January 2026

Written By Gretchen Murchison

🐰🐰     Choose Your Words Wisely 

“Words are seeds that do more than blow around. They land in our hearts and not the ground. Be careful what you plant and careful what you say. You might have to eat what you planted one day.” -Unknown

The only constant is change...

Choosing a Word of the Year (or… the Season, the Month, or Just Today)

Every January, the internet fills up with bold declarations: New year, new you.
And while resolutions can be motivating for some, they can also feel… heavy.

If the idea of setting big goals or rigid resolutions makes your shoulders tense, there’s a gentler alternative that many people find surprisingly powerful:

✨ Choose a Word of the Year ✨

Instead of a checklist, a word becomes a quiet guide — something you return to when you’re unsure, overwhelmed, or just curious about what you want more of.

Words like:

  • Grounded

  • Ease

  • Brave

  • Steady

  • Curious

  • Rest

  • Expansion

There’s no right or wrong word. The “best” one is simply the one that feels like a small exhale when you say it.

When a Whole Year Feels Like Too Much

Let’s be honest — committing to anything for 12 months can feel like a lot. And that’s okay.

You don’t have to choose a Word of the Year to benefit from this practice. You might try:

  • A Word of the Season (What do I need this winter?)

  • A Word of the Month (What would support me right now?)

  • A Word of the Week (What feels grounding this week?)

  • Or even a Word of the Day (What do I want to carry into today?)

This practice is meant to support you, not become another thing to “do perfectly.”

Stuck? Let Chance Help You

If choosing a word feels surprisingly hard, take the pressure off.

Try using a random word generator online and see what comes up. Read the word. Sit with it. Notice your reaction.

Does it spark curiosity? Resistance? A smile?
Sometimes the words we wouldn’t consciously choose are the ones we need most.

You can always:

  • Try it on for a day

  • Swap it out

  • Let it evolve

Nothing is permanent here.

How to Use Your Word (Gently)

You might:

  • Write it on a sticky note or journal page

  • Set it as a phone wallpaper

  • Ask yourself, “What would this word look like in this moment?”

  • Return to it when you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed

Your word isn’t a rule. It’s an invitation.

A Soft Start Still Counts

You don’t need a dramatic transformation to make meaningful change. Sometimes the most powerful shifts are quiet ones — choosing steadiness over urgency, compassion over criticism, light over pressure.

If you’re craving more clarity, grounding, or support as you move into this next season, you don’t have to do it alone.

🌅 Therapy can be a space to explore what you want more of — at your own pace.
If you’re curious about working together, I invite you to reach out and take the next gentle step.

Until then, may your word — for the year, the season, or just today — help you find your light.

I'm grateful to know you and I thank you for letting me be a part of your journey.  Please let me know if there is anything more I can be doing to support you.

“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I've never been able to believe it. I don't believe a rose WOULD be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Helpful Numbers:

I recommend adding these to your contacts in your phone. If you don't need them, you might be able to share them with someone who does.

Gretchen Murchison https://www.sunriselcsw.com
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December 2025