an end + a beginning + my word

Ali,
I've been reading your blog for years, but I think this may be the first time I've posted a comment. I am so inspired by your focus on a word=intention for a year and by everyone else's as I read through the comments. I love the focus idea as opposed to a resolution. Resolutions are easy to break, but the work but the word+intention one can always come back to.
My word for the new year is QUALITY. To focus on being a quality person, a quality friend, a quality employee. To attempt(!) to perform my daily tasks in a consistently high quality manner... be it a work project, doing the dishes or my daily workout. To purchase one quality good instead of multiple inferior goods. To eat for quality instead of quantity. V. excited about this new word+intention.
Happy New Year!

I have been thinking about 2008 word for a few weeks and have decided to go with my gut and use DETAIL. Observe the details, clear the clutter (both in my mind and physically) and focus on details. As Oprah says - Love is in the details.

My word for this year is GRATITUDE. Really stopping to be thankful for this wonderful life I have. Letting go of things that don't add to my life and celebrating all the wonderful gifts that I have.

My word is BE. I want to BE happy, BE bold, and BElieve in myself. Lots of change for me in the new year, my job is being terminated and we are hoping to start a family.

My word is: RECOVERY.
I have so much I need to recover --
-- my health
-- my space
-- my mind (it's around here someplace...)
-- my sanity
and much more.
2008: RECOVERY is great!

Dear Ali,
Hope you feel better soon. Have a safe and Happy New Year. Yanina

wow, how inspiring to see all these comments and read all the words!
My word for this year is
integrate.... similiar to your word... I plan to concentrate on balancing it all out, advocating, doing and putting all my ideas into motion.
Thanks for doing this!Love getting my new year off to such an inspiring start!
Peace,
Kim

this year I'm all about GRATITUDE!!! Its the key to happiness right now for me. I have so much to be greatful about, big, small ...everyday!

Last year my word was balance. This year my word is SEEK - to continue seeking balance, to seek joy in the everyday, to seek new challenges, seek the positive...

My word for the year is TRUTH.

My word for this year came to me when I was reading your blog entry yesterday. You said you were thinking of your word for 2008 and it made me think about the word I chose last year(Open). And the word FRESH just "popped" in to my head, no thought...just there, so I'm going with it. After a heartbreaking divorce in May of this year, a fresh start is just what I need. I've bought myself a house, became a single parent, and have made adjustments to the fact that my ex-husband has already "moved on". I'm ready for a fresh start...I'm ready to move on too. Whatever God has planned for me in 2008...I'm ready.

I posted mine a few days ago but my words are "finish" and "escape". To escape stress and finish projects that I've started long ago like losing weight.
I have them posted on my wall.
I decided this year I really needed two words.
Happy New Year everyone
Julie

H Ali, great idea with the word. mine for last year was Scrap. This year the word i have chosen is - Complete
“In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us.”
in 2008 i would like to Complete - a project / housework once i start it, buliding our house, a scrapping album, the daily challenges on the scrap heap, change my dieting habits and lose weight.

I loved this idea from you from last year and found that concentrating on a single word really helped clarify in moments of chaos! Thanks for the guidance!
This year, my word/intention is "relax." It's kind of funny, because I'm starting a bunch of new projects (including a digi business pretty soon), but I don't want to forget to relax -- to do nothing at all, now and then. I have even dusted off an old favorite titled, "The Art of Doing Nothing." Should be helpful in getting me started (heh-heh).
Take care and have a Happy and Blessed New Year! Also, I can't wait to see where your focus for 2008 takes you..."vitality" is so full of possibilities!

My word is BEGIN. That is often the hardest step of any journey in my opinion.
Happy 2008. Let it begin...

Wishing you and your family an amazing New Year full of health, love, happiness and creativity.

My word is CHOICES.
No matter what may happen this year, I always have CHOICES.

Happy New Year Ali and family! My word for this year: Courage- the ability to do what frightens one; the strength to face the pain or grief. My greatest fear is to not do what is in my heart in fear that I may be rejected or ignored. This coming year I want to do just the opposite- follow my heart and be brave to actually do it. I know in the end it'll be worth it.

Ali, I want to take this chance to thank you for the amazing inspiration you have been to me over the last two years. Just visiting your blog everyday gives me something to think about, take action on, dream about. I love your one word challenge and I have again taken it to heart and plan to use it as a guiding force for my life in 2008. I chose Balance for my word...you can read more about it at http://artistreborne.typepad.com/artist_reborne/2007/12/1098765.html Looking forward to more from you in the coming year. Oh, PS., I just bought your "new" book and I have to say LOVE IT!! So much to think about, so much inspiration.

Happy New Year Ali. Briefly read some responses & am amazed at powerful words are being chosen.
This year, I choose 'intimacy'. As my pastor elaborated yesterday. . .we long for love, long for intimacy & that resonated with me. I would like to explore intimacy with my God, my loved ones--with my creativity.

Hi Ali
Happy New Year to you and your family! For 2007 I chose "simplify" - a popular word for many this year!! I'm not sure how successful I was in living up to my word last year, so will continue with that again in 2008, but add "gratitude" as well - really trying to incorporate both words into our everyday lives -not just mine, but also my husband's and my three teenaged children - a challenge yes, but we'll see how we go!!

My word for 2008 is TRANSFORMATION. I think it's time for me to focus on my life with a different perspective. One that may even be uncomfortable for me at times...
Here's to 2008!

My word is definitely play. I've got two girls (ages 8 and 8 mths) and play is #98 on my list of 100 priorities in a day. I should be playing with them, for them, to show them that you can be 27 years old and still have fun, and mostly for *me.* If I would play, I'd actually scrapbook instead of just "window shopping" others' (yours! LOL) and buying tons of amazing things that I never use. Play, play, play. Gotta get that through my head and in my life. Thank you for the idea!

These comments are all so inspiring, as is your blog Ali.
My word for this year is AHEAD. I am always saying that I am "so far behind", so this year is all about being ahead. Thinking ahead, planning ahead, and trying to be anything but behind! As a chronic procrastinator, I think this one little word might prove to be very useful this year.
Happy New Year to you and your beautiful family xxx
Cheers
Suzitee

I decided to choose the word JOURNEY for 2008 as I begin my journey towards wls, towards a healthier me; and towards fulfilling many goals for the future.
Thank you for being such an inspiration!
http://scrapmecca.blogspot.com/2008/01/one-little-word.html