One Little Word 2013
One Little Word necklace from Lisa Leonard.
My word for 2013 is open.
Last year I had a great story about how my word came to me. This year it was more of a whisper and to be honest I'm not really sure what it means for me right now, or what it will end up meaning for me 12-months from now. And I'm okay with that.
Open is an attitude and an approach. It's a reminder to live wholeheartedly, to enter the ring, to live the length and the width. It's how I want to tackle this year.
I love that open is an action & a re-action. I can act with an open heart; I can re-act with an open heart.
I want to be open to it all - the amazing and the challenging. Wide open.
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.
I'd love to read what word you've chosen or are considering for 2013. 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 and 2012.
One Little Word necklace from Liz Lamoreux. Use ONELITTLEWORD and receive 15% off through Jan 31.
ONE LITTLE WORD WORKSHOP
Registration is open for 2013 and you're invited to join the journey.
Each month you'll receive a prompt with a simple creative, writing, or photography 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 8.5x11 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, 2013.
My word is Create. For years I have not been very creative, buried under responsibilities and obligations. This year I want to devote time to creating, in both a creative sense and also in a more holistic sense. I want to create a happy home, contented children, and my own products.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
The last half of this year has been difficult. There have been many changes. I don't like change. But change can be a good thing.......or so I'm told. My word chose me, COURAGE.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My word for 2013 will be COURAGE. My husband has had small cell carcinoma for 9 months now and although it isn't curable, we pray for another 9 months and want to face the future with courage. This year was "gratitude" and we were grateful for each day. The word meant a lot to me although I didn't get all the homework finished.
((HUG)) and peace to you and your family Verona. Praying for you!!
Praying for you and your family. Courage was the first word I had thought of for 2013. I ended up with stregth... from the verse in Psalm 31:24. I can already tell that these words will interlock throughout the year. I pray that God will strengthen you with hope and courage.
Praying for your husband and you.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I have been thinking and mulling over this "one word" concept for quite some time. To be honest, I signed up a couple years ago and didn't follow through. :( I have really been examing things in all aspects of my life lately and really trying to pay attention on what I really need to focus on. I go back and forth about a million times and part of my problem is that I tend to think to much and over analyze things and it just adds to my stress level. I think I've come to the conclusion that my word is going to be "LESS". I am starting to really realize that having LESS is really going to mean having MORE. I know that by doing all sorts of things LESS will really mean having more fullfillment and joy to my life. For instance, having all this stuff around me (whether it's excessive scrapbook supplies, magazines, paperwork, random stuff from trips to Target, etc.) it's really going to make room in my life for MORE - more joy and LESS stress, more feeling in control and LESS anxiety. Also, eating LESS junk when I'm stressed out will in turn mean MORE muscle and hopefully MORE weight loss. I really like the idea of focusing on the word LESS versus the word MORE. MORE seems so greedy and I just want some peace in my life and in my heart and the word LESS seems to be speaking to that. Thanks Ali! :)
I chose LESS too! While I chose it for the same reasons you gave, I think you totally worded it better than I did! =D
Less is my word too! And it came to me in the context of Less is More too. I really like how you put it. Here's to Less that will reward us with more in 2013!
We have the same word....and we both wrote a lot in our comment...it looks like we do need to work on LESS :)
Sign in or sign up to comment.
OLW 2013: Enduring
Sign in or sign up to comment.
i love this. open was my OLW a couple years ago, after a couple years that were personally challenging. it brought me to a really good place. xoxo.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My word for 2013 is prosper. Looking forward to exploring this word!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My word this year is going to be DO. I have had so many good words in my head but feel this fits me the best. I often plan out my life but do not act on any of those plans. I want to follow through this year with action. I thought DO was to simply but then realized that I was over thinking it :)
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My word for 2013 is Together. I want to focus on time with my husband, my son and my mom "together time". Then I figured that I could also do this year and last years words "together". Last year was an epic fail OLW-wise, which is kinda funny since 2012's word was Finish. Now I can Finish them Together. lol Kinda perfect :)
Sign in or sign up to comment.
This year my word has come to me over the last few months in songs that I seem to listen to over and over. My word this year is SHINE!
