One Little Word® 2014
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.
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.
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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So weird, I picked thrive for my OLW too! The last couple of years have been all about surviving cancer and now that I've done that, I want to make choices that will help me thrive!
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Patience! I'm looking forward to making this visible in my life next year. Thank you Ali!!
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breathe
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PATIENCE. Yup....as I age I really NEED to focus on this word. Out and about today on the roads and very glad that it is NOT the New Year yet as I didn't do so well with my OLW today!! YIKES!!!! Question Ali, please.....how did you do the photo with your OLW??? LOVE IT!!!! Thanks!!!
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My word is PURGE. I need to get rid of so much old stuff, not just objects, in my life in order to move forward, to think more clearly and not feel overwhelmed.
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My word for 2014 is GROW. I need to work through and move past some things…looking forward to doing that!
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My word is moment. To live in the moment especially with my husband & three small children.
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I've been thinking a lot about my word for months, 2013 was kind of 'meh' and I got into a habit of being apathetic and negative about life in general. I was thinking of words like 'positive' and 'gratitude' and 'purpose' and 'complete' because I want to change my perspective and see and do and be a happier, more driven person, more aware of my blessings, actually reaching my goals. But when I was praying about what my word should be the word BRAVE showed up. I don't really know what to make of BRAVE but I know it's my word. It found me. I know it's all tangled up in not letting fear rob me of my joy and being courageous and stepping out in faith to accomplish those things I want accomplished. It's gonna challenge me and I know BRAVE is gonna be one hell of a ride.
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Oh, Ali, I love OLW! I look forward to this every year. My 2014 word is INTENTIONAL. We are two years from retirement, and there are many decisions to be made, loose ends to be tied up, and dreams to bring to fruition. I am relishing the journey!
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WHOLE. ;)
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