Discord

Hi everyone. I’ve been debating for a few weeks now whether to choose a word of the year (WOTY) this year. I did so some years, but haven’t had a WOTY for a few years. I just came upon Deb’s announcement of her WOTY and this gave me the kick in the behind I needed to decide on one.

So what will my word of the year for 2026 be? I’ve had a few on my mind, but finally settled on: EXPERIENCE.

This year, I hope to experience more of what life has to offer. This includes being more mindful of my daily activities, purposefully choosing ones that enrich me. This includes crafting, cooking and baking, blogging and writing in general and reading. Today, despite struggling quite badly and feeling depressed, I managed to craft and write.

Like I shared when writing about my hopes for 2026, I also intend to expand my social circle. I feel rather insecure about this, being that I’m nearly 40, autistic and multiply-disabled. However, I’m embracing the opportunities to socialize that come my way. Today, I did try out Discord again in hopes of finding the community I used to find on forums back in the ’00s. It’s not the most intuitive social networking app, but I’m getting the hang on it.

I should say that I used to do with Discord servers what I do with Subreddits and Facebook groups, ie. I collect them as it were. This needs to stop. After all, social circles aren’t based on the number of likes or comments on a social media post. It’s about quality, not quantity. I struggle with this. It’s probably in part related to my anxious attachment and the fact that I’ve had more than a few groups I was deeply invested in only to be kicked out. Then again, I didn’t invest in genuine personal connections other than with my wife. That needs to change. If I want to experience all that life has to offer, I have to offer a part of myself too. This is scary, but I hope it’s doable.