One Little Word : June 2010
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My one little word for 2010 is story.
From the very beginning my word has had a slightly different meaning for me than you might think. When I first wrote about it back in January I talked about the obvious idea documenting stories from yesterday & today but I also hinted at my deeper truth: "One of the biggest things is that I have a couple threads in my own
story that I would like to weave in a different direction."
The real truth is that I chose the word story because I wanted to focus on changing my story.
My secret word for 2010 been athlete.
My journey so far this year has been about finding a piece of myself that's been missing since I stopped being an athlete when I left the pool in 1994. I was done with the practices, done with the competition, done with the time it took away from all the other things I wanted to be doing in college.
For many years I didn't miss it at all. Not one little bit.
After Anna was born I started to wonder what it would be like to be an athlete as a full-fledged adult. What would my life be like if I took the time to exercise and got in shape and liked the feel of myself in my own skin again? What if I could get to the place of seeing myself as an athlete again? I began having visions of myself as a super fit grandma. I liked the idea of myself as a positive fitness role-model for my kids.
I decided I wanted to make a change in the way my story was being written.
Since January, in ways little and big, I've been returning to this unfinished piece of my own story. A chapter I want to continue and add to in the years to come.
Most of the action steps in changing my story have been small. They've been little daily choices to get up and get out and move my body again. Some days and weeks I'm successful and others, not so much. So much of it for me is a mental game.
I've gotten back in the pool. I've bought a road bike. I've started running (with some serious daily support from Cathy). And I registered to participate in the Danskin Sprint Triathlon in Seattle in August. Crazy? Yes, totally. I found that for me I needed something to aim for, something to move towards, in order to start making the changes I want to see in my story. I am finding that I love the variety of swimming, biking and running so much more than when it was all swimming all the time.
Really, I just want to show up and participate.
So that's where I'm at with my word right now. My words in years past have been undercurrents, with less real-world action. They have ebbed and flowed with me throughout the year and existed as a place for me to come back to when I felt like I am drifting too far off my path. This year has been different in a really good way for me at this time in my life. I am on my way...
If you left your word back in January or February or whenever, you can always reconnect with it. You can also always choose a new word. It's never too late.
Anyone else happen to have a secret word you are ready to share? Or anew word that evolved out of your initial word?
My 8x8 Rejoice photobook arrived in the mail from Shutterfly yesterday. I love it. And more importantly, Simon and Anna went nuts over it. It was all about the photos. Going to make a couple extra copies for a few other people I love.
You can view my completed book here and purchase the layered template package through Designer Digitals here.
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124 comments
Your photos are just awesome. The last picture in your book actually made me teary-eyed. I just had my second baby a month ago and I look forward to lots of pictures like this of my two boys. Thanks for the inspiration!
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You are such an inspiration to so many of us out here in blogland. You are just wonderful.
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Congratulations Ali! Love your secret word and what you've done with it.
My word for this year is RENEW, with big plans to renew everything, myself, my health, my friendships, my art, everything. I lost steam for awhile, as many of us do. Almost 7 weeks ago I received a diagnosis of breast cancer. Shocking. That same day, while indulging in a vanilla latte at Starbucks, I noticed that had a mug with my word on it. RENEW. I took that as a sign. A good sign on a day on which I'd received pretty crappy news. So I bought it, and right now, I'm working at renewing my health and my life. Surgery 3 weeks ago, prognosis is great, still facing more treatment. This year wasn't what I thought it would be! I think next year's word just might be survivor!
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This year I chose "Explore". It meant a lot of things to me. Explore myself, my desires, new challenges, and travel... even if it's traveling to my own back yard. I have started hiking and seeing new things. I'm learning and growing every day. Thanks of inspiring me to choose One Little Word.
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What a fun picture of you. I have never commented before but I have been following your blog for quite some time. I love your hybrid scrapbooking and I am very excited about doing "a week in the life" when I can get myself organized. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to roadbike so I got really excited to see you in your gear holding a super cool road bike. I wish you all the best in your pursuits. I did my first half iron man a couple years ago and it was the best race I EVER did. Have FUN!
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Yay for you! It has been my goal this year as well to get in shape and to eat right. I haven't signed up for any triathalons yet because I haven't learned how to swim. But I have been biking and running. I find that when I am the most active, I am also the most creative. I just wanted to congratulate you and your awesome "athlete" outlook. :)
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Wonderful book, Ali.
