Welcome to 2026! I hope you are spirited and animated to accomplish great things this year. And Uncommon Sense will be a beacon of inspiration for you every step of the way.

I’ve written extensively about goal setting over the years. And I’m at it again with this first issue of the new year. For the Self-Development column, I’ll borrow a phrase uttered by one of my brilliant students at Scottsdale Community College just a few weeks ago, when she posed an important question: “Am I setting goals or am I merely setting vibes?” I will address her question forthwith.

A fatal shooting took place in Minneapolis recently. And at least one radical movement has tried to use that tragedy to their advantage, to further their cause of embracing lawlessness and anarchy. I will discuss that in The Elephant in the Room column.

As a college professor, I notice a curious tendency on the part of many of my students as they react to the things I teach them. Details are in the From Ara’s Journal column.

The World of Words column provides you with yet another word you should have in your arsenal of words. I invite you to embrace and employ this word.

OK, let’s get started.

Ara Norwood