Word of the Week: Settle

Settle (verb): To gently root oneself during times of change; to ease into new rhythms, accept the in-between, and honor the small steps that lead to deeper peace.

Let’s be honest—transition is messy. It stirs up what’s been dormant, asks us to let go before we’re ready, and often moves faster (or slower) than we’d prefer. But in the middle of all that motion, there’s an underrated art: the act of settling.

To settle doesn’t mean to give up, shut down, or resign ourselves to less. It means choosing where and how to land.

It’s the practice of easing into a new chapter without rushing to define it. It’s what happens when we take a breath between decisions, when we make the bed not for productivity, but for peace.

It's a cup of tea in a quiet room, a walk without your phone, the deep exhale after doing something hard.

When we give ourselves permission to settle, we reclaim softness as strength. We learn to listen more closely to our nervous systems. We understand that we don’t have to sprint through change—we can inhabit it, with intention.

If you're in a season of shift—whether it's work, relationships, identity, or home—this week is your invitation to settle. Not into something lesser, but into something real.

Reflection Prompts for the Week:

1. Where in your life are you being invited to settle?

2. What small habits help you settle your nervous system each day?

3. What does peace look like in this current season?

4. How does settling differ from settling for less?

5. What would it look like to gently root yourself—emotionally, physically, or spiritually—this week?

   
   

Settling isn’t a surrender. It’s a sacred pause.

This week, may you find small ways to land softly and reclaim your sense of peace, one breath at a time.

---

About the Author:

Elizabeth Rago is a word-loving, community-building powerhouse who’s just as comfortable wrangling RFPs as she is wrangling teenagers (which says a lot about her patience and project management skills).

By day, she's a Proposal Writer, crafting winning messaging for big business. When the workday ends, she trades deadlines for dinner duty and teenage debates — holding it all together with love, Earl Grey tea, and a well-honed sense of humor.

After walking through a rough season in her own life, Elizabeth saw firsthand how isolating it can be for women going through hard times. Instead of sitting in that shame, she founded MDW (The Modern Domestic Woman) — a warm, practical, and no-nonsense space where women can find resources, support, and a whole lot of real talk. From mental health referrals to interviews with therapists and lifestyle articles, MDW has become a haven for women who want community without the fluff.

Elizabeth has spent over 20 years writing for just about every industry under the sun — from luxury kitchen design and sustainable living to commercial insurance and mental health advocacy. She’s ghostwritten for executives, co-hosted a podcast about the hilarity and chaos of motherhood, and even helped spotlight fascinating local people and places through her syndicated column.

Equal parts strategy and soul, Elizabeth believes in the power of storytelling, the magic of a strong community, and never underestimates the therapeutic power of a well-placed meme. Learn more about Elizabeth at MDWcares.com or connect with her on Insta or LinkedIn.