One Little Word 2009 & Giveaways
I am so excited to embark on a new word for 2009.
My word is nurture.
For me, especially with a new baby on the way within the next month or so, I have been thinking a lot about nurturing. It's such a soft, slow, gentle word.
There are many things in my life I would like to focus on nurturing this coming year. Our new baby girl. Simon and the transition to big brotherhood. My relationship with Chris. Photography. Patience. My business & this blog.
I am also going to be conscious of nurturing myself during this time of major transition in our lives.
There is something very special about this word for me. It represents slowing down, simplifying, and pinpointing what is really important to me in my life (not just the next 365 days). I am nervous and excited and so looking forward to what is to come.
The idea behind the one little word concept is to give yourself something to focus on throughout the year. As I stated in my newsletter back in January 2007, "A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow."
Also from that same newsletter:
Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want
for yourself in 2009?
It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a
thought or a feeling or an emotion. It can be singular or
plural. The key is to find something that has personal
meaning for you. This is not your mother's word or your
spouse's word or your child's word - this is YOUR
word.
One little word can have big meaning in your life if you allow
yourself to be open to the possibilities. And here's one thing
that is totally interesting: sometimes a word will pop into
your brain and it will not make any sense to you right now.
Give it some time. Let it percolate a bit. I have often
found that our hearts speak to us in very unique ways.
Maybe this is a word you need to hear but just aren't ready
for it yet. Again, be open to the possibilities.
I can't wait to see all the words for 2009.
To celebrate the new year I have three very special giveaways - all directly related to this project. Two beautiful pieces of jewelry and one piece of art to celebrate your word.
Lisa Leonard Designs
Giveaway: One custom Word of the Year Necklace
Special for AE readers: 20% off Word of the Year necklaces with the code "myword" at checkout
Meet Lisa | Shop Lisa
Liz Lamoreux Soul Mantra Pendants
Giveaway : One custom Soul Mantra Pendant any size or design
Special for AE readers : 20% off Soul Mantra necklaces throughout January. Enter code "one word 2009" in the notes to seller and the discount will be refunded to you through Paypal.
Meet Liz | Shop Liz
Stephanie from Homegrown Hospitality
Giveaway: One 4x6 black or white frame with hand drawn doodle in color pallet of your choice. The doodle can include "The Word" or "A Name" and a favorite quote, verse or scripture.
Special for AE readers: Stephanie is donating $5 from the sale of each doodle to Autism Speaks.
Meet & Shop Stephanie
To be entered into the drawing today please leave a comment with your word for 2009. It's totally fine if you are still thinking about it - if that's the case just leave a comment with some of your intentions for this new year. Comments will be closed on Thursday, January 1st at noon Pacific with the winners posted shortly after.
A safe and Happy New Year to each and every one of you.
My word too is EMBRACE. I want to EMBRACE my creative side, EMBRACE my family and friends more, and finally EMBRACE me by living a healthier life.
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My word this year is faith.
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My word for awhile has been:
BE....
I have the word hanging on my rear view mirror in the car and Im reminded of what I can BE, How I can BE and What it can BE each and every day....I love that our children mention the word during some of our 'moments.' Thank you for giving us all a platform for sharing!
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My word for 2009 is SURPRISE. Taken from the books "Surprise Me" and "Be The Surprise" by Terry Esau. They are both about exercises in faith. I need to be open to the surprises in life.
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Overcome.
I have so much I would like to overcome in 2009... 4 years worth of obstacles, this year I'm overcoming and gaining my life and family back.
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I haven't decided completely on my word but, I have a short list.
Patience
Adapt
Attitude
Peace
Virtue
Vitality
and I'm also liking your word Nuture
All of these in a sense of changing my attitude this year and being more at Peace with what I can't change. Going with the flow more. Maybe my word will be Serenity.
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Contentment is my word for the year. O want to focus on being content with my life... the things I have, the place I am in my life, the me that I am.
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I think my word for 2009 is going to be CHOOSE. I choose to be more patient with my children, my family and myself. I choose to be a positive influence on those around me. Choose to lift up my husband. Choose to be a valuable and important employee in these uncertain economic times. Choose to make God bigger and myself smaller. Choose to serve others more. Choose joy in everyday things. Choose to listen more and talk less. Choose to revel in this life!!
Happy New Year!
Keri
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My word for 2009 is 'choose'. There are many things in my life I'd like to tweak and change a little, but never seem to get round to because of the choices I make. This year is going to be different. I'm going to choose what to spend my time on, I'll choose more healthful foods, I'll choose to go to the gym instead of running around doing errands. So many choices, all I have to do is make a mindful choice about them.
