01/01/2026
Embracing the Power of Paradox: Two Words for the New Year
Reflecting on a Facebook memory that popped up from 10 years ago, I am reminded of my tradition of encouraging clients to select one word to focus on for the new year, inspired by ‘One Word That Will Change Your Life’ by Jon Gordon. For many years, I provided clients with a stone on which to write their words, serving as a tangible reminder to display.
Years ago, I chose ‘discipline’ as my word and placed my stone on my kitchen sink windowsill as a daily motivator. Initially, it inspired me, but over time, it became a burden, reminding me of areas needing improvement - finances, exercise, clinical notes, and even matching my socks. Ugh!
For 2026, as much as I resist it, ‘discipline’ still resonates with me as a word I should choose. I considered just choosing a new word altogether, but realized that simply selecting a new word wasn’t the solution. My annoyance with ‘discipline’ led me to challenge myself to incorporate a second word to support the “why” for choosing my first- there’s a flip side to every stone, afterall.
I am adding ‘freedom’, a seemingly opposing word. However, I find that adding an opposite idea or concept is sometimes a technique used in therapy, and is often where the real magic happens - a paradoxical process.
This year, my goal is to harness the power of two words, recognizing that together they can yield greater results than one alone. Two words, two ideas, two perspectives, and, of course, two people (my fav as a relational therapist) can lead to surprising and often better-than-expected outcomes. That is my hope for the new year.
Would you like to join me? If you do, please share your words in comments or DM if you’d like. You might even consider a different object to write your words on. It occurred to me that it might be nice to view them both at the same time. This is what I have in my windowsill for now - wishing you all the best in 2026. Discipline/Freedom ☯️
