Thursday Tapestry: Your Top Reads, and a Compass for 2026

From the the ancient city of Jerash, Jordan: Warm wishes from a land where history and faith converge!

It’s Christmas Day, and this is the last Thursday Tapestry of the year.

I’m writing this from Jordan - a place steeped in history, and where civilisations - and faiths - have crossed paths for millennia. Walking through the tapestry of civilisations (see what I did there?) you can’t help but zoom out. It’s humbling, in the best way: a reminder that we’re all just a small moment in a very long arc of time.

Being surrounded by long timelines makes us rethink what matters. It also reinforces the importance of taking a long view.

It’s a helpful lens for reinvention. We stop getting distracted by the daily noise, and we pay more attention to what actually compounds over time.

In that spirit, here are five of the most-read pieces from Thursday Tapestry this year - worth revisiting now, as we pause before sprinting again.

The 5 Articles You Loved Most

These were the pieces that readers spent the most time with this year. They touch on boundaries, communication, planning for when we're gone, and betting on ourselves.

• This Is What Self-Care Really Means, Because It’s Not All Salt Baths And Chocolate Cake

  Self-care is not about indulgence. It's about boundaries, choices, and self respect. We've got to secure our oxygen masks before we can help others.
  

• The Art Of The Email Introduction: 10 Rules For Emailing Busy People

  A practical guide to engaging busy people - relevant context, clear ask, and respect for their time.
  

• The Croak Book: After I'm Gone

  Uncomfortable, thoughtful, and yes, caring. If you skipped it, read it now.
  

• Feeling Rest Guilt? How to Find True Rest in an Always-On World

  This condition afflicts many leaders I work with. It's a read that might resonate during this year-end pause.
  

• “I didn’t expect to get laid off. It was scary, but it taught me to bet on myself”

  For anyone navigating change, or bracing for it. It's raw, honest, and encouraging.

I'm also starting to work on my Year Compass. It's a fantastic resource that I wholeheartedly recommend, especially if you want a simple, structured way to reflect on what was, and about what’s next..

And on the note of reinvention, if you or someone you know is feeling ready to intentionally design what comes next, this might be a good place to start.

A quick chuckle

Finally... I like to say I keep things well-seasoned! Oh, and punctuation matters :-)

And just like that, the year is done.

Since this is landing on Christmas Day, I hope you get a little time to slow down, and to notice what you’re grateful for - including the people who made this year lighter, steadier, or simply more possible.

If something here was useful (or funny) forward this on to someone who might need it too. Who knows? You might shift their thinking, or make them smile.

P.S. Your replies are what make this worth writing. Hit reply - I’ll read it with gratitude.

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