Hi Fleur --- my first year of doing OLW officially --- and I have also chosen SHINE!!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I tried on several words and then while not thinking about it my word came to me. It is BALANCE....and it is exactly right for me this year. I am finally healthy enough to find that I need balance between doing too much and just relaxing and letting go. It will be great to find balance and to be aware of balance in the New Year.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My word will be MOVE
I need to MOVE more, MOVE forward, MOVE up, etc...
Very excited to see where it leads me!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Hi Ali! My word is MOVE. I really need to literally move more...walk, stretch, etc. I have a hard time motivating myself to exercise and take care of my aging body. I am not overweight, but arthritis makes it necessary for me to get serious about moving more. I just signed up for your class at BPC to start the year off well. Can't wait!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
2011= Sparkle
2012= Create
2013= Light
This year I have selected Light as my OLW.
How you feel when a burden is lifted: light. Light-hearted, let your heart be light.
To be lighter physically, light as a feather.
Seeing the light at the end of a tunnel, looking beyond the hard times to how wonderful life will be when the battle is fought and freedom is won; to foresee an end to one's problems after a long period of time. To shine a light in the darkness, let there be light, and the sun will come up tomorrow. It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.
Lighten up.
A light bulb represents a good idea. To see the light is to understand something clearly at last. To see the light (of day) means that if something, especially an idea or a plan, sees the light of day, it starts to exist.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
This is my first attempt at OLW and I'm really excited about getting involved. I had a list of 8 words and kept running them through my mind and the one that lingered longest was 'Focus'. I need to focus on so many things this year, from finding and trusting my own ability to be happy, to seeking a promotion at work so focus will cover a gamut of aspects for me at this point. Can't wait to start!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
[...] picking my one little word for 2013. I started out with focus, because FFS I have a dozen half-started/not finished little [...]
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Crabby
Hey Barbara, I would LOVE to hear the story behind that choice!!,
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My word is FLOURISH, which I came to by route of the word "focus". My path to flourishing will require some deep pruning and a fair measure of soulful nourishment. This is my first time jumping into this with such intention, and I'm looking forward to the gentle guidance and inspiration to help create and document this journey.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My word for 2013 is CHOOSE. It feels like an extension of my 2012 word DO, and sits well with my need stop treading water, and start deciding to live.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
i'm working on a word still. my word for 2012 was "shine" and through all the hardships throughout the year, I seemed to have lost the shine along the way. A couple of words that are in my mind are "soar" or "relinquish". But neither are certain at this point.
I like that word. :) It's a fun way to look at life {I wish I had a more adventerous outlook on life!}
Well, after much consideration, neither one of those words made the cut. My word this year is "Adventure".
Sign in or sign up to comment.
the word grace has been floating around for a couple of years and I think this may be the year to embrace grace - to others when they don't meet my expectations and for myself as I am moving into the empty nest part of life. But after reading other's words, choose is resonating also - choosing the embrace the changes that I can avoid and maybe make some that need to be made.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
[en]JOY
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My word for 2013 is FOCUS. I want to focus on creating. I want to focus on my life story. I want to focus on the treasures in my life. I joined the class today and I'm looking forward to the inspiration I have read about from previous participants.
Came across this quote (not sure of the author) but I'm absolutely positive it will inspire me on my one little word journey of FOCUS...
"Life is like a camera, just focus on what's important and capture the good times, develop from the negatives and if things don't work out, take another shot."
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My word is GRACE. ...I love that word and what it means. Being able to accept it, and live it, and strive for it in every and all situations. Sometimes it means being still and letting go and sometimes it means keeping my chin up and accepting situations that I have no control over. ...ahh I am looking forward to exploring this word and applying it to my life! Thank you Ali!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My word is actually two: let go. I hold on to too much hurt, real & imagined. I put limitations on myself & create extraordinary expectations. I can be harsh but take even the slightest criticism to heart. It's time to let go...move on...my billionth first step in becoming a better person.
The first year I did OLW ... I actually had two words, as well. I think there is a poweful conitation to the thought, "let go". Even more so than release. I ended up calling my first word, "My One Little Phrase." :) And it served me well. Best wishes for 2013!
Kirsten, if you want one word to reflect let go maybe you could consider release? That sprang to my mind when I read your comment :)
Sign in or sign up to comment.