My 2011 necklace from the lovely Lisa Leonard. Get one for yourself here.
My word for 2011 is light.
This year my word sure seemed to choose me.
Most years I start thinking about my word for the following year in November or December. I think about it in passing and start listening, looking, and being open to the possibilities of a new word.
This year the word light seemed to be trying to catch my attention.
I found it in books, in magazines, in music, in conversations and in quiet moments.
So I’m going with it. It’s already surprised, delighted, challenged and sparked some new things within me.
Some years I’ve had to look harder or listen longer or simply choose one that fit with what was on my mind and heart at that moment. 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.
I’d love to read what word you’ve chosen or are considering for 2011. 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 of days I’ll post a compilation of the words as an inspirational reminder to us all.
If you’re new to the concept of One Little Word, you can read some of my previous posts here: 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.
NEW FOR 2011 : ONE LITTLE WORD at BIG PICTURE CLASSES
I’m excited to be offering a brand new One Little Word online workshop through Big Picture Classes in 2011 as a way to connect with and honor our words throughout the year.
Each month you’ll receive a prompt with a simple creative project and a gentle reminder to check back in with your word. By the end of the year you’ll have compiled the contents of an 8.5×11 album that documents, defines, celebrates and generally makes your word more visible. Workshop materials include printable elements, full-color PDF handouts, and video presentations.
People have been asking me if you have to be a scrapbooker for this class. My answer is no. Even though we are making an album it’s really more of a journaling/record keeping/thinking/exploring project. I’m excited to see how people interpret the prompts and make them meaningful for their own lives.
This is not complicated and it’s not time-consuming. It’s simply a way we can come together to share our experience with our words throughout the course of the year.
The One Little Word classroom opens on January 1, 2011.
![Two Peas](http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10513/24901/21775/26723/image.jpg"width="120"height="240"style="border:0px;"alt=)
my word for this year is enjoy. I really want to take more time to enjoy little things in life.
This is my first time choosing a word – I’ve chosen FOCUS as my word for this year. I have felt a bit adrift, and perhaps pulled in too many directions. So FOCUS on what is important is going to be my guideword.
My word is health – health for my body by stopping bad habits like eating the wrong things and starting new habits like moving more, health in my relationships by tending to them more, health in my attitudes because I sometimes think I sabotage myself with my attitudes and that brings the whole house down. Yes, my word for 2011 is health.
My word is DOWNSIZE. Just when I thought a word wasn’t going to come to me, I was replacing my Lowell Herrero “Cows, Cows, Cows” calendar in my kitchen for the new 2011 one, and I saw a message that Herrero wrote in the back of the calendar. He asked, “Do words ever get stuck in your head?” He went on to explain that about 4 years ago, the word “downsize” got stuck in his head, and in his wife’s head, too. They wanted to simplify their life, and they started making changes to do so. I retired on October 1,2010, and since then, decluttering and simplifying has been my goal. This word is perfect for me in 2011. Downsize.
My word is Balance. The goal is to find balance between work, home, photography, scrapbooking, learning Photoshop, exploring new recipes and friends!
COMPETENT
LOVING…loving every minute, finding “loving” moments, recognizing “loving” when it is almost overlooked, and loving me too.
my word for 2011 is PEACE.
i’m looking forward to finding peace in all aspects in my life and hoping to will carry over for years to come.
also excited for class to get started!
i can’t wait to see what comes of it in 2011.
My word for the year is “connection” – I can’t wait to see just how it happens!
My word for 2011 is TRANSFORM. I’m planning lots of positive changes this year. (I’ve written about them at http://bit.ly/hRlQgQ.) Last year my word was GENTLE. It was a rough year and I found it so helpful. Thank you!
My little word für 2011 is *time*, or Zeit as we say here in Germany.
My word is one in portuguese and two in English (I’m not sure):
conviver = live together.
How about it?
My word for 2011 is “celebrate”. I will rejoice in life, I will honor each moment and not allow them to slip by, and I will participate in it. 2011 will be a year filled with celebration.
