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.
oh! if only i’d known of your existence prior to this very minute, now much i would have loved to register for your workshop! it sounds like just the way to celebrate this entire year.
since i can’t be a part of it, though- here is my word: abundance.
so glad to have found this space.
Hi Kitchu – just so you know you can register for the class anytime throughout the year
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I wasn’t planning on choosing one word for the year but with my resolution this one makes sense and it’s been in my head for the past few days: Finish
My resolution is to be a finisher – finish the laundry instead of leaving it sitting folded in the basket, finish cleaning the kitchen instead of leaving the counter unwiped, finish that scrapbook project, finish that quilt, etc.
I hope to put the word “Finish” in a few different places as a reminder for me.
Rejoice is my word for 2011.
My word for this year are Vitality, and i hope be with it.
My one little word for 2011 is “story”. For me this word can take on many forms, from listening the stories of others, documenting the stories of my family to writing my own story for my life. I am excited about this little word and am looking forward to how it will take shape in my life and the types of stories that will be uncovered.
As I think about the things I want to do in 2011 – the word that came to me is FUN. if this is a word I focus on all year, it looks like we will certainly be enjoying this year to come!
Hi Ali, I have a question. I live in South Korea, is the One Word workshop still available for overseas ‘one little worders’ or is it not suitable? Thanks for the great idea, it makes me so expectant for this year!
Sure! It’s open to anyone
I think I’m actually going to get into this in the new year! I looked for my word but actually, I think I need to seek this out for myself this year. Last year was soooo crazy. I felt that I was always stressed out and running around. So, my word this year is CALM. I need to seek out CALM for my soul, my family, and even in my hectic schedule. I need to remain calm in times of stress and disorder. If I can find some CALM this year, I think I will be a much happier person.
My word is {cultivate}. My plans for 2011 include: Cultivating a garden in my oh-so-small yard (with the dream of having a farm one day). Cultivating my relationships with my husband, family and friends. Cultivating my own sewing and knitting projects and having a more “hand-made” life.
RESTORE-so much in my life needs to be re-energized. I am very blessed…just need a little jolt to get me through the net 45 years.
hey ali, just curious. will you be making a One Little Word blinkie that we could possibly post on our blogs to show our participation?
i know you are busy busy… last thing on your list most likely.
just wondering.
and my word this, my first year, is BELIEVE. as in – i totally believe in this. i CAN’T BELIEVE this… need to believe in myself a bit more, so glad my hubby believes in me, etc. feel like that word can be woven into the big and the small things in life. excited to see where it takes me.
thanks!
It’s great to be joining in on this conversation! My OWL is serendipity – I love the idea of being more open to the the world around me and receptive to all it has to offer.
CREATE…this word chose me several months ago. More time to create things with my hands is my starting point. I look forward to seeing how it manifests itself in my life.
My one little word for 2010 was “dwell” – we hjad just moved into our new home, in a new town, in a new state… I needed to stop and enjoy it all.
My one little work for 2011 is “grow” — grow as a wife, grow from a family of 2 to a family of 3, grow in my walk with Christ… I’ve been hearing that still small voice in my heart, letting me know change is happening and that I need to be ready for life to stretch me. I’m ready for some growing pains to grow as a person
WRITE – is my One Little Word for 2011. Write Life….I feel as though I don’t write enough, and this word was on my mind around mid 2010 to now. So what better time than any to Write Life, write the everyday, write the good, the not so good and everything in between. I’m so excited to partake in the One Little Word journey this year!
Moment. I’ve chosen this word in the past, and i don’t think I’ve settled all about it I need to. I like that it has other words in it…mom, men, etc.
Thanks for the great inspiration.
My word is INVEST. I need to invest in myself more in 2011. And I need to take more care of my finances, so the word INVEST seemed most appropriate.
Enjoying the OLW Big Picture Class so far, and I blogged about my word here: http://scrapsanctuary.typepad.com/scrap_sanctuary/2011/01/my-one-little-word-for-2011.html
Thanks for your ongoing inspiration Ali, and a Happy 2011 to you and your family. May you enjoy a year filled with Light!
my word is ‘complete’
i want to focus on truly completing things, being complete, finishing done moving on. not letting things hang over, lines thru the lists. a true feeling of accomplishment.
My word this year will be Nurture. It chose me, but it also encompasses what I want to do with the year.
sliding mine in at the last moment!!
GO
the inspiration came from this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d1QFbQWAJY
My OLW is: evolve.
I have chosen two words for 2011:
Frugal & Fun.
Not necessarily together, but they are two strong themes in my goals right now. The last couple years have been very hard and very serious, I’ve learned my share of lessons and it’s time to give back to myself with some FUN and the frugal part is building up my savings and enjoying a more simple life with less stuff and more moola in the piggy bank.
Less is more!
stretch
Allow…My only child is graduating from HS this year. I need to allow her to grow up, allow her to follow her own path and make her own mistakes. I need to allow myself the feelings of frustration, happiness, sadness and confusion that being an empty-nester will surely bring. Allow myself to see the possibilites that this change will bring into my life..new lifestyle, career opportunities, etc. Allow myself to let the changes happen and embrace the imperfection that change brings as I adjust.
Love word and sentiments Linda
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my word is open. open heart. open mind. open eyes. open arms.
Well, I started writing my One Little Word blog post yesterday, thinking that ‘be’ would be my word for the year, for the reasons that I previously mentioned. But as I wrote, I realized that this year would be one of me concentrating on being free from fear and setting myself free from other things that have ensnared me. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that my word should be ‘free.’
