Newsletter January 2026

Dear Friends,

Happiest of New Years to you all ✨

If you know me, you know that since 2001 I’ve loved naming my new year. It’s one of my favorite rituals. It helps me focus on what I want to lean into, call in, or grow. It can be light, personal, deep, or delightfully undefined. There’s no wrong way to do it.

Last year was my Year of Celebration, which honestly surprised me. It began with four long months of intense back pain that completely rocked my world. And then, almost unexpectedly, it cracked open into something joyful beyond what I could have imagined. Enter the Valkyries. Enter the “Valkyries, Say Less” podcast. Enter community, storytelling, and collective joy. Having endured such a hard beginning, I have been savoring every bit of the magic that followed more intensely.

This year is my Year of Triumph.

Here’s what that means for me:

 Publishing my children’s book.
A San Francisco–based adventure featuring iconic local characters, landmarks, and yes, our beloved Valkyries. And not just one book, but a series, with each story set in a different WNBA city. I am endlessly grateful for my illustrator, the incredibly talented Kseniya, and for this project that feels so aligned and alive. I am actively looking for a publisher so if you have any connections, let me know!

Taking the VSL podcast to the next level.
More stories, more reach, more community. Saying yes to video, interviews with fans and getting a press pass. We need to drop one more episode soon to cross that 10K threshold….not too bad for the first season by a couple of local mamas 😜

Continuing to record new episodes for the Big Belly Breathing podcast!

8,000 downloads, six continents, and a whole lot of shared breathing. Thank you for taking part in these guided meditations.

Triumphantly returning to a body that feels strong and stretchy.
This feels huge. I just rejoined CorePower Yoga, and while I had my hesitations years ago about a big corporate studio, I truly believe they do something special. The teachers are diverse, the classes integrate mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing beautifully, and I’m committed to going at least three times a week. If you’re in San Francisco and want to join me, please reach out!

 Women’s basketball is having a moment.
Unrivaled just launched, and it’s so exciting to see the buzz about this 3-on-3 league created by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. Proof that you can build something that focuses on women, pays players well, and generates massive fandom and more collective joy. So inspiring!

Enter: Vive Le Basket Féminin.
Inspired by my French roots and my love for women’s bball, I created a t-shirt that says it all. If you love women’s basketball, French flair, or supporting a small woman-owned business (hi, it’s me), I would love for you to grab one, gift one, and share it. Truly. I want this shirt to go viral.

And finally, inspired by a recent post by the artist Lisa Congdon, 
I’m trying a Plus / Minus list for the year:

More of this (Plus):
• CorePower yoga
• Protein and long walks
• Cooking from Alison Roman’s new cookbook (so good)
• Comedy and laughs
• Belief that something big is coming with the Valks
• More time with friends

Less of this (Minus):
• Screen time
• Stressing about money

So… Year of Triumph, here we come!

I’d love to hear from you.
What are you calling your year?
What’s on your plus-minus list?
What’s lighting you up right now?

That’s it for now!

Thank you for your enthusiasm, in whatever form it has taken.

Here to boost joie and 

spread the word about meditation & the WNBA :)

Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely 🏀💜✌️
Hostess of Big Belly Breathing and Valkyries, Say Less