This is the first 2026 Spiritual Journey gathering. Add your links in the InLinkz at the end of this post.
If you are interested in joining our monthly blogging group, please let me know. If you’d like to host a month, I can send you a link to the Google sheet.
In January, I have noticed that my inbox is full of ways to make myself better in 2026. Challenges, projects, or whatever you call them, I am too often one to jump in and then drop off as the year goes on, especially once spring is here.
I like the practice of choosing a one little word to guide your year. I’ve chosen a word for years now. I even bought a little chalkboard on which to display my word and remind myself all year.
Last year my word was Still. I like how still reminds me to take time to be quiet, to listen, to be here now.
The words that seem to rise up to me tend to be words that encourage stillness and presence. As an Enneagram 4, my challenge is to not yearn for the past or daydream about the future, but to be present.
Last week I got an email from Georgia Heard that included a heart map. One section of the heart was labeled “A word to stand inside.” This section in my notebook says “Choose” then “Trust” then “Window”. I was liking the direction.
In retirement, I am freer to choose what I do with my time. I should trust myself to make good choices. And the view out of my window is quite nice. I could have chosen any of these words.
On Saturday, we had dinner at my daughter Maggie’s house. Maggie pulled out an oracle deck. She said, “We usually do it on Sunday, but since y’all are here, we’ll do it tonight.”
The word card I pulled was Simplicity with a photo of a Lily of the Valley flower. Apparently her kids get to choose again if they get a flower, but not the adults. My husband similarly chose a flower card and his and my messages were very similar, about being present to reality.
Maggie took a photo of the oracle page.
I am not settled on the word Simplicity. Today after a lovely session of lymphatic draining body work, I heard the word Sacred enter in. Sacred honors the here and now, the gift of meditation, and the quiet moments when I can notice God’s unending grace. Maybe this is a year to find a different word each month. What do you think?
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Reflections on the Teche 
I’ve always admired your thoughtfulness. If simplicity and sacred are speaking to you, I believe you will make room for them. Thank you for hosting and getting our journey for 2026 started. I’ve been keeping those in our group close to my heart. People I care about are dealing with difficulties. I pray for rest and relief from burdens.
You are so close to my heart. My word for the month is “listen”. I need to block out all the noise and see who I am again after all the holiday rush. My friend suggests that I find one thing I can do to deal with all the political uproar, and then compartmentalize that. I am doing what I can. And then take the rest of my energy for my word. At least on the surface, this sounds like a very good idea.
I love your poem, esp. “the secret of a single moment”. I am going to find as many of those moments as I can. I would love to be in the blog group for spiritual journey gathering.
I’m grateful to hear that you are pondering more than one word, Margaret. I have to admit — I’m not a huge fan of trying to use just one word to guide my year. But I love both “simplicity” and “sacred” — especially in conversation with one another. You capture their essence: “the secret of a single moment.” Blessings as we begin this year – for resting in these words.
I’ll add my link tomorrow when it goes live. Thank you for organizing us!
[…] As we begin a new year of monthly spiritual reflections, Margaret Simon leads us off this month. She asks us to reflect on one little word that will be our guide for 2026. You can read her post here. […]
Margaret, life goes on and we never know what tomorrow may bring. I like the idea of revisiting your OLW each month and seeing if it is still a good guide or if it needs to be changed because of circumstances in your life have changed. I like the word simplicity. At this stage of my life. It reminds life can become so complicated that we forget to take time to just enjoy the simple pleasures life has to offer.
Margaret, I would love to join Anita.ferreri@gmail.com