One Little Word 2011
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 8.5x11 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, 2011.
My word chose me. It is MOTIVATE. See you in the BPC class! Can't wait. :)
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"Light" was my word for 2010 and it was a very special word and year for me. I'm anxious to see how it works in your life.
For some reason I'm having a lot of trouble coming up with my word. I'm zeroing in on it though.
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Change... embracing rather than challenging it..
making good changes in my life & others around me..
being the change I want to see in my life...
Change is not something that comes easily for me either - so really focusing on it.. might help...
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i'm thinking TRUST is going to be my word. never had a word before, but i'm so looking forward to it.
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enrich -- I am looking to get more joy from my life and to enrich both the lives of those I touch as well as my own
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I had originally chose journey but after reading Ann Voskamp's book "One Thousand Gifts" I've decided to choose 'Eucharisteo' with journey as a secondary word. Eucharisteo is a greek word combining the meanings of grace, thanksgiving and joy. Something a God began planting in my heart a few months ago, but until now hadn't realized how those 3 words have been such a huge part of my faith journey this past year.
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i posted my word yesterday - change. but guess what i have 'changed' my word! he he
when i went to bed last night, a word kept bugging me and i listened!
my 2011 OLW is - THRIVE
i am about to downsize my home, about to go thru my 2nd divorce, about to be a single mum to 4, about to have to work after 17 years at home, about to have to watch my pennies and im excited to thrive, not just survive!
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CELEBRATE. Be present in life, enjoy each moment, and celebrate.
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My word for 2011 is...
RENEW
As in...mind, body, spirit, relationships, projects, goals, dreams and intentions.
So looking forward to the journey!
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Build. Build self confidence. Build better relationships. Build for the future I want. Build. I feel to build something is a sense of discovery, renewal, creativity, faith. So that is my word- build. I am one with that word. I am looking forward to seeing all the things I will build in 2011.
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After much deliberation, I have decided that my little word for 2011 is going to be BOLD. Over the past couple of years, my life has become static, boring... stagnate. I am seeing the effects in everything from my crafting to my job; from my marriage to my health. I first felt this need for change when my husband and I traveled through England this past summer; however, my efforts to change lasted two weeks and then my life reverted to the same old tedium it was before. I feel like this One Little Word project may help.
Thank you for inspiring me to be BOLD.
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I have been thinking about this for a few days now. I have never taken this class, or focused on a word for the year. However, I am finding that the word I am thinking of is a little intimidating, and very different for me as a subject.
I am thinking about using "funny". I try to change my mind, and think of using happy, family, or hope, but funny just keeps coming back to me.
Sometimes I tend to take things too seriously. I want to stop and capture the moments that make me laugh. I also want to focus on the irony in life and the world around me. Life is full of funny moments, and I think I want to try to focus on them.
I am just a little worried that it won't work for the project.
I plan to sign up for the class, but I want to take some time to finish up some other stuff first. I hope to sign up tomorrow.
Tara I love that word - awesome.
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Hi,
My word for 2011 will be "NORMAL". In July my 11 year old son was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma Cancer. When we met with all different doctors they kept saying we are going to live with the new normal instead of the old normal. They were right and I hate the new normal but we must embrace it. I will be spending 2010-2011 year following the new NORMAL with the good parts and the down parts. Hopefully with ending in the positive Normal!
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My word is Health. I've been fighting it, trying to find words that might encompass health without being the total focus, but deep down I know this what my word must be. Complete was my other almost word, but I beleive that working on my health must take priority, and any of my other potential words will fall into place in turn if I focus on my complete health.
This is my fourth year doing one little word and it has made a huge difference to my life - one little word is anything but little!
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my word will be harmony. harmony in my home. between my business and personal lives. harmony in my relationships. within myself.
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I have been struggling with what word I should pick for a few weeks now. Reading this post I realized that my word has been here the whole time! CREATE. I have so many things bouncing around in my brain just waiting to be be created! I guess I thought this was too broad, but it truly fits in so many ways. I am hoping to be able to sign up for the class too!
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**DELIGHT** I really appreciated what you said about your word being your own and not what anyone else thought it should be. Last year my word was an "ought to" word, and i hated it all year. It felt like work. I'm not saying there's not work to be done this year, but I'm going to try to find delight in my life - the things that I have to do, the things I want to do.
I was also pleased to see it was in the Bible - Ps 37:4 "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."
I love your word and I love ypour reasoning!
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my word for 2011 is "possibility". thank you for always inspiring me!
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NOURISH. This feels so right for me at this moment and I am glad that something came to mind that was unforced (I tend to over think things a lot!). I can't wait to sign up and start on this new journey.
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My word for 2011 is community. It, too, has found me over the last couple of months, as most of my words have in years past. Looking forward to you BPC class and ideas for keeping my word in mind
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Initially, my word for 2011 was "balance" due to the fact that I needed to find balance between being a professional, a mom, a wife, a creative, an entrepreneur, etc. However - I really feel that the word is a bit of a misnomer and more of an ideal than something that is reality. I wasn't feeling inspired by that word at all...it was almost bringing me "down"...so I have tweaked it a little and my 2011 word will be: STRIVE! I feel that it encompasses the meaning I wanted balance to have for me, while giving me inspiration and fitting in with my life philosophy. To me it means seeking and working at "being the best me I can be, living the best life I can live" on a daily, weekly, monthly basis.
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My word is Persevere. Persevere in my health and weightloss journey started in Sept. 2009. Persevere in my new work to find the true mission and plan for my future.
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I've been thinking about my word for weeks now and today it just hit me over the head. STRENGTH. I prayed today for God to give me strength and I knew then it was the word I was looking for. Strength in the way I want to physically improve my body and also our financial situation. Thanks for always being such an inspiration Ali!
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I have been tossing around a few words...
Light has long been a word I seek out; in the scriptures especially. My favorite scripture is, "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light (Matthew 6:22)." And then there are the obvious connections to weightloss/decluttering/unloading emotional baggage etc.
Go! Because I need not only the gun fire signal at the begining of the race, but also because I need the cheer squad, "Big G, little O, Go! Go!"
Open. Open heart, open mind, open door... so many directions this could go.
So hard to choose.
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I loved a lot of these words, even thought of using some of them. finish, movement, simplify, less, self, evolution, be, do, produce.... these are just a few that caught my eye & heart.
But, a couple of weeks ago, while driving to work, the word DAILY jumped into my mind. It had nothing to do with what I was thinking about or what I was doing, so I figure God sent it to me. My soul felt at peace just thinking about THE word. Then, today as I was looking up a word in the dictionary, I came across IMPROVE. The definition seem to be what I was looking for. So I thought I had a choice to make.......but maybe I can have TWO words. This will take more thought.....I'll know by Saturday.
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