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
My word is "enough". So excited about all that it will teach me this year.
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[…] One Little Word project is not my idea, and it’s been around much longer than when I first discovered it […]
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Discover.
So much to discover.
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My word for 2014 is: WHOLE - after reading everyone's comments and jotting notes I realized that I had written down whole twice. I took it as a sign.
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Joy. 2013 was a tough year for me. I need to seek joy and to live joyfully in every aspect of my life - family, relationships, health and weight control, artistic/creative processes, spirituality, volunteering, and attitude, to name a few.
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Last year was my first time for OLW. My word was faith and I am so pleased with how I've grown in my faith throughout the year as I kept my word close to my heart. My faith took a beating after my son's accident in 2006 and subsequent pressure ulcer that has kept him bed ridden since 2009. My husband and I are his sole caregivers. It has been a tough 7 1/2 years and a hard journey as I struggle to recover my faith. My word is "Recover." I need to continue to recover not only my faith in God and in life but also my positive attitude, my patience, my joy of living, my future, and my purpose in life.
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My word is Celebrate. In October, my husband and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. But why wait until then? I decided we should celebrate all year long! For Christmas, I gave him a scrapbook that's prepared with pages numbered 1 - 25 (kinda like a December Daily done in advance) that we can fill with all the adventures and celebrations, large and small, that we enjoy together this year. I think it's a great focus for us that will lead to a fun and joy-filled year.
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My One Little Word is "Submit"
At first look this word, to me, looked like an act of submission, of weakness. But I can tell this year will actually be a year of strength and growth for me and learning humbleness.
I am drawing my inspiration from my life in 2013, what I have learned, and from the Bible. Proverbs 3:6 says to, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
How excited I am to know that my stubbornness and vigor for life will not be dulled by this word but will actually make me stronger.
It's easy to go against the grain and be confrontational, independent, and almost antagonistic at times. Submitting to others, being humble, that is where true strength lies. And I don't mean let people walk all over you, but to be the better man (or woman) in every situation, to take the high ground. That's what 2014 is holding for me. Let's go!
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What a wonderful word! It takes such trust and strength to submit, and there's such peace to be found when you do. :)
Thank you Angie!
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Love
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Grit
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My word is health. I want to improve my physical, mental and spiritual health this year.
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Mindful
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PURPOSE: New Years early morning, I am finishing up my personal well wishes, I go to Instagram to post on her page and I see RIP and the passing of my Mother is on the 2nd of Jan. SHE, was my friend, my hair stylist before I moved, SHE came to my rescue when I tired to keep things together when I lost my Mother in 2010. There is purpose in me finding this info out the day before, so that when I celebrate my Mother, I can uplift Esohe as well. Retired from the Navy, single Mother of 2, crafter, provider, Dr., Taxi my list goes on, but I know I have PURPOSE and throughout this year's journey I will find that out.
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MOTION. A couple weeks ago, I realized my biggest issue right now is encapsulated by Newton's First Law: An object in motion tends to stay in motion, and an object at rest tends to stay at rest. In 2013, I needed to rest, not only physically but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. But I've been at rest so long, even the thought of moving? Well, it seems like the hardest thing I can imagine. Overwhelming. Impossible.
So in 2014, I'll focus on all the different ways I can be in motion. And stay that way.
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Adventure!
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My word for 2014 is Gracious.
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My word is RENEW. I want to renew my body, mind, spirit, passion for creating, and a few other things that could use renewal. Even an old friendship or two.
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finally decided on my word-- as out of style and old fashioned as it sounds, i chose HOMEMAKER. certain (tragic) situations that have occurred within our community and circle of friends this past month have shown me that there is no comparison to a woman who devotes her heart, mind, and energy to those who life in her home. super excited to explore what that means for me this year. :)
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[…] because 2014 has already started. Ali Edwards started a concept of choosing a word for the year. http://aliedwards.com/2013/12/one-little-word-2014.html My word for 2013 was the word LEARN. Interestingly enough, I didn’t focus on it much, and it […]
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I chose open this year. 2014 promises to be full of change (my daughter is heading to college in the fall) and instead of fearing how much my life will change with her not here all the time, I want to be open to what is going to happen and what the next part of my life holds for me.
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