I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours…

As we kick off the new year, I wanted to share with you my word for 2026.  Every year, I pick a word.  This is a great way of focusing on my intention and what I want from the year as I settle back in after the holidays.  My word for 2026 is “discernment”.  I have a few reasons for picking this word.  I’m living in a new city, and I know that there are going to be so many options swirling around of things to do and things to focus on, creatively, professionally and personally.  While this makes me wag my metaphorical tail like an excited puppy, I know that I cannot possibly hope to experience everything, especially in my first year in London.  This is something that we will all struggle with in 2026 - the glut of things pulling our attention at any given moment.  If not the excitement of a new city, it’s work, different family members, friends, holiday and weekend planning etc. jostling for our attention.  I’m going to have to be discerning to prioritise what matters most to me in 2026.  Drilling down a bit more into discernment, I’ve written before that I can be a people pleaser.  If, like me, you struggle with people pleasing tendencies, discernment can be a great way to check in with yourself before taking too much on.  “Is X/Y/Z going to be additive to my sense of purpose, my relationships, my sense of enjoyment, my growth?” is a good way to frame questions.  If you can’t answer “yes” to at least one of these questions, maybe it’s ok to skip it in service of spending more time on things that truly matter to us or those we care about.  

Discernment can also foster our inner worlds.  The constant narrative in our head with thoughts and opinions about ourselves and the world around us can color our perspective. Having a mindfulness practice helps us recognize when we are snagged by a negative thought or loop and discernment invites us to choose a thought or reaction that might be more aligned with how we really want to show up for ourselves and in the world. 

So if you enjoy having a new years ritual that doesn’t require a complete kitchen clear out or a fancy new gym membership you might try picking a word - just a feeling you can tap back into throughout the year as a touchstone.