Daryl Wood's Blog

Well, here we are. We did it again. We got through another holiday season. For some it is a relief that the busyness is over. For others there are hearts filled with beautiful memories. And for all of us, January 2026 is here and our attention is turned to the next chapter of our lives. It can be daunting to take that big breath and face forward. Some of us will keep our heads down and do what’s next – following through, finishing, starting over and searching for a fit. Some of us will be content to do what we’ve always done to sustain balance and to rest in the ease of familiarity. Some of us will pause and wonder why we are still doing what we have been doing and ask ‘for the sake of what’.

It’s hard to ask that question. It pushes us to be more intentional and deliberate about what we say we’ll do and what we actually do. It calls us to account for the way we live our life and whether or not we are being authentic, living consciously. If it doesn’t matter or isn’t that important we can shrug it off and conclude that we are doing the best we can (which we always are) and that’s good enough. And if we don’t ask the question it doesn’t mean we aren’t being real. It just means that right now isn’t the time for us to go deeper into our life’s journey.

And for those who do pause and ask ‘for the sake of what’, the universe will answer in resounding ways. I have no doubt that the quiet introspection that comes with meditation, prayer, mindfulness is always available for those with the courage and willingness to learn and grow. I say courage because I’m not always happy with the guidance that comes from asking for wisdom. Sometimes I am reminded that a choice I’ve kept making is not serving me whether it’s a physical habit or an often heard dialogue. To interrupt a pattern that doesn’t nurture our soul is to welcome and acknowledge that we are not flying through this lifetime like a kite on a windy day. It says we are playing a role in how our lives unfold and whether or not we find peace, joy, love and acceptance in the midst of discomfort.

And there will always be discomfort. At least that’s what I’ve noticed these two years and two months. Discomfort in extremes is inevitable so to look at what exacerbates that for each of us is the courageous work. Once we know ‘for the sake of what’ we can’t not know it. All we can do then is trust ourselves to follow through or spend our lives hiding from our own truth. We get to decide. Every day.

So it is that I am starting the year in turmoil. After an exceptional holiday time that brought so much love and support and exceeded my minimal expectations, I am wondering how I keep the momentum going. Each action I take, each thought I hold onto, each memory I recount, all beg ‘for the sake of what’. And as I begin another day in the immensely beautiful, quiet solitude of a Tobermory winter on Lake Huron I am asking this question. It is uncomfortable and so necessary if I am to continue to find a meaningful path forward.

If it feels right, perhaps you will softly ask yourself ‘for the sake of what’ when you go about your day. Not to scold or punish and not even to challenge, just to simply notice. Noticing is the greatest gift you can give yourself of the journey of self-discovery. May it bring peace and love into your heart. In the end, that’s all that really matters.