Hello and Good Day…hope You are enjoying the Holiday Season and special moments with Family and Friends!
2026 will be the start of the 5th year of my ‘Encore’ phase of life. The 5th anniversary is the Wood Anniversary symbolizing strength, wisdom and resilience. I can happily report my ‘Encore’ continues to grow and develop -and- the journey, well, it’s just keeps getting better!
As I wrote in my third article; ‘Where Does Time Go…it does not slow down in our retirement,’ I continue to turn around and find myself down the road a bit further, and now another year gone by.
2026 will mark the 4th year of‘Terry’s Thoughts’ and this article becomes the 53rd blog post sharing my experiences with the various planning, academic, social and relationship topics for a transition to our ‘Encore’ phase of Life, ( although these could be applicable to other life transitions). I hope my articles have provided (some) good reading, positive thoughts and encouragement around a transition to a new phase of Life!
I want to Thank Each of You for your support …It means so much to me!
I do not begin a new year with making resolutions. If You have read previous articles, You know I am a very reflective individual and spend time examining my progress and assessing where I am in my journey. Some, ( my Family – Denise, Justin & Kristin), will say I spend too much time “reflecting & assessing!” I begin each new year with committing to become a better version of myself because I am not the same individual I was during the previous year. I owe this to myself!
And in the spirit of reflecting & assessing, as I did with 2025, I checked out what 2026 in numerology would tell me. I discovered the year 2026 in numerology signifies the” Universal Year 1… The Year is about initiation, innovation, personal leadership and bold action.” 2026 is to be about focusing on fresh starts, self-awareness, personal growth, encouraging ourself to take charge, set new directions and connecting with Others.
Where 2025 asked us to tie up loose ends, 2026 asks us to dream again, take risks, and move with courage.
This is a year of action and identity. We’re not merely invited to begin something new — we’re expected to! If we resist the energy of change, life may push us into it anyway. The choices we make and the paths we set in motion in 2026 will echo for years to come.
We should accept the opportunity to examine and mindfully let go of those (things) in our lives which do not serve us well and consume too much of our energy. This does not mean to perform a “deep clean” and drop everything — change happens gradually.
Change isn’t easy. It takes work—real, deliberate, consistent effort…
No need to attempt keep searching for what’s next as long as the sense of adventure remains a part of your life’s journey and seeking change for those things that need adjustment.
This ‘Encore’ phase continues to provide me, (more & more), with evidence the goal is to build a life You don’t need to escape from. Where peace of mind should not be something You chase, but something You live everyday!
I’m discovering more and more that living purposefully is all about taking small steps, day by day, to be at your best for the people that matter most to You. And when You stay on this positive path, there’s no limit to what You can do.
We should not focus on the (daily) distractions, there are way too many of them, as well as, ignore all the noise bombarding us daily which have their way of distracting us. This also includes our destructive habits, like getting worked up over things that we have little control over. We need to practice making the time for those things that truly matter.
As we look ahead to 2026, I would like to share once again with You this Apache Prayer that I found quite a number of years ago and keep in my notebook for reference. I find it most appropriate to begin our new year:
” May the sun bring You new energy by day. May the moon softly restore You by night. May the rain wash away your worries. May the breeze blow new strength into your being. May You walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life.”
Wishing You and your Family a New Year filled with hope, health and happiness with generous amount of fun -and remember-
“Never quit searching, never settle and never give up seeking your greater purpose!“
Terry's Thoughts 
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