As I set up my calendar for the month, I choose a quote I’ve found that speaks to me. I write it in my planner and leave space below it where I write phrases I hear or read that month that spark something in me. I found this practice centers me throughout the month, and helps me be more present in my conversations, meetings, and readings. For October 2026, my quote was, “let these things come and let these things go so you can allow for whatever needs to come next safe passage through you.”
I’m not sure I’ve ever had so few quotes at the end of a month… but they spoke loudly. Here are the quotes, lyrics, and phrases that caught the attention of my head and heart this month regarding “…allow for whatever needs to come next safe passage through you.”
- I’m beautifully messy and I just want to be accepted for that
- I think I like this little life
- I love that the moon does not defeat the darkness, it simply enters it; A small white wound in the enormous night, bright enough to say I am here; And sometimes, I think that is all we are asked to do for one another
- Adventures, always
Several years ago, I began to make an effort to be around key people in October. I did this to be more intentional with how I start my personal new year. Sometimes it was more phone calls or lunches, and other times it was concentrated time with one person. This emerging tradition surrounds me with loved ones who feed my soul, make my face hurt from laughing, sit with me in silence soaking up special moments, ask the meaningful question, listen without fixing, cheer me on, call me on my bullshit, let my tears fall, and see more for me than I do for myself.
This year, October was a delightful mix of moments that set my new year off with spirit and spunk. A few intentional moments really set the tone for my next year.
The month began in song. No, not “happy birthday,” but rather the Indigo Girls – the soundtrack to my college memories. A friend offered her extra ticket to me, so I joined her and her daughter at the Anthem. While I’ve seen the Indigo Girls several times, this night was different. The audience seemed to hold the two singers up with supportive sing-a-longs. You see, Emily Saliers, the sweet, airy, and at times piercingly pure soprano revealed that a neurological disorder now distorted her voice. It had been noticeable for a few years, but now good notes were few. No one in the audience cared. We were there for the vibe. A community of strangers, belting out our souls—smiles big, tears bigger. The Indigo Girls’ music had carried each person in the room through joy, love, heartbreak, anger, and uncertainty. We now gave that support back to the Indigo Girls. When her voice failed, we sang louder with love. It was a magical pixie dust moment of true human compassion … exactly what I wanted more of in the year ahead.
Next, I hopped on a plane to Florida for a long weekend with a friend with whom I’m intwined like strands of DNA. We met boldly in our 20’s, sang many Irish songs at Murphy’s over “just one” cider that always turned to several as we got lost in moment. Life moved us forward and physically apart, but always the thread of sisterly love bound us. We picked our location based on a renovated 1930’s 16-room motel that sat on the sand on a quite island in Florida that we each independently found—clearly in sync. Rules for the weekend? No agenda. Follow our hearts. Eat often. Our weekend was a road trip with respite. Everything from my first visit to a Buckee’s and a tarot card reading to plenty of ice cream and bourbon. The weekend brought me back to me… my central nervous system calmed and soothed through the simplicity of being held in love for all that I was. A much needed rewiring for a new year that has already dropped a few big, unexpected life moments on me.
I closed my birthday month with the one who’s celebrated with me my entire life, my favorite (OK only) brother. Me and my sweetie with he and his sat out by the water over a lazy lunch on a beautiful crisp, sunny fall day. Next, we wandered through the Torpedo Factory – formerly focused on destruction now the center of creation with multiple floors of small art studios and shops. Here you can see the art in development, talk to the artist, and buy what delights you. I could feel the creative electricity and soaked up the charge for my new year.
In between these big moments, I fed a giraffe, knitted baby blankets for teammates, listened to cows “moo” at the setting sun, had a photoshoot for my first book, “Be at Ease,” listened to the storm, read new books, made daily entries into my gratitude journal, sent silly memes to friends, and mailed plenty of postcards to loved ones. For I’ve come to appreciate it’s the intentional in-between moments that matter.
Throughout October, I honored the me of now, and set up the me of next with song, support, connection, ease, creativity, and love. Hmmmmm, feels like a recipe for a wonderful year. Here I come!
