A Better Rhythm for 2026

My 2026 diary arrived in the post this morning (and yes, I still use a paper diary!). Every year I buy myself a diary and write a few words or a quote inside the front cover to help set my intention for the year ahead. This year I copied my favourite words from Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching:

“We join spokes together in a wheel, but it is the centre hole that makes the wagon move. We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want. We hammer wood for a house, but it is the inner space that makes it liveable. We work with being, but non-being is what we use.”

As I was writing these words, I found myself thinking a lot about stillness and space - something I haven’t had much of this year. 2025 has been quite a challenging one for me, with health issues and a lot of travel, and I haven’t felt very settled. What I’m really hoping for in 2026 is a bit more inner quiet, more steadiness, and some room to breathe.

Yet what struck me as I was writing is that space doesn’t just magically appear. It needs something around it.

In other words, space needs a container.

We live in open rooms, but it’s the walls that make them usable. We drink from the hollow of a cup, but without the cup itself there’d be nothing to hold the water. Structure and space go together. You don’t get one without the other.

So if I want more stillness and breathing space in 2026, I also need to put some structures in place to create that space.

How about you?

When you think about the year ahead, are you also hoping for a bit more space in your life? A bit more time to slow down and catch your breath?

If so, the holiday period can be a good time to reflect on what you want for the year ahead and think about what structures or routines might help you stay focused on what really matters.

And if your health, whether physical or mental, is high on your list for next year, I’m here to support you.

In my experience, routine and structure can make a real difference to health. I’ve also found that the most meaningful and lasting changes usually happen when people come to see me regularly, rather than only when they're sick, as working together over time allows things to shift gently and steadily.

What that looks like in practice depends on what’s going on for you:

• If you're struggling physically (fatigue, hormones, digestion, immune issues), sessions every 4–8 weeks are vital if you want to see significant change.
• If you're struggling emotionally or mentally, counselling every 2-3 weeks will become your regular, safe space to talk things through and make sense of what’s going on.
• When you’re feeling well, a check-in every 2–3 months can help keep you on track and prevent things from slipping.
• If you’re in excellent health, two constitutional sessions a year will support you physically, mentally and emotionally.

To make regular sessions more doable, I’ve created a small range of packages that make ongoing care more affordable and easier to commit to. If you’d like to explore this further, you can find details about packages and pricing on my website, or you’re very welcome to email me if you’d like more information.

I am around over Christmas if you need to see me, otherwise I hope you have a really special festive season, get in some down-time and that 2026 will bring us all a sense of spaciousness and room to breathe 😄

Thank you for being part of my year. It’s a privilege to work with you, and I look forward to continuing to support you gently and consistently in the year ahead.

Ruth

Photo by Prabhat Saurav / Unsplash