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 year I've struggled selecting the perfect word. I've been thinking about this for at least a month. The words I kept coming up with were 2-letter words. I am choosing the word 'do' this year. I choose this verb to be used in the positive sense of completing tasks and not procrastinating. I think those 2 little letters will carry me through a year that I anticipate will bring about many changes and challenges.
Thank you again, Ali, for brining OLW to my life. I've been with this since the beginning and can't imagine my life without OLW!
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My word is... DRIVE.
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Clear
This is my fifth, sixth OLW, but only the second that my word has chosen me.
Last years word was Hope, and I didn't want it. But the word would bot leave my mind, so I grudgingly agreed. My cousins sweet upbeat wife who was my confidante and support when the autoimmune disease we shared got bad took her life be ause of that same disease and e downward health spiral she ended up in. But Hope showed up everywhere, in poems, newspaper artitcles, phrases... It was amazing. I also wore it almost daily along with a piece symbolizing my three girls as they are the reason for the why in everythig I do and why I try to see e positive every day. (Try being the operating word here!)
I am finally feeling light and truly positive and hopeful. I am feeling CLEAR on what I want to do as I move back into my career, on my need to CLEAR a lot of stuff out of my house (3 growing girls makes for a lot of outgrown stuff) on my heed to continue to be more healthful, be more ClEAR on my financial plans, clear headed about what promises I can make and what my real feelings are (as I believe the cycle of pain, meds, no sleep ultimately made the decision for my beautiful friend and that I am not as at peace with my disease no matter how lucky I know and believe that I am).
Feeling blessed and hopeful, and clear about that as we enter 2014.
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Wow the typos and run-on sentences! My lovely relaxing hot bath was waiting and I guess I wasn't very clear last night.
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i have to admit, each time i participate a lot happens that i stray away from my word. especially when i lack time to document.
my word for this year (not technically just one word) is make-time.
make-time
- to rekindle relationships
- to reignite passions
- to embrace changes and new things through adventures
i realized this as my husband loudly thought how we always were able to "make time" for others before a life changing experience happened to us.
this year, my word exactly will be my reminder.
happy 2014!
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My word for the year is inspire. I want to inspire as many people as possible! Throughout 2014 I want to take art adventures and journal classes and learn more creative scrapbook techniques that inspire me.
I Hope you thrive in your new year!
Lots of love,
-Kelly
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[…] So with that said I just decided I am going to sign up for Ali Edwards one little word for 2014. […]
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MORE | more life, more love, more adventure, less stuff, less debt, less stress | 2014 will be AWESOME!
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I've got it!!!
I was "sitting" with my original word--plan, waiting for it to feel right. I think I was finding it too restrictive, too intentional.
Rather, MY word is MAKE. MAKE plans, MAKE quilts, MAKE good, MAKE lunch, MAKE (me) better, MAKE fun, MAKE joy, MAKE love, make, make make!!
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ACTION. I want to make stuff happen this year.
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Onward - building on all I've learned from my two previous words Fullness and (en)Light(en).
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My word is grow!
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[…] her principles. Obviously I find her very inspiring! Every year since 2007, she has done a “One Little Word” online workshop. You can read more about it by clicking the link but you just choose one word and in, Ali’s […]
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I'm going to try this for the first time this year. I chose "ENJOY" to remind me to live in the moment and remember my blessings.
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I decided to do a word this year, funny how they seem to find you. My word is smile. I'm doing it for my girls. May happiness always win.
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Thrifty - use my existing supplies/books/workshops instead of buying new ones, use my time wisely creating with less computer gazing, cook more at home, make good use of my gym membership. http://lynettecollis.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/my-word-for-2014.html
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my OLW for 2014 is : BETTER
i'm happy, i just want to push myself to do everything a little BETTER ;)
Happy new Year Alie and Thank You!
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Grow
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[…] Tomorrow I will tell you a little bit more what BALANCE means to me and how I decided to include it in my goals this year! In the meantime if you aren’t familiar with the concept of One Little Word check it on Ali Edward’s blog! […]
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I have been mulling this over for the past month. I've narrowed it down to 3 words that have similar meanings, but I am trying to decide which one I will make my official word. I have had some significant health challenges for the past couple years that I have been battling. This year I am changing my focus. I don't want to be in a battle with my body any longer. My word will be one of the following: overcome, surmount, or prevail. I want the word to apply to more than my health as I've had other things going on as well. I have followed your OLW posts since the beginning and have been participating for the past couple of years. I really like having something to focus on for the year. I love the word "thrive" as well! Good luck to you in 2014!
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My word is "gratitude" This word found me before I have found "One Little Word" I had been thinking of the past year and probably spent too much time on the negatives rather than the positives and decided that this time next year I wanted to reflect more on the positives and be more grateful and thankful for what I have, so gratitude found me.
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