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
I picked FIRRCE. I didn't realize quite how negative it could sound but I like the thought of being in "furious" pursuit of what I need and want in my life this year. By nature I'm a "people pleaser" and I want those around me- specially those closest to me- to be happy and I hate the conflict so I often find myself quietly accepting things and quietly changing what I had planned and quietly not doing something under the guise of "keeping the peace". Ultimately at the expense of ME! So at 45 I'm going to fiercely make sure I'm supported, accepted, and loved for being me. And by using fierce instead of calmer words like "brave" or "courage" I'm preparing myself with the knowledge this won't be easy. By no means am I surrounded by ogre's or mean people or those who don't love me- but I've let their needs and wants superseed mine for so long that it will be a change for those closest to me in my everyday life. So this month toward this end I'm going to make sure I get help around the house, hold myself accountable to my healthy balance and carve out creative time for paper crafting!
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FIERCE it's FIERCE I really dislike when I can't type poperly!!!! FIERCE!!
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[…] start. I love a new beginning and over the past few years, I’ve really sunk into choosing one little word to guide the year ahead. I’ve enjoyed the process of reflection, looking back at the year […]
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shine.
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Sweet. There are many challenges in my life going on and I want to remind myself to find the sweetness in life. I also find that due to those challenges, I have become more harsh in my feelings and speech, especially towards others. I need to reclaim the sweetness in my approach.
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This is officially my 6th year of participating! This year I picked the word "become." In my mid-forties I've decided to finally just become me- the best me. For so long I've been mom, wife, friend,and most recently, stage iv breast cancer survivor. So I "embraced" the journey last year and this year- I just want to "become" whom I am meant to be outside of cancer. Thankful Ali, for you and this fresh and authentic idea that has become a life-giving legacy to last for years.
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[…] One Little Word 2014 by Ali Edwards – the seed blog for me! (THRIVE) […]
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This is the first time for me with OLW but I love the idea. My word will be FOCUS. For so manyreasons this will be such a perfect word for me and can't wait to begin.
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My word is NOURISH. The One Little Word project is so great. Here's to a nourishing 2014 for body and soul.
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{Prosper}
I know it seems like I'm channeling my inner Vulcan, or sound like I want to make a million dollars (which actually would be nice!), but my idea of prosper is so much more than money or finances, although that is a part of it. I want to live intentionally and work hard and be the best me.
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I fought my word, and my word one. "Open" it is.
I hate to choose a word that you've chosen, lol! I feel like a copycat but given how my life has been going for the past six months (hint: NOT GOOD, lol!), I figure I can't fight it anymore.
Here's to an Open 2014!! =)
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Action
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Hi Ali!
On New Year's Eve, somehow I ended up on your blog...I'm not sure
why I don't have it in my regular reading--but I didn't (I have changed that!! :)
I read your blog leading up to, about and following the "one little word", and started thinking about what word would I choose...the last 3 years of my life have been simply hell. I'm still left broken and asking why??? Which has lead me to the word I am choosing for 2014-- BE.
BE forgiving.
BE accountable.
BE strong.
BE courageous.
BE selective. That is a huge one, as selective is removing the negative people from my life. I can still love them, but they cannot continue to be allowed to hurt me anymore. This is so painful, because its my daughter, my beloved, precious child, that has turned from a best friend to someone that I don't even recognize.
BE Christ like. Have Christ's spirit in me.
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My word...acceptance.
I need to learn to accept things for what they are and realize there are many things I can not change!
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My word this year is MAKE. As in make things happen, make beautiful things, makeover, make it a good day, make yourself a priority, make good food, make with intention. I kind of love it. And am really looking forward to making 2014 a great year.
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moxie!
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This year my word is FITNESS - Physically, Emotionally and Financially!
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This is my first time here,and I find this interesting. My word: CHANGE
Because that is what I need. To change. To evolve.
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[…] Curvy Yoga wrote a great post titled How I Want to Feel in 2014, and it made me think about what my One Little Word (Ali Edwards) will be for 2014. In years before, my word has just come to me. This year I waited […]
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My word is "declutter," in all its various definitions. I'm blogging my process here: http://declutter2014.blogspot.com/
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For 2014, mindfulness chose me.
A truly considerate person, always mindful of the needs of others; having a sense of being alive, aware, cognizant, conscious, sensible.
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