My mantra for 2026 is BE the pattern interrupt.
This is something I do with my clients, readers, and audiences. We reflect and correct. We reflect on what we don’t want and replace it with what we do.
I encountered a wonderful example of a language pattern interrupt recently.
You know how most hotels give you little signs you can hang on your door that say “Do not disturb.” What word pops out and is imprinted?
DISTURBING. That’s … disturbing.
The team at Charleston Place is very smart. Their signs say, “PRIVACY and PEACE please.” Which would you rather have?
Want 2026 to be better than 2025? Start with this…
Get out a piece of paper right now.
Put a vertical line down the center.
Put HARMFUL HABITS on top of the left column.
Put HELPFUL HABITS on top of the right column.
Now write down three habits you want to STOP doing in 2026.
Now, write down three habits you want to START doing in 2026.
Print and post your HABIT PATTERN INTERRUPT so your intentions stay in-sight, in-mind vs. allowing them to drift out-of-sight, out-of-mind.
Want to see an example? I’ll go first.
HARMFUL HABITS
Stop spending so much time online.
Stop being sedentary.
Stop working 7 days a week.
HELPFUL HABITS
I will START every morning by journaling and grounding myself on the grass in the sun. I will wrap up every day by meditating on my gratefuls.
I will do water aerobics 2-3x a week. Go to the gym 2x a week. Bike & bounce an hour every night while watching TV. Hike the stream trail 3-4x week.
I will take Sundays off. No Zoom calls. No work. No biz emails. I will write only if I WANT to, not because I HAVE to. I will do something FUN that brings me JOY. I will connect with friends/family.
Our family motto is, “May life just keep getting better and better, forever and ever.”
That’s not wishful thinking. That’s our belief system.
We do this by continually reflecting, correcting, and focusing on what we DO want instead of what we don’t.
How about you? How will you make your years ahead better and better… forever and ever?
Until next time… Here’s to being better.