Grace in the Rough

As a writer, I try to choose words carefully to convey specific imagery and tones. I often find myself delving into dictionaries and thesauruses to explore meanings and options. Sometimes I discover a different way of using a word, which can take things in directions I hadn’t considered. Sometimes that’s a good thing! Sometimes I realize it is not the right word after all.

Word Choices

Word choices can impact interactions, too, as I learned when a musician friend misunderstood my use of the word “work” in the context of playing gigs. “What do you mean by work?” he asked. Then he said, “If you want to play out somewhere around town, I’ll play.” The word “work” was tripping him up. And he was right. I kept using the word “work” when I was talking about playing gigs, practicing, or whatever. In musician speak, it wasn’t lining up for him. We play, not work – lol. The point being, just one wrong word choice for the context changed the tone of the collaboration.

Word of the Year Example

The meaning of words can also change and evolve over time. looking at word meanings to prompt reflection is what we do in the ™Word Thoughts Studio. An example of that is what we look at in the first introductory video to the Grace in the Rough YouTube channel. I use Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year, “slop,” as a simple, fun example of the way we will examine words.

We look at definitions, etymology, synonyms, antonyms, usage, and then gently ask: what does this mean for my life?

Word Power to Navigate Challenges

Over the past few years, I’ve been faced with many challenges, especially in the past two to three years. I came to consider more deeply how words can matter because they frame how we think, how we speak to ourselves, and how we are understood by others.

Over time, I kept coming back to words that define some key traits I seem to have leaned into and cultivated in order to be able to survive and manage one day to the next. I came to see that any moment might present a new opportunity to notice or apply those traits with increasing meaning and depth…and challenge. Thus, the words for these traits came to be more personal for me.

This practice has been grounding me, especially after losing much of what once gave me a sense of certainty and stability — career, home, car. Writing and reflecting on language helps me reorientate myself, listen more closely, choose more wisely, and move forward with more intention rather than urgency.

From Reflection to Actions

™Grace in the Rough Studios was born out of these reflections, lessons, and core practices. The brand and its social spaces are intentionally slower-paced. The ™Word Thoughts Studio uses language to slow things down and examine our inner lives and consider practices that may help us find more grace in everyday living.

The ™ Word Thought Studio channel and blog are where we “work” these things out—lol. No, “work” would not be the right word here either. Neither would “play or play around with this” in this case, although there may be a fair share of wordplay-lol.

I think the word here might be “consider.” This is where we “consider” things. It’s not about productivity or performance or getting attention. Not trying to follow algorithms (all-go-rhythms) or trends, the brand is run by intuitive rhythm — what I call “mygorithm” (my-go-rhythm).

You don’t need to optimize your life here. But the brand does believe that we all should look at ourselves—first, start with improving ourselves—first, face ourselves—first. And that starts with awareness, continues with curiosity, and happens with gentle care.

We do share and encourage practices to facilitate that and are planning to provide some rather robust approaches that can complement anyone’s personal development or mindfulness ventures.

If you’re someone who loves words, quiet reflection, or thoughtful living…like me, then ™Grace in the Rough may resonate with you!

Thanks for hangin’ out!

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