One Little Word 2009 & Giveaways

Happy New Year Ali!
My word is "happy"
I want to focus this year on what makes me happy.

My word for the year is CONTRIBUTE. To my family, to co-workers, neighbors and to my community.

My word for 2009 is Engage. 2008 was a difficult year and I need to get back in the game, personally and artistically.

My word is SIMPLIFY. I've come to realize that I'm just not enjoying life as much as I should be at 30 years old, as a wife to a wonderful man and a mother to 2 beautiful boys. I don't want to look back and regret what I did or didn't do. So I'm planning to simplify my life so that I make time for the things that are the most important to me. The things that make my soul come alive.

Ali, Great word for you...so fitting at this time of your life.
I still have not decided between:
DO
ENJOY
SIMPLIFY
I will decide by tonight!
Thanks for the inspiration! Shelly

My word for 2009 is FAITH. I've been through some tough things in my marriage in the last few months and my faith has been the one thing that has been helping me through it all.

My word is SURRENDER. I plan to surrender trying to do it all, complete it all, perfect it all. I plan to surrender when someone asks to help me, and allow them to help.

I'm still pondering a few:
Patience
Gratitude
Strength
Family
Explore
I'm waiting for one to call out to me.

Ali- I love this whole idea. I love reading the words that have been chosen and the reasons why. What a fantastic idea. For me, my word is going to be ENOUGH. At first this word could sound a bit hard, but I think it is a wonderful word for me because I think it has multiple meanings, all of which I plan to explore throughout the year.
I want to embrace what I have and find my limits for family, craft, and work... to balance it all and realize that it is ENOUGH.
Thank you for inspiring me yet again.

peace.
last year my word was be. i think i lived up to it pretty well.
this year is peace. peace with all the things i've been struggle with and for. it's easy to lose patients for me, so i'm going to find that center, and be peaceful.

I have been tossing around the concept of a "word".and really want to focus on two things over the coming year one is to seriously explore a career change and all the possibilities- so explore, possibilities, dream, grow, change
I also want to focus on my oldest daughter who is developing into a tween and begining to want more independence- I want for her wings and joy and independence but also roots, strength family and charecter. There are to many choices.

Overused but under-rated, my word: simplify. Stay in the moment, keep it simple, enjoy life.

HOPE. I first thought of PEACE, because that's always my goal, to feel at peace, to know that undescribable feeling of peace. But 2008 was tough so HOPE is it. Hope that my brother will continue to be in remission, that the economy will prosper, that I will learn to let go of bitter moments and that I am guiding my son in the right path to become a good man. Thank you for "forcing" us to think about this.

Okay, I've seen you talk about this for years...never having the nerve to give myself a word. Afraid to commit...thinking, "what if it's not the right word, or what if I can't make it work for me?" Silly, I know...
My word for 2009 is BETTER. Make it better, be a better person, be a better woman, wife, mother, maid, laundry do-er, cook, scrapbooker, photographer...well, you get the picture. Live a better life. Unlike so many people in the country, 2008 was one of my better years...I was very fortunate this year. Let's see if 2009 can be BETTER!

Well, I have to say, FOCUS sure seems like the right word for me this year.
Happy New Year Ali.

This next year I will be stepping forth in many ways. I plan to organize my own photo history, make keeping in touch with PEOPLE a priority, and start my own photography business with my sister.

Thank you Ali for always inspiring us to be better people! It is great to come and read everyone else's words too, I want to cheer everyone on.
Last year's word was BEGIN, as in get started and stop procrastinating. I did pretty well for the most part but went back to my old habits when things got stressful.
This year's contenders are HEALTH, as in physical, mental, financial, family, emotional, etc., FORWARD/GROWTH because I'm going back to work this year after being home with my kids for 7 years and I'm very nervous about it, both about finding a job and the actual doing of it as well as keeping balance here at home and lastly, PLENTY/ABUNDANCE/CONTENTMENT, as in realize how much goodness I have already and that I don't really *need* anything more (stuff). XX's

I think I'm going with "frugal". Our family has so much but I just feel like I've gotten wasteful and spend too much time and money aquiring things we don't really need instead of using what we have.
SusanB

My word is BEGIN. It's the heading of a poster on our public library doors, about being closed New Year's Day. And I've seen it three times, now, and it hits me square and solid every time. Must mean something, something I need to explore :)

There are so many good words out there, several popped into my head all at once. Then I thought about what I really want to be for 2009, and two words came to mind "Create" and "Believe". So it's going to be one of those. I'm leaning towards "Create" because I really want to have a Creative year, make more art things with my hands, scrapbook more, etc. I really also like Believe because I really want to focus more on Believing in myself, that I can do whatever I put my mind to. Being more creative, exercising and taking care of my body, and being a good Mom.
Hope you have a great 2009. I appreciate all you do, what you do inspires me to want to do more! thanks!