You can find my jouhttp://angiebeth.blogspot.com/2011/01/one-little-word-2011.htmlrnal page celebrating my word at:
My word for 2011 is “celebrate”. I will rejoice in life, I will honor each moment and not allow them to slip by, and I will participate in it. 2011 will be a year filled with celebration.
You can find my journal page celebrating my word at http://angiebeth.blogspot.com/2011/01/one-little-word-2011.
my word is…chance. take a chance on new things, experiences. chance to get things done, projects, goals. chance!!
Responsible– geared towards our whole family (yes, my husband has bought into the idea)
To be responsible for our messes, our choices, our actions/ reactions, and most importantly, our mindset.
Beloved. More at my post.
My word is LOVE. To love myself & my quirks; to treat friends, family and strangers with love and compassion; to love my life and be surrounded by love.
love (verb) 1. to feel love for. 2. to like greatly, to take pleasure in having or doing something.
Its taken me a while to settle on a word – there have been several that have been nearly right, but not quite.
I think I have finally found it …
My word is Invigorate
Thank you for the inspiration
One word: INSPIRATION: to find inspiration in others and to search for it within one’s own self. To encourage others to see and find inspiration in others no matter who they are on this Earth.
I’ve been thinking about my goals for 2011 for a few weeks now and trying to come up with a word that encompasses my feeling for the year ahead. I have so much I want to do this year, so many things I want to change and create. 2011 is the year I will turn 40 and my ultimate goal for the year is to look like a fitness/bikini model, it’s not impossible as I am already in good shape and a personal trainer, age is just a number. I am however the queen of procrastination, and have so many things I WANT to do, but haven’t gotten around to due to getting sidetracked (Adult attention deficit disorder) and just plain procrastination.
My word was almost simplify for this year but I have more I want to achieve than that, then I had the a-ha moment – my word for 2011 is going to be achieve! Each month I am going to do 3 things:
1 – habit – create or break a habit, using my water pik for january
2 – learn – something new, yoga instructor workshop is my goal for January
3 – project – one “project” a month, January will be cleaning and reorganizing my office.
REALIZE
1. To comprehend completely or correctly.
2. To bring into reality; make real.
I was thinking of Dream or Believe, but I wanted something that requires action, not living in my head, and this came to me. I want to make a reality of my dreams. I want to show through my actions what I believe in.
I’m so happy I found this site! What a great way to start 2011!
Mine is Commitment. Sticking by what I say I’m going to do – more to prioritize myself in my life and finally doing what I planned on doing (like spend more time creating).
My word for 2011 is HAPPY. I want to be happy with myself, my surroundings, my photography etc. I am going to strive to not let the little aggravations of life bring me down. Hopefully, a happy attitude will rub off on those around me, too.
My word for 2011 is mindful. There are a few reasons why I chose it, and I wrote about it in a post this morning. You are welcome to read more about it here: http://greenbirdofhappiness.blogspot.com/2011/01/hello-2011-and-my-word-for-year.html
Thank you for sharing the idea of one little word, each year. It’s something I’ve really enjoyed reading about and I’m excited to officially kick the year off with a word of my own this year!
I can’t seem to choose just one word. Maybe it’s because I’m in my 50s now, but I feel like there are multiple things I need to work on in order to be the person I want to be.
So my list includes confidence, vitality, decisiveness, and (probably the most important on the list) follow through!
My word is simple ~ as in simplify your life. The original plan was simple – the plan begins at birth – we breath in and out. No one tells us to breath, we do not have to purchase something, we do not have to collect anything, and we simply breathe. 2011 my word is simple ~
My OLW for 2011 is going to be BALANCE. I seem to be all one way or the other in almost every aspect of my life and I hope to find the balance I need to bring peace.
The word I choose is APPRECIATE. I want to appreciate my family more, because I am so blessed to have a wonderful one. Appreciate and the wonderful things around me and just appreciate life in general. Because each and everyday there is something I should appreciate and just did not think of it. This year appreciate will be posted somewhere so I never forget to do it!
Appreciate is such a lovely word. Something that we could all do well to remember – good luck!