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My word for the new year is ENDURE. I have a lot of new journeys that I will need to "ENDURE" through this next year. Thanks for sharing this amazing experience with us...
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Hi Ali,
My word is GRACE. The ability to give myself some GRACE as I naturally to do others, the ability to see and feel God's GRACE in my life and also the GRACE to make it thru another year when the road has been so very tough...
Forgot...my name is Stacy, from LaCrosse, WI.
Happy New Year Ali and Edwards family!
Blessings,
Stacy
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My word for 2009 is "CONFIDENCE".
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My word is simplify. So many areas of life need this. Congratulations on your baby girl. We have a 4 year old boy and 1 year old girl and it is the best.
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My word is PLAY. In 2008, I borrowed the word idea and shared it with my friends. About 25 of my friends embraced it and we are all doing it again in 2009. Love it.
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i think i have settled on TRY. i have so many ideas & things i would like to do but i get scared or just don't make time to work on them or make excuses. so this year i'm going to just try...& i found this quote & i like it:
Those who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try nothing and succeed...Lloyd Jones
last year my word was choose & i had a really good year & i made some good choices for my mental health, my family's financial situation, & started on good choices for food & exercise...even though i didn't necessarily say the word every day i think that the simple act of choosing something for myself at the beginning of the year got into my brain & my heart & i really did it!
thanks ali! it's so fun to read everyone's words...
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Ali...thank you to continue to share with us and encourage us! ;) This is my third year of words with you...and for 2009 I think I've decided on PATIENCE.
I need to work on patience with myself, my fiance and "other" important things we just found out about! ;) If I can "master" patience in '09 then the rest will come easier! :)
-Candace
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My word is ACHIEVE! After a couple of years of living in chaos for one reason and another, I want to set some goals for myself, now that life is on an even keel. Not sure yet what those goals will be, but I aim to accomplish one or two ACHIEVEMENTS before the end of 2009!
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Hi Ali!
I love your word! I hope you and your family have a blessed New Year!
My word for 2009 is going to be "embrace." I just want to embrace all things - in every aspect of my life whether it be embrace the time I spend with my loved ones, embrace my creativity, embrace the memories, embrace life!
Thanks for the chances at the beautiful giveaways! Hugs! :)
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My word for 2009 is CHANGE.
There are lots of changes going on in my life this upcoming year. I am getting married. I will be moving out and starting my own life in my own place (wherever that will be), I will need to change how I think about money, food, my lifestyle. I'm not going to lie, I am nervous. This will be a momentous year. And I just have to say to myself that change is good and I will enjoy the ride.
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I need my word to be NOW this year. Now I'll excercize, Now I'll organize my closets, Now I'll call my friend, Now I'll do all these things I put on a list or the calendar and never seem to follow through on. I am determined to do things as I think of them and not put things off. Now....I think it's going to motivated me....I like it.
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Harmony
Noun
1. a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts
2. agreement; accord; internal calm
3. an interweaving of different accounts into a single narrative
Like othes I have a lot of roles I play in my life, Harmony gives me room to find the right combination. I also hope to tame the mind monkeys this year to focus on the present and to spend more time appreciating and documenting the everyday moments in my children's lives.
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well haha, nurture was on my mind as well. I think I will still let it percolate.
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I am trying to decide between deliberate, intentional and choose. You could say I am deliberating about deliberate! I know the meanings are similar-it is the nuance of each word that I am trying to work out.
I read the challenge to my 11 year old son and he has chosen the word "attack". "As in attack the year. Do what you want to do. Get outside. Have fun. Maybe throw in a water park" (I'm hoping that throught he year he will decide to apply this word to his schoolwork as well!)
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Happy New Year, Ali, to you and your family. I bet Chris is excited about the coming new year with the new president!
My word for 2008 was healthy, as in paying more attention to my health and getting healthy. While it worked and I am healthier, I seem not to have recovered some of the joie de vivre aspect. So my word for 2009 is VITALITY, as in
1. exuberant physical strength or mental vigor: a person of great vitality.
2. capacity for survival or for the continuation of a meaningful or purposeful existence: the vitality of an institution.
3. power to live or grow: the vitality of a language.
4. vital force or principle.
Looking forward to the positive aspects of healthy.
Cheers!
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I think my word for 2009 is going to be BALANCE. how do I balance everything? How can I be better at balancing things? Thanks, Ali! Happy New Year!
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