an end + a beginning + my word

Wishing you and your family an amazing New Year full of health, love, happiness and creativity.

My word is CHOICES.
No matter what may happen this year, I always have CHOICES.

Happy New Year Ali and family! My word for this year: Courage- the ability to do what frightens one; the strength to face the pain or grief. My greatest fear is to not do what is in my heart in fear that I may be rejected or ignored. This coming year I want to do just the opposite- follow my heart and be brave to actually do it. I know in the end it'll be worth it.

Ali, I want to take this chance to thank you for the amazing inspiration you have been to me over the last two years. Just visiting your blog everyday gives me something to think about, take action on, dream about. I love your one word challenge and I have again taken it to heart and plan to use it as a guiding force for my life in 2008. I chose Balance for my word...you can read more about it at http://artistreborne.typepad.com/artist_reborne/2007/12/1098765.html Looking forward to more from you in the coming year. Oh, PS., I just bought your "new" book and I have to say LOVE IT!! So much to think about, so much inspiration.

Happy New Year Ali. Briefly read some responses & am amazed at powerful words are being chosen.
This year, I choose 'intimacy'. As my pastor elaborated yesterday. . .we long for love, long for intimacy & that resonated with me. I would like to explore intimacy with my God, my loved ones--with my creativity.

Hi Ali
Happy New Year to you and your family! For 2007 I chose "simplify" - a popular word for many this year!! I'm not sure how successful I was in living up to my word last year, so will continue with that again in 2008, but add "gratitude" as well - really trying to incorporate both words into our everyday lives -not just mine, but also my husband's and my three teenaged children - a challenge yes, but we'll see how we go!!

My word for 2008 is TRANSFORMATION. I think it's time for me to focus on my life with a different perspective. One that may even be uncomfortable for me at times...
Here's to 2008!

My word is definitely play. I've got two girls (ages 8 and 8 mths) and play is #98 on my list of 100 priorities in a day. I should be playing with them, for them, to show them that you can be 27 years old and still have fun, and mostly for *me.* If I would play, I'd actually scrapbook instead of just "window shopping" others' (yours! LOL) and buying tons of amazing things that I never use. Play, play, play. Gotta get that through my head and in my life. Thank you for the idea!

These comments are all so inspiring, as is your blog Ali.
My word for this year is AHEAD. I am always saying that I am "so far behind", so this year is all about being ahead. Thinking ahead, planning ahead, and trying to be anything but behind! As a chronic procrastinator, I think this one little word might prove to be very useful this year.
Happy New Year to you and your beautiful family xxx
Cheers
Suzitee

I decided to choose the word JOURNEY for 2008 as I begin my journey towards wls, towards a healthier me; and towards fulfilling many goals for the future.
Thank you for being such an inspiration!
http://scrapmecca.blogspot.com/2008/01/one-little-word.html

Ali you have continued to inspire me throughout the entire Year. Every week, every month is as if, we two seperate individuals, have been on a journey together....different paths, different countries, different lives but very similar thought processes. I would think something (brood actually) and then over my morning Cuppa I would see your weekly challenge or daily something and say to myself....WOAH! Some days my thoughts would be fuzzy and then you would have it all out there clear and in the open. So for that I want to say to you, Thank You! I hope you have a wonderful New Year and here is to you your Vitality on all accounts!
Now on to my word for the year;
SELF-SUFFICIENT
self-suf·fi·cient
adjective
1. able to supply one's own or its own needs without external assistance: The nation grows enough grain to be self-sufficient.
2. having extreme confidence in one's own resources, powers, etc.: He was self-sufficient, and always reminded you of it.
Although I do consider myself to be pretty self-sufficient I do feel as though I could be even more so. I`m 26 and still don`t have a drivers liscense so therefore I am dependant on others to an extent for transport whether it be my Husband, Mother, Friends or the public transit system. I want that freedom that comes with being able to jump in your car and GO!
I consider this word to encompass everything I want to accomplish this year. I want to continue to have my house get re-organised and cleared of any clutter that exists, I want to confidently go forth with my art. Scrapbooking and as of late my desire to paint again and to play with mixed media. With two degrees under my belt and a need to again return to school to get a B.A. I want to make some clear decisions as to where I want my life to go career wise. I ant to get my butt in gear and keep on the healthy active bandwagon. Many resolutions as you can see, but to me they are all summed up in that one word. Heres to a Happy and Self-Afficient Me!

