One Little Word 2011
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My 2011 necklace from the lovely Lisa Leonard. Get one for yourself here.
My word for 2011 is light.
This year my word sure seemed to choose me.
Most years I start thinking about my word for the following year in November or December. I think about it in passing and start listening, looking, and being open to the possibilities of a new word.
This year the word light seemed to be trying to catch my attention.
I found it in books, in magazines, in music, in conversations and in quiet moments.
So I'm going with it. It's already surprised, delighted, challenged and sparked some new things within me.
Some years I've had to look harder or listen longer or simply choose one that fit with what was on my mind and heart at that moment. There's no right or wrong. The main thing to remember is that this is your word. It's not for your child, parent, partner, spouse, sister, etc.
And what do you do with this one little word?
You live with it. You invite it into you life. You let it speak to you. You might even follow where it leads. There are so many possibilities.
I'd love to read what word you've chosen or are considering for 2011. In the comments feel free to simply leave your word as your comment or write a bit about why you are choosing this word.
In a couple of days I'll post a compilation of the words as an inspirational reminder to us all.
If you’re new to the concept of One Little Word, you can read some of my previous posts here: 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.
NEW FOR 2011 : ONE LITTLE WORD at BIG PICTURE CLASSES
I'm excited to be offering a brand new One Little Word online workshop through Big Picture Classes in 2011 as a way to connect with and honor our words throughout the year.
Each month you'll receive a prompt with a simple creative project and a gentle reminder to check back in with your word. By the end of the year you'll have compiled the contents of an 8.5x11 album that documents, defines, celebrates and generally makes your word more visible. Workshop materials include printable elements, full-color PDF handouts, and video presentations.
People have been asking me if you have to be a scrapbooker for this class. My answer is no. Even though we are making an album it's really more of a journaling/record keeping/thinking/exploring project. I'm excited to see how people interpret the prompts and make them meaningful for their own lives.
This is not complicated and it's not time-consuming. It's simply a way we can come together to share our experience with our words throughout the course of the year.
The One Little Word classroom opens on January 1, 2011.
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1654 comments
My One Little Word this year is Complete. I thought long and hard about this word and even was going to change it a few times but I think that this word has chosen me as well. I am still thinking about your OLW class and I might just sign up!
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I pick the word COMPLETE as well! Tried some other words, but they just didn't ring. I am seriously considering taking OLW too!
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My word is "IMPROVE" = to increase in value, excellence, etc.; become better; to make improvements, as by revision, addition, or change - Looking forward to the class.
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My one little word this year is RE. I know it's not a word per se, but I will use it in this manner:
Reduce.
Reuse.
Recycle.
Repurpose.
Regift.
Recall.
Rearrange.
Restyle.
Remember.
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Fabulous choice! I love it!
What an interesting idea, to choose a prefix and then find words to attach it to. Could be interesting to take a root or suffix and do something similar as well.
Totally LOVE this concept Sherry.
I think this is rather facinating.
Thank you! Ali, you truly are an inspiration!
I thought long and hard about this and the more I REthink it, the more I add to the list. I even added another portion to this ---- how I want to feel in the end. Rejuvinated. Revived. Recharged. Rejoiced.
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my word is
acceptance and it kind of just fell into my lap and felt like the perfect word for me...at this point in my life....
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My word this year is HOPE.
2010 ended with the need for more happiness and joy in my life and while I considered both of those words as possibilities, I decided that the hope for them and the hope for embracing life was truly needed.
Looking forward to the class, Ali!
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My word this year is Incarnational. Our pastor did a series of sermons on this and it really hit my heart. It means latting Christ live ina nd through me. to be saturated with Him.
I am taking your One Little Word class and very excited about it. Looking forward to Jan 1 and the opening of the classsroom.
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still debating on a few . . .
focus
journey
simplify
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My word is REFLECT.
This has been a journey of sorts to find this word. It started out as 'intention' and I just kept plugging away until I found MY WORD.
I remember seeing that your word was light, and I thought "That is a strange word. I'd never pick a word like that." Ha Ha! Never say never. My word is now, in a way, based on the Light I am reflecting. I think it was a good lesson in being open to what is around me!
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mi word for 2011 is peace ... 2010 has not been a very peaceful year for me ... would like 2011 to be a peaceful year ... also, for me to find peace in myself :)
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This is the first year I'm doing this. I've read about it on your blog for years and just never did it. So my word seems very appropriate: DO. I am hoping it will inspire me to DO so many things that I have been putting off.
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Celebrate.
I want to:
Celebrate my body by honoring it with good food.
Celebrate my body and its connection to the world around me by swimming again
Celebrate my husband for who he is and what he does, and not nit-pick or try to ask him to be something he isn't
Celebrate my new home and spend as much time here hosting parties, hanging out and decorating. It's not perfect yet, but it's ours and we should celebrate it
Celebrate our 30th birthdays with a literal celebration. It's party time.
Celebrate the sale of my childhood home (my parents are in contract) and honor the memories of the wonderful times we had there, but celebrate the change
Celebrate who I really am by allowing myself to express what I really want and do what I really enjoy and not try to fit in to anyone else's notion of me
Celebrate my friends and family and see them often and honor them in ways big and small.
Celebrate.
It chose me, and when it did, it was SO obvious.
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And,
Celebrate the ordinary, everyday moments of our lives - really notice them and honor them
I like the spin you've put on your word. For example: celebrate my body by honoring it with good food - this is so positive versus something like "I want to change my eating habits".
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I am still choosing between two words: ENJOY and PRESERVE. Both have come to me over these past few weeks of thinking about OLW and now I just have to pick one. Since my father died earlier this year, I have been trying to learn how to ENJOY life without him but also PRESERVE those memories and stories of him, too. I'll have picked one by Jan 1, but right now I am leaning toward PRESERVE.
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As predicted, my word for 2011 is PRESERVE. I blogged about it at http://jessdean.wordpress.com/2010/12/30/one-little-word-2011/
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"Moment" as in live in the moment, be present in your life. Enjoy what you have today. Time goes too fast.
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My word is breath, just that...breath.
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PATIENCE has picked me. I have always been a patient person and somewhere in the past few years, I have lost it. I am quick to snap, judge and it is making me very unhappy, not to mention it is hurting my family because they end up being the brunt of my reactions. In 2011, I hope to regain teh cool, calm and collective spirit of patience I once embodied.
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My one little word always seems to come to me during the process of my December Daily album (thanks Ali!). This year my word is "simple"... simple food. simple clothes. simple house. simple exercise. Lots of decluttering needed throughout my life. I'm normally an all or nothing kind of girl, so going simple will be a good (and difficult!) exercise for me. I'm going to choose 12 areas I want to work on simplifying, and focus on them each month... hoping to journal a lot about the process, and perhaps an album will result. But if not, that's OK too.
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Simplicity. It too found me.
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My word for 2011 is "self-evolution," as in becoming the person that I want to be.
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My word for 2011: ME
98% of my time is about others and this year I need to focus on ME
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My word is ME also! I feel like I need to be more true to myself, figuring out what makes ME tick. Also, become more healthy, physically and spiritually. And finally, document ME - I'm turning 40 this year, lots of change in our lives and want to focus on being the best ME I can be.
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I've been considering "discovery" for 2011, although I still have a word from the past two years that has seemed unattainable but I keep going back to it - "bliss".
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