Reading · Little Things That Matter

April 2025: I wrote down the word “WIELD” today while at a retreat. What a word! My downfall in the second-grade spelling bee. Something we do with swords. And power. More than just holding. So much to heal for me. Reclaim the parts when they come up for healing.

September 2025: ABIDE. What a word! Something to do with being completely settled. Also to use when we don’t abide, when we refuse. Wrapped in a handmade quilt. Watching things change that we can’t control, while holding on to our control.

January 2026: I wrote a whole list of verbs that spoke to me of closing the gap between what I say and what I do, sent them to my WOTY buddy.

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ACT
MOVE
START
BEGIN
EMBODY
ENACT
ABIDE
SMALL
ONE
ALIGN
CORE
STEP
MISSION
HEART
COURAGE
MIND THE GAP

Moments later, asking my music to shuffle a previous WOTY playlist and this song came on Walking Through Fire and I just knew: MATCH.

I sat with it for a day, and it felt right. There is a verb of action there — match two things up — the vision and action, the intent and the next steps. There is a sense that it is in my heart, in my hands, in front of me.

It also has another meaning, of course, a matchstick is called a match. This, too, invokes action. Tiny action that makes a big difference. Tiny action that takes some skills to employ.

I’m late in writing this down, but later than planned is better than never. And while I’ve been out of time over the past two months, my word has come with me anyway on all my travels.

Over past WOTYs, many of my words have been verbs. I’m glad to be back to a verb this year. It makes the ways of following it easier. Putting the WOTY into my computer passwords, having a quick question, are ways of putting it into action.

Right now, my quick question is: Does this action MATCH my intentions? It is a question that can be asked at any time and slow down any kind of anxiety or insert just enough pause to make the next choice a bit more intentional.

My next favorite things to do are make a playlist and look for my word in books and other reading. More to come on those supports for an embodied year!

Thanks for reading Little Things That Matter! This post is a sub-section of my main substack where I write about healing and all I’ve learned from Teaching Toddlers. I’m glad you’re here. The Word of the Year sub-section is how I take action now.

2026

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