My word for 2011 is BRAVE
I had BREAKAWAY in my head for the last month or so as suggested by my husband (I need to recognise the need to breakaway from the stress of life sometimes) until I saw RELEASE here on the list. Suddenly, it’s clear to me that RELEASE is perfect on so many levels (and also encompasses some of the original breakaway idea). This will be the 5th year I’ve done OLW – some years more successfully than others – and I am looking forward to the development of my new word.
my one little word for 2011 is achieve
My word is “care.” After a long series of stressful and heartbreaking events, I pulled into myself and stopped caring about the world around me. At first I thought my word would be “give,” but I’m not sure I’m ready for that. I think I need to be brave enough to let myself care first.
de-stress.
http://thisbusygirl.blogspot.com/2011/01/happy-new-year.html
i chose reduce.
Balance, and boy do I need it!
Hi Ali!
I´m doing this for the third year and I´m amazed how well it seems to fit every time.
This year I´ve been choosing between two words – fresh or balance – but I finally deciced to stick with fresh. I like the sound and feeling of it.
I really need a fresh start this year. Last year was such a rollercoaster in some ways so I´m happy to leave it behind me.
So yes fresh for me meaning new beginnings, healthier living and fresh looks …..
Happy 2011 Ali!
my word for 2011 is “sacrament”-taking the common and making it into the extraordinary as an act of worship. My life is so full of regular days, regular tasks-and to think of them as extraordinary will surely change my perspective! I cannot take full credit for it-it came to me through the radio station K-Love.
I think my word for this year will have to be NOW!
As in, living in the moment, not trying to anticipate the future all the time. As I am a planner and worrier by nature, this should be a good word to help me focus on each day as it comes.
I went with a phrase for 2011 – let go. Let go of the past, let go of planning every moment, let go of things both mentally and physically. It’s so freeing just to say it out loud
My word this year is “TRY”. I’ve found myself holding back a lot lately, but now I really want to jump into new experiences with both feet. No more holding back.
so excited about this this year!and i have been thinking about this for a few weeks. my word for 2011 is BALANCE!! very excited about this and looking forward to implementing it in my life. as many others i feel it chose me, and i really would like to find balance in all areas of my life on a continuous basis! thanks fro guiding me on this amazing journey Ali!
I have finally chosen my One Little Word for 2011!! I have been thinking about it for a week and nothing I thought of was doing it for me. I considered simplify, commit, joy and utilize among others. This morning I as I was journaling what I had eaten for breakfast,(I am on Weight Watchers) my word found me. My word is REDUCE. It is perfect for me. There are so many things that I want to reduce in my life! Debt, weight, stress, clutter, scrapbook supplies those are the ones that I am currently thinking of. So for 2011 I will REDUCE!!!
nurture.
it’s something that i feel that i don’t do enough of in general, so this year i will be working on ways to incorporate more nurturing for myself, my husband, and my surroundings. . . i believe good things will come of it.
My one little word for 2011 is “harmony”. I am seeking balance in my life – family, work, friends. play…and will work towards creating harmony between. Harmony with our environment is vital also, as our world changes way too quickly, and we consume so much.
Connect is my word for 2011. I want to connect more with myself, my family, my friends, my commnunity, my environment, etc.
This word has been at the top of my list for the lst couple of weeks and I just can’t seem to fine a better one that suits where I am and where I need to be.
my word is….SIMPLE
keeping everything simple.
remembering to enjoy the simple things in life.
understanding that simple is good.
learning to live simple.
embracing all that is simple.
My word this year is STRENGTH. I need to be more dedicated with my weight loss plan and be happier with who I am instead of who I want to be or think I should be.
My word for 2011 is “BE”. I want to be happy, be creative, be productive, be me. Be is a strong word and I “believe” that is the word I will concentrate on for 2011.
After reading thru the comments on words chosen and writing some down on paper the word that keeps coming back to me is focus. To focus on one day,one hour,one minute, one second of each day. I have a tendency to look at the whole big picture of things and become overwhelmed and discouraged. Feeling like I drift in and out of each day and accomplish nothing. I feel being focused will bring about some wonderful changes in my life.