i've read so many inspiring words in this comment section. almost makes me want to have one word a month to focus on! but my word of the year is HEAL. this christmas there was a huge explosion of hurtful feelings, and i have chosen to distance myself from those people. i feel like now is my time to break free from people that continually hurt me and do not care about the damage that they do to me. it's time for me to find my bio father and hopefully heal the deep wound from his abandonment. and if he doesn't want a relationship, heal in a way that accepts him for who he is and that i'm okay without him in my life. i need to heal the childhood wounds that have shaped me to be the woman i am today. but as an adult...i do not need to perpetuate the things that i saw and pass that on to my innocent children. my heart is broken, but it is not cold. it is still open to finding peace and becoming whole. at 1:30 a.m. on jan 1...i should be tired. but instead i am hopeful and excited about what lies ahead today and the rest of this year! happy new year ali. god bless you for all that you contribute to this world.

happy 2008
my word...
triscadecaphobia
i do not fear "13" but i love the sound of this word.
oxo
catherine

I have reached the halfway point of my 365 day project. It has been an awesome thing to do, a struggle at times, but I am loving the look of the end result. I have mounted each photo (printed at 3 x 4 size) on to cardstock and then bunched each months together, and have decorated a box to keep them in. Lots of work, but cool to loook back on. Good luck with your 365 day project

Hi Ali
I didn't realize that I was thinking about words for a year at all, 'till I read your blog today. It suddenly came to me, that lately, for the past two months, I am so pre-occupied with change... Maybe it's because I am in a stage in my life I really don't like, but I have the feeling that, despite all the things I do or think, nothing changes and all stays the same. I don't set goals for a new year as I can't stick to them, but I think a word that will come up more frequently in my mind will be:
CHANGE.
It's harder than you'd think, but changing habits, traditions or job isn't always as simple as I would like to be...
Make a great year of it, Ali.

My word for this year is ACCOMPLISH and I specifically want to turn round this German proverb..."Who begins too much accomplishes little".
Started by cleaning off the noticeboard (very freeing) and scrapping Accomplish with quotes to start it off again.
Now to get down on paper some actual goals.

Last year my word was colour. This year it will be LOVE. To begin with, love for myself, so I can show my boundaries and not let everybody just take what they want from me and then it's just a small step to love you all. Love your neighbours like you love yourself; so it's all about self love first. I want to make an album for it this year and mak it an ongoing project.
Thanks again for the initiative and inspiration Ali.
Wishing you and your beautiful men a wonderful 2008.

Out of all 156 comments I have seen just one other person with the word I have chosen for this year...my word is FAITH.
I already have this 7-1/2x10- 1/2 wall hanging made with the word faith on it and the phrase "Absolute Treasure" at the bottom. It's amazing how we can play off each other while living our lives. Thank you Ali.

My word for the year is COMPASSION-compassion for all beings- for those I love, for those I am indifferent towards and for those who make me angry or afraid. It is a mighty practice of mindfulness. Thank you for all the ideas and thank you for sharing Simon's story with us. 365 Project reminds me of art school and the assignment of shooting one roll a day for week-it's still an assignment I give my own students (I teach traditional photo). I think I'll try the 365 myself with my digital-faster and cheaper and a great way to practice "looking".

i have been thinking about this for two weeks or more. drum roll please. my word is going to be
APPRECIATE.
last year my word was BEGIN. a highly recommended word. lots and lots of reasons why. at some point each day i thought that word and it would center me.