One Little Word® 2014
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Make your word visible: Order your own word from recycled matericals created by artist Colleen Attara here.
My One Little Word for 2014 is thrive.
This year, more than any other I can remember, I'm starting off the year with questions. What does it mean for me to thrive? What does it look like? What does it fee like? Are there areas in which I'm already thriving? What's realistic vs. visions of what I have in my head of what it means to thrive?
Open was an awesome word for me last year. It was a touchstone as I navigated my way through growing pains and man oh man did it work in a million different ways I could not have imagined when I started 2013. More often than not when faced with a decision, I chose to open more rather than closing off which was my number one intention last year. That said, I feel like I've been spinning in circles a lot this past year. I've been reacting vs. being proactive and have been dealing with a variety of issues related to stress and growth (totally all part of my own life journey).
To me thriving is optimal living. It's being present and awake and stepping up to be my best self physically, emotionally, spiritually, creatively and within my relationships.
It's not a quest for perfection. It's an opportunity to continue choosing to let go of things outside of my control and to figure out who that best-me-right-now really is.
It will be a whole new journey and I'm here to tell you I welcome it wholeheartedly.
Bring on 2014.
This year I invited my friend Elise Blaha Cripe to film a little video about her experience with One Little Word. One of the reasons I admire Elise is that she is awesome at follow-through and documentation. I've loved reading about her experience with her words over the last few years on her blog and she inspires me consistently with her projects and her real-life reflections.
Here's Elise in her own words:
Thank you Elise for sharing about your own journey here.
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.
SHARE YOUR WORD THE COMMENTS | I’d love to read what word you’ve chosen or are considering for 2014. 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.
If you’re new to the concept of One Little Word, you can read some of my previous posts here: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
ONE LITTLE WORD® 2014 |To help keep your One Little Word® more visible throughout the year I offer a year-long workshop featuring one prompt per month. Read all the details and sign up here. Registration is $5 off until December 31.
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938 comments
This is my fifth year participating:
2010 SIMPLE 2011 FOCUS 2012 LIGHT 2013 MORE/LESS
This year my word is HABIT and I'm taking it a step further and set up this project for myself: http://yearofcreativehabits.com
Thanks Ali for all you do and how you inspire so many of us. :)
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Crystal---thanks for inspiring me! My first thought was grow---because there are numerous ways and places I want to do so.
But a big element that comes to mind with that involves
turning 'once in awhile' things into habits - and/or creating new ones! I loved reading your creative habits post too. The don't break the chain' idea is great!!!
Happy New Year!
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This is my first year doing OLW! I'm excited!
After struggling with post partum depression, and the after effects, as well as bipolar disorder for the last three years, I finally feel ready to face the world again as my true self. So I picked the word:
Brave.
I want to bravely face the world, and all its challenges. I've been hiding from my reality for too long. time to be brave and face my world head on!
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As you can see (I posted just below you) my word for 2013 was Brave. Absolutely amazing word. Here's to your 2014. :)
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I haven't figured out my word yet, but I do want to say this, I did OLW last year and I only completed about half the assignments. However, my word (which was BRAVE last year) was with me ALL THE TIME. It is a totally worthwhile venture, even if you don't get all the assignments done. I'll come back when I know what my word is. Last year it found me right at midnight on New Year's Eve/New Year's Day.
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My one little word... I've been thinking for a while. And I can't seem to focus on just one. Id love some help.... Joy, cheer, smile, positivity, save, and push, all the ones that I would love. I'm leaning towards postivity though... Any advice ?
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Polish is also a major contender
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My 2014 word is MORE. I find that I have such high expectations for myself that I feel like I never measure up. So I have decided to try for just a little more- to do better than I did yesterday. To have more family time, spend more time outside, exercise more, be more organized, spend more time on devotionals. To be more intentional about being a part of my life rather than getting so caught up in the chaos of life.