My word is Perceive. I had a rough 2010 at work, and perceptions and the realities that go with them became things I need to focus on everyday, and every minute. I hope to not only change how I act/react but also to change the way others act/react around me.
joy. like so many others, this means so many things to me: finding joy in everything, choosing joy no matter what the situation. also, there was a chorus we used to sing in sunday school that i’ve been remembering and striving to live by: “J”esus first, “y”ourself last, and “o”thers in between. hopefully by focusing on this as my olw, i will have renewed focus!
My word will be CHOOSE.
More explanation here: http://tinyurl.com/2eovg9f
See you in class!
Thanks, Ali for your advice last night! : )
xoxo.
I have chosen the word “be” for 2011 as in – be strong, be confident, be forgiving, be aware, be creative, be a friend and of course “be yourself”. I am really excited about my word and have created a little print about it that I have printed, will frame and hang in my creative space. I am excited to see where I will be at the end of 2011.
My word for the year is definitely “fearless.” I will no longer let fear make my choices for me.
PACE… a rate of activity, progress, growth, performance, etc.; tempo; a single step; to take slow, regular steps.
This came to me in the middle of the night. I enjoy running – so this is perfect for me as an athlete – but I can also use it in so many other ways such as breaking free of my comfort zone, accomplishing tasks I need/want to achieve this year…
I’ve never done OLW, but when I heard about it, I immediately thought it was a wonderful and beautiful idea!! My word came to me quickly – BELIEVE. I want to believe in myself, in my creative talent, in my dreams, in God’s promises for me, in my abilities to reach my goals, in my children (especially my special needs daughter)…I just want to believe more, doubt less, fear less, be intimidated less, put myself out there more!
Funny thing – when I asked my husband if he could pick one word for this year, he said, “Ordinary.” I totally understood – after the last year starting with my daughter’s second unsuccessful palate repair surgery, then my debilitating endometriosis, followed by a total hysterectomy in March, with a long recovery, then drama with so-called friends over the summer, then more medical problems over the past several months, and ending the year with both a major change in his job assignment and a huge but totally unexpected blessing – a newborn boy who we’re taking legal guardianship of – I can see why he would want this year to be more “ordinary.”
Thanks for being YOU, Ali. You are amazing.
My 2011 word is FUNDAMENTAL.
• affecting or relating to the essential nature of something
to me, it says to look inward, work on the core of the matters, whether they be family, goals, aspirations…
My word is Discipline. I’m struggling because this seems like such a nasty, harsh word. I really didn’t want this to be my word. So harsh and so strict. Doesn’t even feel good to slide off the lips. I tried, Focus, Intent, Transform. But in the end, I came back to Discipline, because this is what I need most in my life in order to achieve the Focus, Intent and Transformation of a few things I’ve let slide. I’ve also got a 3 year old and a 1 year old so Discipline comes in handy on a regular basis. I’m going to take the stigma away from Discipline and make it a positive in 2011!
Hi Ali! My little word is trust. I know this year that I need to put my trust in God, in my husband, and especially myself. I’m really ready to let go of my agenda for life and trust that God is going to put me on the right path.
my word for 2011 is connect. connect with myself, my family, my friends, and my spirituality. (my first thought was to have spirit be my word, but I connect feels like it includes that for me. This past year turned out to to include a lot of disconnect and I want to work on and change that.)
This is my first time participating in One Little Word, and I’m SO excited!
My word is:
BE.
This word opens me up to so many other possibilities of things for me to accomplish or think about this year. I’m so happy with my choice!
It took me a while, but I finally chose TRANQUIL. I seem to be wasting too much time getting agitated over little things, plus I want to take up yoga or something similar that will calm my mind. I am sure my family will benefit from this too!
Its been lovely reading all the words, very inspiring. Looking forward to your class Ali!
Clarity.
You can’t make choices if you can’t see clearly what those choices are.
My word for 2011 is HEAL. The short version is that 2010 did quite a number on me. I’m honestly glad that the year is OVER. There was a lot of heartache, a lot of loss, a lot of struggling. I am hopeful that I am coming out of all of it a stronger person- but I want to spend this year recovering, making myself stronger, healthier, happier. (The longer version is on my blog…)
My word is evanescence, because time passes fast and I want to remember that.
Alexis
Joy….I need to “count it all joy” a whole lot more….
I usually make a laundry list of resolutions, and fail to complete any of them. This year I decided to focus on “balance”. Balance between family, self and work. I am always trying to make sure that everything gets the attention that it needs, and many times something falls short and I am overwhelmed with guilt. This year I am going to try to get past that.
Cherish.
AUTHENTIC… I absolutely believe in this tradition. I abandoned the whole New Year’s resolution thing for this and it has worked wonders in my life. My past year’s words have been: 2008 – COURAGE, 2009 – JOY and 2010 – EASE.
I, too, wear my word on a lisa leonard necklace. It keeps me grounded.
So, I’m all about letting my true self shine through each and every day regardless of the worry about what people will think of me. Sooooo freeing!!!
I must admit I didn’t get it -the concept. there were too many things I know I need to do. But Then I started to read the comments and how
other people approach this and found my word. SPACE. It gives me
flexibility through the year while still grounded. I need to create space – physical, mental, for my children, family, myself. This works for me. I won’t get it all done but maybe just looking for bits of space here and there will help me put everything else in perspective.
my word is INVOLVED. to be more involved in everything….the daily lives of my kids…..my community….my personal well being. i’m going to be involved in all of it!
Happy New Year Ali = My olw for 2011 is Connect…with friends, with projects, with contacts and with n.o.w. I’ve always mulled words around, but was never able to decide. This year, I’m showing up ! Peace
My word is VICTORY. Victory over strongholds in my life, victory in my endeavors as a godly wife and mother. Victory in my salvation. Victory in Jesus.