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
GRACE
I have never participated in this before, and for the last several weeks have been pondering it. Then, someone posted a link to something similar on my FB. 2013 was a very rough year for me--a lot of negativity, whining, complaining, crying, yelling at my husband and kids who are only 5 and 4...yeah, it was a bad year. I had lost faith in God and it took God taking two very capable vehicles away from us a month apart (literally) for Him to get me to come back to His light. I am far from a perfect Christian, but I know his Grace covers me--and the latter half of 2013 from September on hasn't been easy or perfect, but it was much better when I realized that if I wanted our situation and MY situation to change, I had to be the one to change. And it started by getting back into a Church and re-visiting Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life in a small group!
Sadly, I still overreact, and I yell, and I DON"T like it at all. I find myself apologizing to my kids a lot. And I don't want them to remember a Mommy who was constantly apologizing, I want them to remember a Mommy who LOVED them and let them LIVE and LEARN and Make mistakes and just learn to let it go! The one thing God/Jesus so freely gives me when I mess up is the one thing I struggle with giving the most.
So, my word and journey for 2014 is GRACE and I am actually looking forward to working on myself.
I am planning on making some type of scrapbook/journal of this journey and my title is going to be: A New Year, A New Me: A Journey Through Grace.
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Strength - this past year was one of the worst in my life. After 6 years of infertility and many IVF treatments I was able to get pregnant, but then it became ectopic. I was able to have one more IVF treatment that did not work. This coming year I will need the strength to cope with never being able to have my own child while many friends and family are set to give birth to theirs. Strength to handle what life gives me next- adoption hopefully. Strength as in my body, getting fit; my mind, getting into the right place. Strength as in my friendships and relationships; making them stronger. Strength is my word and it's what I need.
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<<>> I know I am a complete stranger, and I don't know your entire story, but I think you have chosen a great word for yourself. I was told when I was 20 when I was diagnosed with PCOS that I would never get pregnant and if I did, none of them would be viable. And I'm not saying this to rub it in, and I feel so amazed and grateful that we were able to have 2 healthy children, but I just wanted you to know that there are people out there who may not understand your personal story, but are there to be there for you if you need it. I pray that you have a close support system. I realize that sometimes, those around us who have never struggled will never know the pain and suffering. And I think it takes a very strong woman to admit that she has infertility problems and is brave and strong enough to share her story in hopes of helping others understand their feelings and can empathize. I truly pray that this next year will be one of amazing strength for you!
Well, my previous comment said, hugs to you, but it deleted the word hugs. Sorry for that.
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My word for 2014 is Shine!
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Nurture...I am becoming a mom for the first time in 2014 and feel the word is fitting. However, I also need to nurture myself, my soul, my health and my relationships so it's an overall good word for me in 2014.
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My word is STRENGTHEN.
I hope to strengthen my mind and body. My faith. My relationships. My skills.
I love this word because it is so positive.
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My word for 2014 is SHINE. Over the course of last year the phrase "show up and be seen" kept coming back to me (from Brene Brown's Daring Greatly, I think). I'm an introvert who's really good at showing up, but not so good at being seen. This year I want to focus on not only being seen, but shining in the spotlight.
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Confidence.
This is my 7th year holding One Little Word. Thank you Ali for your inspiration.
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I think it will be LIVE (VIVRE, in French).
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This year, I have chosen BALANCE. This works for me in so many ways right now. It will remind me to eat better (balanced diet), be more fiscally responsible (balanced spending habits), calm down more (balanced mood), spend more time on me (balanced schedule), and not spoil my youngest when my oldest leaves for the military later this year. It may even encourage me to do more of some things, as a I spend less time doing others. I really feel that BALANCE is the perfect word for me in 2014. (This word actually came to me as I looked over the cards that came from Becky Higgins class Project Real Life!)
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My word for 2014 is Reach.
Reach for new things, expand my reach.
I'm looking forward to the coming 12 montsh.
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Months.
No alcohol was involved in the typo, regardless of it being New Years Eve.
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CREATE - this is my OLW for 2014. I didn't have to think about my word - my word came to me. It happens that way sometimes.
Create - the person I want to become
Create - a loving and inviting home life
Create - think outside the box
Create - loving kindness wherever I can
Thanks Ali for offering this class again this year. I am really looking forward to 2014 and what lies ahead.
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I have participated the past two years. I am thankful for all of learning and most important the connections I have made to my OLW for 2014: choice.
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[…] I decided on my word for 2013, I had no idea what 2013 had in store for me and I can’t believe the impact choosing […]
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My word is also thrive. I chose it after listening to my favorite band switchfoot's song thrive earlier in the year and I thought, now that I'm more focused (my word of 2013), I really want to just thrive. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or1aFVBEZBY) My favorite part is where it says, "I wanna thrive not just survive." I too want to do more than just survive, I want to thrive!
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Mine is become :)
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My OLW is GIVE. Looking forward to seeing how it evolves over the year!
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I think I will choose "tranquil"
Tranquil comes into play because by nature I am a stressed out person and realize I miss out on a lot of life because of that.
Being tranquil would help me remember that life doesn't have to be full of stress and anxiety: life can be fun and enjoyable too!
Synonyms: Easy-going, calm, gentle, unruffled, at peace.
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Begin/Start
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Mend...actively and creatively stitching together the parts of me so that I can heal, repair, and align myself more authentically.
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My word this year is BE also. This past year my word was breathe and it was completely with me the entire you. I breathed life back into my marriage and breathed my way through several stressful job interviews until I found the right job for me. Now that I'm in a new place, I need to remember that I am enough -- always -- and to be who I am and be fully present in every moment.
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