Choosing Continuity: Momentum Matters (Even When It Doesn’t Feel Smooth)
Momentum is sometimes simply the decision to continue—carefully, deliberately, and with an awareness of what has changed, as we step into what comes next.
The December 2025–January 2026 edition of Inc. Arabia sits between two moments: the close of a year, and the beginning of another. It’s a period that I’ve often used for reflection, with attempts to neatly wrap up what has been, as well as to clearly define what comes next. But this time around, that transition feels less resolved than I’d have liked it to be.
Just a couple of days before we were set to start working on this issue, Inc. Arabia’s Creative Lead, Odette Kahwagi, passed away following a car accident in Lebanon. Having known Odette for more than a decade as both a close collaborator and a dear friend, her absence now is not something I’ve moved past just yet; it’s something I am still learning how to work around—and work with.
The turn of the year is often framed as a clean break, a moment of certainty. This time, though, it hasn’t felt that way for me. However, the work has continued, even while circumstances were still shifting, and while meaning was still being processed. Momentum, in that sense, hasn’t come from clarity—it’s come from staying present to the work as it continues to evolve. And that understanding feels particularly relevant now looking ahead to the new year.
So, that’s why, instead of thinking in terms of fresh starts or sweeping resolutions during this period, I’ve been choosing to focus on continuity—on what it means to keep showing up for work, even when the context around it has changed. As far as I am concerned, momentum, at least right now, isn’t about acceleration or reinvention—it’s about staying engaged, while also not pretending everything feels settled.
For what it’s worth, this issue has been built in that spirit. It has come together with a lot of adjustments and learnings in real time, with familiar processes having to be rethought, and new rhythms being established. Not every decision felt straightforward, and not every part of the process felt comfortable. But the commitment to the work—to telling meaningful stories, to maintaining standards, and to moving forward thoughtfully—remained constant.
That’s the posture I’m carrying forward as this edition of Inc. Arabia bridges one year into the next—not closure or certainty, but intention. Momentum, even when it doesn’t feel smooth, is sometimes simply the decision to continue—carefully, deliberately, and with an awareness of what has changed, as we step into what comes next.
Here’s wishing you all a thoughtful start to the new year.
This article first appeared in the December 2025-January 2026 issue of Inc. Arabia. To read the full issue online, click here.
