Every year we are told that growth requires a certain form.
new year. new you Reinvent everything. Correct any parts that you feel are incomplete. By force of will and the timing of the calendar, you become a different person.
That story never served us well. And this season especially feels disconnected from our actual situation.
So for 2026, we want to be clear about what we are choosing at The Curvy Fashionista.
The theme for 2026 is “ASCEND”.
Why ascend and why now?
ASCEND is not a transformation.
It’s about altitude.
Transformation suggests that who you are is not yet enough. Things that need to be reshaped, modified, or refined before occupying space.
Altitude starts in a completely different place. Assuming it’s worth it. Honoring growth without erasing identity. You can stand up without shrinking first.
For plus-size people, that distinction is important.
Many of the messages addressed to us are rooted in correction. Please fix your body. Let’s fix our confidence. Let’s change our habits. Fix yourself and you can live.
ASCEND completely negates that premise.
What ASCEND means to me (and why I chose it)
ASCEND is ascent with intention, and that distinction is very important to me.
After unpacking, healing, releasing, and forgiving everything, I decided that I didn’t want to spend another year chasing goals that weren’t rooted in who I actually am now. I’ve done resolution cycles before. Set goals. I was pushed harder. I tried to discipline myself and become the person I thought I should be.
What I learned, and what I shared in my article about choosing a New Year’s theme, is that themes give direction without being punishing. You can grow without constantly feeling like you’re falling behind or failing.
ASCEND came to me not as a goal, but as a feeling.
I’m no longer interested in moving forward in a way that requires me to give myself up in the process. You don’t want urgency to be your motivation. We don’t want chaos to look like momentum. I want clarity. I want alignment. Rather than feeling exhausted, I want to experience expansive growth.
For me, ASCEND means choosing elevation over reinvention.
It means:
- Boost your confidence without apologizing for taking up space
- Develop your leadership without showing off or cowering to be liked.
- Increase joy, rest, and vision at the same time without treating rest like a reward that must be earned.
ASCEND is not loud to be seen. I did it out loud. I have been making certain movements. The proof is finished.
This season feels different than usual.
ASCEND has a sense of stability. Grounded. I guarantee it.
It’s the growth that comes from knowing who you are, trusting what you’ve learned, and believing that you don’t have to distort, overextend, or sacrifice yourself to move forward.
By choosing ASCEND as your theme for 2026, you are doing exactly what I encourage others to do. Choose guidelines instead of checklists. Choose intent over intensity. Choose a direction to return to when things don’t feel clear.
ASCEND gives me that anchor. And it gives our community a language for growth that doesn’t require erasure.
Why postpone change?
Here’s the problem. Research consistently shows that change rooted in shame and self-criticism is not sustainable.
According to American Psychological Associationbehavioral changes caused by internal motivation and self-compassion are much more effective than changes caused by pressure or guilt.
A culture of change relies on urgency. Regarding the before and after thoughts. About the idea that you only have value once you arrive somewhere else.
ASCEND does not require you to arrive.
It asks you to stand up.
Elevation is not about doing more
One of the biggest misconceptions about growth is that it requires continuous movement.
ASCEND takes on that challenge.
Altitude can seem like rest.
Sometimes it looks like a borderline.
That may seem like saying no guilt-freely and clearly.
harvard business review We showed that sustainable leadership is built through reflection, not relentless expansion. Leaders who pause and reevaluate become more effective and resilient over time.
ASCEND honors that truth.
What ASCEND will look like in the entire TCF in 2026
Ascend is more than just a word. It’s a lens. And I’m not just picking a theme to give it a name and move on.
ASCEND guides what we publish, what we prioritize, and how we serve.
In 2026, ASCEND will appear as follows.
- Content with a style that supports confidence, not hides it.
- Health conversations based on respect, not shame
- Increase the visibility of plus-size leaders, creators, and voices
- A community space that feels real, not performance.
This is about building a platform that lasts, rather than chasing a moment that will disappear.
A note on visibility and power
ASCEND also means that you are done waiting for permission.
Permission to see.
Permission to lead.
Allow me to take up space as I am.
For a long time, visibility for plus-size people has been conditional. Be confident. But don’t be too confident. Make it noticeable but not confusing. It will take up space, but make sure it still tastes good.
I have personally experienced that tension and watched our community navigate it for years.
Here’s what we know now. Popularity is not something you can get by behaving well. That’s power. And when you stop seeking approval and start standing firmly in who you are, your power increases.
ASCEND gives me a language that moves differently.
It reminds me that I don’t have to soften my presence to be respected. You don’t need to explain your value before stepping into leadership. You don’t have to make yourself small to make others comfortable.
surrounding research Identity-based motivation It shows that people are more likely to sustain growth and leadership when their actions affirm who they are, rather than what they think they should be.
For plus size people, it’s very important. Because many in the world tell us that our bodies disqualify us from authority.
ASCEND rejects it.
What you see is not what you get at the end of the journey. It’s part of the journey. Power is not something to be borrowed. That’s what we claim.
And this year, I’m choosing to move like I already belong.
why this is important to me
ASCEND respects what I have lived. It respects what TCF has navigated. And it gives us the language for where we’re going next, without pretending that the journey we’ve been on hasn’t mattered.
I’m not asking anyone to reinvent themselves this year.
I’m calling on you to stand up.
this is an invitation
ASCEND is not mandatory. It’s an invitation.
Invitation to:
- stand up without hurry
- grow without dying
- lead without apology
- rest without feeling guilty
You don’t have to transform to belong here.
You are already worthy of promotion.
moving forward together
My hopes for 2026 are simple.
We choose intention over intensity.
We choose coordination over performance.
To choose altitude without abandoning yourself along the way.
ASCEND is the language we use this year to remind us of what is possible when we stop trying to be someone else and start rising to be who we are.
There’s room for you here.
And we’re just getting started.
Source: The Curvy Fashionista – thecurvyfashionista.com
