One Little Word 2012
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Poster print via Poster Inspired.
My word for 2012 is up.
It came to me one day last month while I was working in the kitchen and the kids were watching the movie Up. My initial connection to the word stems from the part towards the end where the old man is looking at the scrapbook his wife made and a note she wrote to him at the end which says something along the lines of "Thanks for the adventure. Now go have a new one." (Found the clip here.)
That's the attitude I'd like to be working towards and embracing in 2012 - giving thanks for the things that were great about my marriage and then moving forward and welcoming whatever is coming next.
Up | ready, eager, open, awake, into a happy mood
There were so many words I could have chosen for what I want for myself in 2012. This one simply feels like a good starting place. I will also be carrying three of my past words close to my heart again in 2012: light, story, and peace.
Are you considering selecting a word for yourself (or letting one find you)? 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 2012. 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 days I'll combine all the words into a single post - super inspiring to see all the words in one place.
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, 2010 and 2011.
Above is an image of all my prompts from my album that I made for my One Little Word class at Big Picture in 2011.
Registration is open for 2012 and you're invited to join the journey.
Each month you'll receive a prompt with a simple creative, writing, or photography 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, 2012.
TODAY'S POST SPONSORED BY |Simplify 101 Online Workshops
Regardless what word you select, choosing a word means you want to make your life even better than it is today. The very essence of One Little Word is improving your life, which is why this online workshop is perfect for you. It gives you the foundation, ideas and inspiration you need to dream about a life you love, plus concrete action steps to help you make it happen! Use code: ONELITTLEWORD through January 6, 2012 to take 15% off any simplify 101 workshop (may not be combined with other offers). ABOUT SIMPLIFY 101 | Founded by Aby Garvey, the co-author of The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker, simplify 101’s mission is to make getting organized fun!
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986 comments
Hi Ali, like your word. My word for 2012 is;
Celebrate
1. To observe (a day or event) with ceremonies of respect, festivity, or rejoicing.
2. To extol or praise: a sonnet that celebrates love.
3. To engage in festivities
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My word for 2012 is WRITE, after having DISCIPLINE in 2011. I've loved having a word for the year this year, its help me to focus my efforts on a small thing rather than 101 resolutions or changes I wanted to make. Thanks again.
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I love your new word, Ali. It sounds like it's made for a lot of new adventures...
My word will be butterfly. I'm using it as a symbol (or emblem) for the word METAMORPHOSE. Because it's such an abstract idea I find hard to visualize I choose to go with butterfly. I even ordered me a bracelet with a butterfly on it so I have my word right before my eyes everyday. My last years word was change and I hadn't connect to it in the way I wished... so I'm trying again this year with a similar (but easier to visualize) word.
I can't wait to start the new journey with our words in 2012.
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My Word of the year has come about from following Pat Sloan, now I see that You inspired her to have a word of the year. Last year it was "finished". This relates to my quilting. I wanted to have more Finished Quilts in 2011. I succeeded in a way, 24 finished quilts but I failed to finish the UFO's I'd hoped to. 2010 was "Done". This year I hope to be more "Focused". I don't want to have more UFO's at the end of the year than what I started with. So that is my WORD.
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My word is "create"
Creating a life I love...making it happen not just waiting for it to happen.
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My word is 'on'... as in: on task/focus on; 'keep on keeping on'; hold on; onwards; move on; switch on; 'on board'; onE; keep a light on.. etc etc.
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Love your word and all it implies.
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My word is REST
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I am struggling a bit with my word this year, although, Reflect, and Note, have both come to mind. Would love to get some help if someone can think of another word that works to combine these.!
Reflect: take time to reflect, and also, reflect the spiritual light inside us all.
Note: similar to observe in being mindful each day, and also, noting these observations through art (writing, painting, letters, art journals, perhaps even start a blog?). I would like to write and sketch/paint daily in 2012 as a home/backyard project life journal.
Last year's word was: Treasure - to treasure each moment no matter where I am, who I am with, or what I/we are doing...
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My word is a two-word phrase that kept popping up throughout 2011 and has made itself abundantly clear in the last month. It's "travel lightly." Meaning we need to shed all but those few items we love so that we can easily and quickly relocate. This includes no longer owning a home. I've always been one to move every 5 to 7 years but this is different. It's about staying somewhere for just a short time. Maybe a few months. Perhaps a year or two - and then moving on. As an author, speaker and consultant, I look forward to seeing all the words aggregated together in a posting!
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Ali,I LOVE your word and the meaning behind it. You continue to inspire me, especially how you handle yourself in a difficult situation. Thanks for sharing your story!!!
My word for 2012 is "now". Living for now, enjoy my kids fully right now, get things done now. I tend to live too much in the future and what if's. I'm going to strive to live more in the moment.
Thanks for asking for our words. Writing it here helps me commit and make a decision "now" :0)
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I didn't do so well with my "loving" word last year (I should probably try it again), but instead I'm going with "whatever". And while at first glance, it may seem like sort of a "blah" word, I thought of it from a Christmas card that I received and this bible quote:
Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy---think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) So, my word is "whatever".
This quote makes whatever a very positive word--leading me toward finding the excellent and praiseworthy.
I will take "whatever" wherever it will lead me.
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Love it!
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2012 brings me....CREATE...so many possibilities. Cannot wait to see what it brings to me.
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My word this year is change. My family is about to go through some major change and I am trying to be positive about it and I am trying to find the good in change.
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My word for this year is Grow. I can't wait to see all the ways that I can work with this word. I plan on doing the obvious and having a garden, but I also want to grow in church, in art, in parenting, in cooking, you name it. Thanks for the inspiration!
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Ali-
I had yet to choose or really consider my word this year...but did a better job of keeping my 2011 word, 'Discover' top of mind.
You said 'UP'...
I said to myself "Leap", "Jump"
Then proceeded to brainstorm words...and came back to 'Leap'.
Amazing how when you know the word, you just know it...like a pair of shoes...ha!
I fell off on the OLW class this year but saved the prompts and plan to go back and utilize them this year.
Is this year's class much different?
Chris
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Found the answer about the class..Happy New Year!
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My word is Push!
I am continuing to use it even though it was my word last year. I do have a problem with letting go of things. But truely I feel like I'm not finished with it. I did Push myself in various aspects of my life particularly creatively, however there are so many other aspects of Push that I did not discover. So, in order to complete this process I feel that I need to keep Push for another year and really push myself in my personal life and also physically in terms of health and wellness.
Thank you so much for hosting OLW. Last year was my first time participating and I'm hooked!
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This will be my first time playing along. I have chosen Focus. I want to focus on the important things in life: God, family, friends, seeing the beauty around me, the moment of now.
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So many possible choices for me. I think it needs to be a verb. For now the word that stands out to me is DO. DO unto others, DO what needs to be done, DO!
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My 2012 word is RECLAIM
I wrote about it here:
http://craftingintherain.blogspot.com/2011/12/word-of-year.html
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My word for the upcoming year is Heal.
Time for me to forgive and heal and get back to me :)
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