As you may or may not know, my word of the year in 2026 is Fluent.
Inspired in part by my mother, a bucket list item of mine includes continuing a legacy of polyglotism in the family.
I took three years of Spanish in high school and another three in college, which in many ways, offered deeper connection to the world and myself.
A firm believer that language is inherently limiting, my desire to be "fluent" in the ways of humanity came as a consequence of learning the importance of discernment.
Discerning, mindful that up to 70% of human communication is nonverbal, offers the opportunity to tap into nuance - body language, tonality, and eye contact for example, as an opportunity to get to the heart of the matter of understanding.
Observation then, allows for the chance to connect actions with behaviors, thereby deepening concepts of trust and safety when it comes to communities we're participating in, online and offline in the real world.
– Terence