There’s an idea that life moves in seven-year cycles adding rhythm to our lives.
Across history, people have noticed that roughly every seven years, something shifts.
Identity.
Priorities.
Direction.
Relationships.
Energy.
It’s not scientific certainty, but a lens to consider.
The lens might help us see patterns we might otherwise miss.
My Story
For a long time, I’ve felt my life moving in 7-year cycles.
Each unfolding a different set of experiences and focus.
One insight I’ve noticed is that:
The first year of a cycle often sets the tone for the next six.
It defines and shapes what follows.
There was a Year 1 when I graduated college and started “adulting”.
Seven years later, my daughter was born and I moved into my first leadership role at work.
Another year 1 carried a move to a new company and role.
Yet another, was a year of discovery of what was next inspired by the word “joyful”.
2026 is another Year 1 start for me.
This is part of the meaning of my word of the year – Overture.
Focusing on setting the tone and vibe for my next 7-year cycle.
Introducing themes, signaling what’s coming, and preparing us for what might unfold.
My overture, my beginning.
Your Turn
What year of a 7-year cycle are you in right now? Beginning? Middle? Close?
Looking back at your 7-year cycles, what themes or patterns do you see?
How might you approach this year differently with the knowledge of these cycles?