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I've been going back and forth between two words: TRUST and TRANSFORM (and who knows - maybe this will be a year when I have two instead of one!). They each speak to me in very different ways.
TRUST feels like the flip-side of the coin of my 2013 OLW (which, like Ali, was OPEN). Open was such a powerful word for me - and I feel like I'm not done with it - like there is more to experience - and I think the deeper part of that, for me, is developing my ability to trust (in all kinds of different ways).
TRANSFORM feels like a stretch that kind of began mid-way through 2013 (when I began to train for the Chicago Marathon), but that is by no means complete. I feel like I am on the precipice of an enormous transformation in how I approach the world, how I show up in it, how I see myself, how I see the possibilities that exist for me, how I move beyond the me (and the old stories/tapes) I have been reluctant to leave behind, and how I create or embrace/nurture the tender new parts so that they can flourish. But that marathon training experience was so pivotal, that I know following through on what that started is the absolute right thing for me now.
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Brave.
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I have been bouncing back and forth between BALANCE and PEACE. I think PEACE is winning out, and along with seeking peace and striving for peace - inner and outer, balance will come as well.
PEACE
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Mine is focus
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Embrace!
And it feels good to have it picked! I've given it some thought, and tried to 'listen' for it, and it didn't seem to come.
Until today, just now, in fact! And suddenly I'm SUPER excited for it! Thanks Ali for the inspiration!
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I can't decide between heal, patience and enough. I seem to have extremely low patience with those around me and it is something I really want to work on. I'm also a perfectionist about everything so I need to learn that I am enough. What I do is enough. As a mom I am enough. Then there's heal, which I'm not really sure I'm ready for. My mom died a little over a year ago, and she was my absolute favorite person ever. She could make me feel better, just be being there. I still hurt an unbelievable amount and I'm not really sure how to even begin healing or grieving from that. When she died I had my second daughter who was five weeks old, between the grief and postpartum depression, it's been a really hard year getting to heal from that too. I'm not really sure how I'll narrow it down because I need to work on all of this and so much more I feel.
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Christine,
I thought I could have been writing your post when you talked about patience and perfectionism, especially since my name is Christine also. I struggle with that constantly.
I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother, I can only hope she will live through you for your children.
Christine
How about:
Be
it implies that you are enough
it asks you to simply just be yourself, not think about what others are not
it gives you license to be with your feelings..
whatever you choose, I hope you practice love and kindness on yourself.
Best,
S
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Balance.....In the new year I am going to work on the balancing act of life. Balance work, family, chores with creativity, self-love and relationships. As women we have so many things on our plates and my goal this year is to find balance with all of them. Looking forward to this journey with everyone!
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I think my word is going to be "Roar." The song has been sticking with me lately and I like the idea of going for things in a more direct way.
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My 2014 OLW has yet to find me, but I am patiently anticipating its imminent arrival. :) I love the words I've read here already! Lots of great inspiration. :)
~doreen
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Do
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My word for 2014 is self. With hectic schedules and life in general, I usually put myself last on the list. I don't think everyone else is more important, it's just easiest to cut myself from the list. This year I am going to be more cognizant of doing things for myself, remembering myself, finding myself. That doesn't make me selfish either. :)
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Hi. A few days ago, I made a list of potential words for 2014. I really wasn't sure which one to choose. Then we went to my favorite Japanese restaurant. I opened my fortune cookie and it read "You are strong and brave." Brave was first on my list, so I took my fortune as a sign. Brave it is! Bring on 2014. Thank you Ali and Elise.
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I started off with "Story", but decided to turn this into a goal of recording a memory, or story a day in 2014. Following the onset of a painful frozen shoulder, I realise (once more) that I just don't take care of myself as well as I should, and the word NURTURE came to me. Its very fitting for where I am in my life right now, so bring it on …..
Good luck everyone :)
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Endure
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My word found me this year.
Simplify ... my life, my thoughts, my actions.
I am so looking forward to this journey!
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