One Little Word® 2017 | Connect

Another trip around the sun is coming to a close. 

My overwhelming feeling at the end of this year is wholehearted thankfulness. For the whole of it. The hard parts and the easy parts and the parts in between. It's something we can count on - that crazy mixture of highs and lows and normals - throughout the 365 days we call a year in our lives. 

I absolutely loved focusing on the word "whole" as my One Little Word® for 2016. It is a word that I will carry with me for the rest of my life - "open" is another one that I feel strongly about. Whole challenged me in the ways I needed to be challenged and wrapped me up in goodness in so many other ways. I loved asking questions about the different pieces of my own whole and looking deeper into what it means to me to feel "whole." 

It's crazy when I think back on all the words I've had over the years (I started this practice in 2006):

  • Play
  • Peace
  • Vitality
  • Nurture
  • Story
  • Light
  • Up
  • Open
  • Thrive
  • Give
  • Whole

For 2017 I'm choosing to explore my life through the lens of the word "connect."

I'm ending 2016 and beginning 2017 by connecting directly and in person with my immediate family (parents, brother, sister + all their families) at my parents house on the coast. I'm already including "connect" in daily thoughts as I go about the regular stuff of my life - asking myself how I'm connecting with this and that and especially focusing on what I can disconnect from (love the angle of including the opposite of my word). 

This blended family life is offering me a whole lot of opportunities for connection and I don't want to miss those. We've all been sinking in to this "new normal" around here - life is such a series of "new normals" isn't it? We get used to a situation or a piece of our lives and then something changes - for better or worse - and then we are forced (either kicking and screaming or accepting or a crazy combination of those emotions) to adapt to the "new" normal. What I have learned over the last so many years is that we are always riding that wave - either in the beginning or the end or somewhere in between. It is life. It is our life. What we get to choose is how we respond and live through all those moments. 

In 2017 I hope to specifically investigate areas related to connecting with myself, connecting with others (especially family and community), connecting with work, and connecting with nature/outdoors (I feel a strong pull towards that this year). I also plan to focus on the idea of disconnecting in order to make sure I'm living in alignment with my highest values. 

If you'd like to hear me talk more about this topic, check out a new podcast I did earlier this week with Elise about our words from last year and this year. It's a very candid conversation about what's worked and not worked related to both choosing and living with our words. 

My wonderful little heart shown above is from Liz Lamoreux and is called a Whole Heart Pocket Talisman. It's a wonderful way to keep your word close throughout the year. 

SHARE YOUR WORD IN THE COMMENTS

I’d love to read what word you’ve chosen or are considering for 2017. In the comments feel free to simply leave your word as your comment or write a bit about why you are choosing this word. Next week I’ll combine all the words into a single post – it's become tradition and 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: 200720082009201020112012201320142015 and 2016.

JOIN ME IN MAKING OUR WORDS VISIBLE

To help keep your One Little Word® more visible throughout the year I offer a year-long workshop featuring one creative prompt per month. Read all the details and sign up here. Registration is $5 off until December 31, 2016. I've also created a selection of products to help you document your journey with your word - check those out here (stamps will be restocked later in January and we have a pre-order happening for an additional restock of the blue albums that will arrive in late March/early April). During the One Little Word® 2017 Kick-Off ordering period (between now and 1/31/17), items featured on the One Little Word® 2017 page are eligible for free shipping domestic and $5 international. If you add any other items from the shop to your cart, normal shipping rates will apply to those additional items.

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430 thoughts

  1. ljamar says…
    01/03/2017

    Light--I hope to Be the light, Share the light, Shoot the light, Light-en things up both figuratively and physically and so much more.

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. leighfree11 says…
    01/03/2017

    IMPERFECT -embracing that I, my loved ones, and life is not perfect and to accept the flaws and imperfections that find their way into my life and to work with them to create joy

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. cnic123 says…
    01/03/2017

    Breathe

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. alexandra_s_m_ says…
    01/03/2017

    "EN MARCHE"

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. jmcouraud says…
    01/03/2017

    accomplish

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. melissamarie says…
    01/03/2017

    grace

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Photogirli says…
    01/03/2017

    Simplify

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. Seaymerr says…
    01/03/2017

    EMBRACE. I love this project and can't wait to see where EMBRACING life will take me!

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. teisha123 says…
    01/03/2017

    After much consideration I am choosing Faith.

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. ElizabethH says…
    01/03/2017

    OLW 2017 -ENERGY

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. jwalker73 says…
    01/03/2017

    It's a family project! Here is a list of our words.
    Me= Connect
    My husband= Build
    My 19 year old autistic, college student son= Goals
    My 14 year old middle school daughter= Accept

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. LakeLady8186 says…
    01/03/2017

    Courage!

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. tinalareaux says…
    01/03/2017

    Rise

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. rhoffer12 says…
    01/03/2017

    Create

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. elisegrant1 says…
    01/03/2017

    Accept

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. Maeannmu says…
    01/04/2017

    Focus

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. kponte says…
    01/04/2017

    Find...find myself through this process and by opening more than my eyes to see

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. jdaloisio says…
    01/04/2017

    Full

    Reply 0 Replies
  19. christyj says…
    01/04/2017

    Nurture

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. biophilia says…
    01/04/2017

    Patient

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. AnnetteH says…
    01/04/2017

    My word is Free.

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. ldearmore says…
    01/04/2017

    Heal

    Reply 0 Replies
  23. tinka323 says…
    01/04/2017

    Engage is my word for 2017....I need to be more actively engaged in my life instead of just drifting along and not ever accomplishing the things I want and need to do.

    Reply 0 Replies
  24. Storyboard_c says…
    01/04/2017

    HAPPY!

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. vjm66 says…
    01/04/2017

    I have chosen SPACE as my word for this year. I need to make space in many areas.. mental space, physical space, let go of old beliefs to make space for new healthier ones, let go of negative things that no longer serve a purpose for me and make space for positives to enter my life, etc.. in order prepare to move forward. I considered the word STEP as in moving forward one step at a time, but decided I needed to work on some things before doing that. Perhaps the word step will be my word next year!

    Reply 0 Replies

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