One Song a Day: A Simple Way to Capture 2026
The older I get, the more I realize, years aren’t made up of big moments alone. They’re built from ordinary days.
Quiet mornings. Games with my husband. Taking the dogs for a walk.
The days you’re energized and hopeful… and the days you’re just doing the best you can.
And somehow, music has a way of tying itself to all of it.
That’s why this year, I’m starting something simple.
One song a day.
No rules. No pressure. Just real life.
The idea is easy
Start a new playlist on Amazon Music, Spotify, or wherever you listen most.
Name it 2026. Each day, add one song. That’s it.
It might be:
• A song that matches your mood
• Something you had on repeat
• A song that was playing while you cooked, cleaned, drove, or walked the dog
• Or just something that felt right that day
There’s no need to overthink it. Some days will be joyful. Some will be quiet. Some might surprise you. All of it belongs.
Why I love this
I’m not big on complicated systems or lofty resolutions. I love things that gently fit into real life.
And this does. A playlist like this becomes more than music. It becomes a time capsule.
Months from now, a song will come on and you won’t just hear it…you’ll remember. Where you were. What season it was. How you felt in that moment of your life.
Not every memory needs a photo. Some of them live in sound, in the music that spoke to us and moved us.
There’s no “right” way to do it
Some days you’ll be intentional. Some days you’ll add a song at 10:58 pm (I set a daily reminder in my phone) and call it good. Some weeks the playlist will feel upbeat. Other weeks… not so much.
That’s real life. And honestly, that’s what makes it meaningful.
At the end of the year
You’ll have more than a playlist.
You’ll have:
• A soundtrack to your year
• A reminder of the ordinary days that mattered
• A beautiful way to look back without needing words
Press play, and 2026 will tell its story.
If this sounds like your kind of thing
Start today. Or tomorrow. Or whenever it feels right.
And if you do this, I’d love to know…what would your first song be?
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