with intention, and that distinction matters to me deeply.
After everything I’ve unpacked, healed, released, and forgiven, I knew I did not want to enter another year chasing goals that were not rooted in who I actually am now. I’ve done the resolution cycle before. Set the goals. Pushed harder. Tried to discipline myself into becoming someone I thought I should be.
What I’ve learned, and what I shared in my piece about choosing a theme for the new year, is that themes give you direction without punishment. They allow growth without the constant feeling that you are behind or failing.
ASCEND came to me not as a goal, but as a feeling.
I am no longer interested in moving forward in ways that require me to abandon myself in the process. I don’t want urgency to be the motivator. I don’t want chaos to masquerade as momentum. I want clarity. I want alignment. I want growth that feels expansive, not exhausting.
For me, ASCEND means choosing elevation over reinvention.
It means:
- Elevating my confidence without apologizing for taking up space
- Elevating my leadership without performing respectability or shrinking to be palatable
- Elevating joy, rest, and visibility at the same time, without treating rest like a reward I have to earn
ASCEND is not loud for the sake of being seen. I’ve done loud. I’ve done constant motion. I’ve done proving.
This season feels different.
ASCEND feels steady. Grounded. Assured.
It is the kind of growth that comes from knowing who I am, trusting what I’ve learned, and believing that I do not need to contort myself, overextend, or self-sacrifice to move forward.
Choosing ASCEND as our 2026 theme is me practicing exactly what I encourage others to do. Choosing a guiding principle instead of a checklist. Choosing intention over intensity. Choosing a direction I can return to when things feel unclear.
ASCEND gives me that anchor. And it gives our community language for growth that does not require erasure.
Why We Are Leaving Transformation Behind
Here’s the thing. Research consistently shows that change rooted in shame and self-criticism is not sustainable.
According to the American Psychological Association, behavior change driven by internal motivation and self-compassion is far more effective than change driven by pressure or guilt.
Transformation culture relies on urgency. On before-and-after thinking. On the idea that you are only valuable once you arrive somewhere else.
ASCEND does not ask you to arrive.
It asks you to rise.
Elevation Is Not About Doing More
One of the biggest misconceptions about growth is that it requires constant motion.
ASCEND challenges that.
Elevation can look like rest.
It can look like boundaries.
It can look like saying no with clarity and without guilt.
Harvard Business Review has shown that sustainable leadership is built through reflection, not relentless expansion. Leaders who pause to reassess are more effective and more resilient over time.
ASCEND honors that truth.
What ASCEND Looks Like Across TCF in 2026
ASCEND is not just a word. It is a lens. And I’m not choosing a theme just to name it and move on.
ASCEND is going to guide what we publish, what we prioritize, and how we serve.
In 2026, you will see ASCEND show up through:
- Style content that supports confidence, not concealment
- Wellness conversations rooted in respect, not shame
- More visibility for plus size leaders, creators, and voices
- Community spaces that feel real, not performative
This is about building platforms that last, not chasing moments that fade.
A Note on Visibility and Power
ASCEND also means I am done waiting for permission.
Permission to be seen.
Permission to lead.
Permission to take up space exactly as I am.
For a long time, visibility for plus size people came with conditions. Be confident, but not too confident. Be visible, but not disruptive. Take up space, but make sure you are still palatable.
I’ve lived that tension personally, and I’ve watched our community navigate it for years.
What I know now is this. Visibility is not something we earn by behaving well enough. It is power. And power grows when we stop asking for approval and start standing firmly in who we are.
ASCEND gives me language to move differently.
It reminds me that I do not need to soften my presence to be respected. I do not need to explain my worth before stepping into leadership. I do not need to make myself smaller to make others comfortable.
Research around identity-based motivation shows that people are more likely to sustain growth and leadership when their actions affirm who they already are, rather than who they think they should become.
That matters deeply for plus size people, because so much of the world has told us our bodies disqualify us from authority.
ASCEND rejects that.
Visibility is not a reward at the end of the journey. It is part of the journey. Power is not something we borrow. It is something we claim.
And this year, I’m choosing to move like I already belong.
Why This Matters to Me
ASCEND honors what I’ve lived through. It honors what TCF has navigated. And it gives us language for where we’re going next without pretending the journey behind us didn’t matter.
I’m not asking anyone to reinvent themselves this year.
I’m inviting you to rise.
This Is an Invitation
ASCEND is not a mandate. It is an invitation.
An invitation to:
- Rise without urgency
- Grow without erasure
- Lead without apology
- Rest without guilt
You do not need to transform to belong here.
You are already worthy of elevation.
Moving Forward Together
As we step into 2026, my hope is simple.
That we choose intention over intensity.
That we choose alignment over performance.
That we choose elevation without abandoning ourselves along the way.
ASCEND is the language we will use this year to remind ourselves of what is possible when we stop trying to become someone else and start rising as we are.
There is room for you here.
And we are just getting started.
