I've spent most of today thinking about this post and between one thing and another, it has taken me until early evening to sit down and write. In my Tuesday Slice of Life, I shared my words for the past 13 years and included a lengthy list of words in the running for this year's word. With no further ado, I'll unveil this year's word, rhythm!
While I love the idea of rhythm in music and poetry, this dictionary definition most closely shows one of the areas I may focus on for this year.
A strong, regular repeated pattern of movement or soundSynonyms: cadence, pulse, flow
The words "regular and repeated pattern" make me think of routines or rhythms that I might work on during 2026.
When I searched my blog for rhythm, I found my September 2019 post that invited our community to write about Nudges. This post referenced a podcast from Emily P. Freeman, Episode 90, Start with this Simple Rhythm. Emily shares a five movement rhythm she uses for her mornings. If you're like me, it's helpful to see how others create space for their soul to breathe. And doesn't just seeing the word "breathe" help you slow down to focus on the rhythm of your body? I plan to begin 2026 with a focus on my morning routine. There's something absolutely freeing about having a routine. It releases us from the need of constant decision making about what to do next.
I also discovered a SJT post from June 2025 where I was in search of feasible summer rhythms and invited our community to write about summering. So perhaps rhythm was beginning to simmer as early as last summer!
I am excited to see where rhythm will take me in this new year!
When I read your post on Tuesday with your list of possibilities, I said to myself, "I bet she chooses rhythm!" I love that word.
ReplyDeleteRamona- I love routine… but you’ve captured the reason in reaching for rhythm. The routine has to flow, have cadence, to bring me into my day -just as you’ve described. My heart slows just thinking about it ☺️
ReplyDeleteRamona, rhythm implies an order to things rather than the chaos of not knowing where we are going. Rhythm is a constant moving forward without dwelling on the past. This is a great word. Bob
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