This week, I want to highlight my blog post focused on using a Word of the Year as a Personal Operating System. I’ve chosen a word of the year since 2015. Each year, the choices I’ve made have shaped my mindset and focus for the year.
I can look back and easily talk about how each of the words have shaped the person I am today. This post provides background and tips for how to choose your own word to guide 2026.
My Other Blog Posts This Week
Annual Energy. Our years go in cycles and our energy levels peak and fall at different points in the year. This post highlights ways to think about your personal energy cycle for the year ahead.
The Clearing Season. This is the time of year to reset our systems and clear things out for the new year. This post provides some ideas of what you could do to get a fresh start.
Relax. A simple holiday post reminding us to find time to relax this holiday season.
What Day Is It? We are all hitting the holiday time when the days are blurring together. This post encourages us to just enjoy the break from managing time.
Podcasts That Caught My Attention
This week, I tried to focus less on career development and more on home and/or things to consider for the year ahead. For anyone over 45 (maybe even 40), I highly recommend the messy middle.
Creators: Time to Say No. 5 minutes. Content Inc. This is a great episode for the end of the year. Joe digs in and suggests we get honest about what no longer fits in our lives and how to let them go.
Your Bio as an Origin Story: Gamifying the Job Hunt with Jade Arthur. 29 minutes. Professor Game Podcast. In this episode they talk about how to gamify the job search. While it suggests this is for the game industry, I found it a good listen for anyone in any industry.
How to Beat Imposter Syndrome. 41 minutes. TED Talks Daily. Up to 80% of people experience imposter syndrome at some point. In this episode Anne and Frances break down imposter syndrome to help us understand how to break free.
Inside the Messy Middle: What Actually Drives Transformation in Midlife. 23 minutes. The Midlife Chrysalis. If you haven’t listened to The Midlife Chrysalis, this is a great podcast for anyone over 45. In this episode, Chip Conley breaks down why midlife often feels confusing and heavy, and why that “messy middle” is the beginning of real transformation.
Top 10 Capsule Wardrobe Struggles (and Solutions). 10 minutes. Optimal Living Daily. The new year may have you considering a capsule wardrobe. This podcast has practical solutions for the most common challenges people face.
How to Lower Your Heating Bills This Winter. 10 minutes. Optimal Finance Daily. With the price of utilities running high right now, this episode provides some great tips to keep the heat in and lower the bills this season.
What Do You Think?
Have you selected a word of the year in the past? How has it shaped you?
Are you using the down time of the holiday season to clear and reset for the year ahead?
What ideas did the posts & podcasts spark that you could implement in the week ahead?