And good-on-ya for getting out there and re-discovering the athlete in you. I've always thought there was one in me as well, but as of yet, I've not discovered where.
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Love the book. I just downloaded it and plan to make one for my husband for Father's Day. We have 5-week-old twin boys, so this will be something that I can do quickly, but I know will look amazing.
Thanks for the daily inspirations; I just love your style and your willingness to share pieces of your life with us.
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Hey Ali! You inspire me. I've been wanting to do a triathlon for awhile and the one in Seattle sounds totally doable. I'm not much of a swimmer and the triathlons I've looked at require a long swim so that makes me nervous. Good luck! Have fun training for it!
A
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Hey Ali!~
First off I want to say CONGRATS to YOU! Way to go girl! For some reason I keep coming back to this post on your blog today. It is really inspiring to me. I was on a quest to become a runner earlier this year and then b/c life got busy and injury and excuses, excuses, excuses, I threw in the towel. I've NEVER been athletic, but always WISHED i was. This post about you getting back to athletics and the theme of "changing your story"...it just really hit me today and struck a chord. It inspires me to get back out there and keep on keeping on. I've always LOVED your blog and your wisdom. Been a scrapper for many years (but that has taken an aside for awhile to, just not "feeling" it or in the "groove" right now with that). Thanks for sharing so freely! It truly is an inspiration to others. Thought i'd share this as it may be of interest to you (if not just disregard) when I took up running earlier this year I got myself a road id, so as to be safe. Good for all athletes, smart idea. Maybe you've heard of them, but if not, just passing along the info. roadid.com . once again! way to go!
Blessings,
Stacy
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ali. i love your story. and wanting to show up and participate. such a great reminder. at the perfect tim. and i absolutely love that rejoice book. my gosh.
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whoot! go you ali!
i have to share that two years ago, i decided to see if i could be athletic and started to train for the 5k. the next year the 10k and this year i just completed the 21!!!! turns out i can be athletic if i put my mind to it.
good for you to train! having a goal or race day really helps motivate :)
enjoy!
a
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I like what you are doing with your word. Really inspiring, thank you! About your book, how is the quality of the image on the pages. I have had some books made through Snapfish and they were OK, but didn't have the glossy vibrancy that I really desired. (sometimes the pics were a bit grainy and I had uploaded a HUGE file) So, I was just wondering what you thought...
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Awesome Ali!!! Go for it is all I can say! I am doing my first tri July 25 and am so excited to get back into my athletic self too! Who's to say we can't have more than one word...it's all part of the same thing...the same self I am striving for! Have a blast and I will do the same! Happy training!
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Sending a loud and proud "ATTA GIRL" your way. More than any other influence, Cathy, has been inspiring my fitness this year - I've lost 13 lbs by swimming and walking. I think there is something very powerful about hearing from a real person...thanks for being an additional voice in that fitness chorus.
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Go Ali! Your approach to change and happiness is so open and positive. And infectious! Love this: "I wanted to make a change in the way my story was written." So perfect because it is the one thing we all can change for ourselves.
Happy training & good luck in August!
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I like your word of 2010...even though I don't have a word for every year, seems like I made a similar decision. It had been a year since I had gone to the gym or done any sort of physical exercise...this year, I decided to take a little break from my home business and focus on my health (along with finishing up projects for me)...I can tell you it has been just fabulous. I too get on a bike path nearby and a trainer at the gym has helped me stay motivated...we all need that motivation sometimes especially on those challenging days.
Good luck with your goal!!!
Peace & Blessings,
Laura
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You go girl! Triathletes are some of the most fit people in the world. Be proud of YOU!
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that is A*W*E*S*O*M*E...and a great role model for your children. i desire to feel fit again...i am slowy edging my way into it, maybe a need a shove!!!
anyway, congrats to you & as always, thanks for the inspiration...
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Ali- I am SO enraptured and overjoyed not only at your playful "SECRET WORD" but to choose something so healthy and HUGE like a triathalon (oh no- you couldn't just choose something like "lose ten pounds":-))and recapture a lost and important part of your youth. I wonder if this happens to many of us- I have similar thoughts that have been reoccuring- and tho my not so secret word for 2010 was center- it is my centering focus that leads me to believe my secret word for 2011 will be "dancer". WAY TO GO ALI!! If you could hear our cheers from there, you would have a mighty loud crowd.
I also wonder if the action of going through all of your albums and re-organizing them a year or so ago made you more aware of the part of you ( I remember an entry about a soccer team photo). It's ALL GOOD!!
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