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.
There are so many choices out there and I have been weighing quite a few (family, believe, and the number two is wonder) really seem relevant. I keep coming back to CELEBRATE.
It fits into my life so well, it's got it's own little place already and it will help me on my way to where I truly want to be.
I want to celebrate life, beauty, health, family. I want to celebrate me and who I am. I want to celebrate creativity and all of my pursuits. I want to celebrate the choice to finally become a professional photographer!! I will celebrate ordinary moments and ordinary days as the moments of my life.
Hopefully, by 2012 I will be the person I so want to be. One who sees each moment and celebrates it and it's worth.
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Patience in all things. More patience for my children, more patience for life in general. Welcome, 2011!
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Bonjour,
my special word for this year (or my «mot-phare», as I like to call it in French) is beauty. Thank you Ali for inspiring me in a lot of special ways.
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Hi Ali!
LOVE your word. So neat that it chose YOU. :-D
My word for 2011 is GOODNESS.
I chose it because I want to be reminded in the coming year to see the goodness in people, my surroundings, everyday moments, life's challenges, hardships that I may have, every single moment with my children, etc. When I was trying to pick my word - I had a few that stuck out in my mind, but once I said "GOODNESS" out loud - it just felt right so I am going with it. ;) Thanks for continuing to inspire me. BIG hugs, my friend!
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My word is CHANGE. This is what I want for myself in my personal life but it is also happening at work and in other situations I can not control. I feel like this word has found me!
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This year my word is "create" and not just in the crafting sense. I plan on creating opportunities for myself. I am going to be going back to work after 8 yrs of being home with my boys. I plan to create myself into more than a mom, wife, caregiver. I want to create more at my craft table and hope to make this into my career somehow!
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I have read for a few years now about people choosing a word to try to live out and focus on throughout the year. I never thought about trying it myself, but this year, I think it will help. I have felt myself caving in to stress and worry and fretting - all completely unnecessary! So for 2011, I am going to focus on the word "Peace." I'm already looking up verses in the Bible that talk about peace, and I am going to try to memorize some of the ones that speak the most to my heart!
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My word for this year is cleanse. I want to cleanse my mind, my body, my home, and my spirit this year. I have had a really trying past two years and I am ready to move on and start anew. This is my last year in my 20's and I want to start my 30's off the right way!
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My word is HOPE. I am a Breast Cancer Survivor and I live each day hoping that it never returns! I also know that my HOPE is in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! I never want to forget that...so my word is HOPE.
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declutter
my house, my body, my negative thoughts
welcoming the new year with open arms.
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My word for 2011 is LOVE. To love myself and show the love to all my dear ones.
And I had some sad news today so I will need all the love I can get and share it with my parents, who will need it so hard.
It will be a year full of sad emotions, and saying good-bye, I'm afraid.
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My word was chosen for me awhile ago as well. It is Light. I chose it before your posts about it. Light seems to transcend to everything I need and want for myself in the upcoming year.
-Light(en) my stress
-Light(en) my workload/volunteer load (this will hopefully stop the procrastination & the feeling of being overwhelmed all the time)
-Light(en) my weight (a BIG one)
-Light(en) my approach
-Light(en) my reaction
-Seek Light (do more with my photography, Seek the light of God)
-Lighten my caloric intake
-Be in the Light
-Send love & light to many
-Light candles more in prayer, in meditation, in romance, in comfort
-Be light with worry....ie: worry way less
-Travel light
-Light(en) my belongings... ie: simplify/organize/discard/declutter
-Light(en) my expectations
-Light the fire inside of me again- creatively, romantically,...just find ME
-Soak up the sun Light
-Use Light to my advantage...ie: time management
-Be thankful for each light of day I see
Oh I could go on...but this is my purpose ...Seek Light, Embrace Light, Be in the Light.
LOVE LOVE LOVE :)
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I have never chosen a word before {but I have always enjoyed reading about yours and other peoples} Last year a word chose me/my family ~wreckage so this year I AM CHOOSING my word ~wrebuild...
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I have been thinking about my word for 2011 a lot lately. I haven't been able to nail down a single word. I was so pleased with my 2010 word gratitude that I am having a hard time finding a word to live up to the wonderful blessing I found in 2010. I keep coming back to "enough". I want to be enough, i have enough, but enough just isn't the word I want posted around my house. (seems like a negative word, rather than positive) So still searching...love reading all the posts. Thank you Ali for your inspiration!
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My word for 2011 is REMEMBER. This past year I have had a very difficult time remembering things. Not sure if it has to do with my schedule, diet,or other health problems. So in 2011 I want to get to the bottom of my memory problems.
I also chose REMEMBER as my word because I want to make the effort to remember the little things that people do for me! The family and friends who invite us into their homes! I want to remember them in a special way!
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i had a hard time choosing - there were two that really spoke to me. in the end, though, one stuck out a bit more so i'm going with that: GRATITUDE. very excited to explore this more. thanks, ali.
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This is the first time I have ever chosen a word for the year. I am so happy I stumbled upon this blog. The word I have chosen for myself is FEARLESS. I am one to always second guess myself and my works, never thinking I measure up. I suffer from panic disorder and most of my life involves the fear of having another attack and what people may think. Life is a constant struggle. One of my goals for the year to be part of a DT. I love to scrapbook and would love to be part of something bigger and share my works and ideas with others. I often feel a bit nervous about being rejected and feeling a failure but I realize its just a part of the disorder. So I the word for me is being fearless even in small steps. Ali I love your blog and thanx for all the inspiration.
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My word is: "live" I want to make sure I am experiencing things and not just recording them. . . Plus I know three people with life-threatening illnesses and want to remind myself to feel appropriate gratitude for the health and wellness I currently have.
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If asked today, my word would be "aware". To be aware of all the wonders in this world, God's hand in all of them, and the little miracles happening every day around us all!
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No discount code for Lisa's store this year?
Hi Kate - she didn't offer one but maybe she is through another site? You could always contact her and ask :).
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My word is change. I make custom jewelry and have already started wearing my necklace (and have been blessed to make a few pieces for others already, too). 2011 will be a wonderful year for us. I can feel it!
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wow thats alot of responses Ali you really can make a change in the world believe me :) My word is INSPIRED. So looking forward to the class this year just wish I didn't order from Scrapbook-creations b/c they have not sent me anything or even an email, I am uninspired by them!!!!! heather
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The first word that came to mind about the New Year was CHANGE. Seeing as my husband and his business partner had to make the very difficult decision to close their company, leaving us without an income and him desperately searching for a job. So things will need to be different. Changing our spending, our attitude, our perspective, our saving, our careers, our habits, etc. I think it works but I feel that I need a word with a deeper meaning. So I've been throwing around the words, PURPOSE and RELEASE as well. The idea of everything in our lives, our home, having a purpose. Getting rid of excess. No longer wasting time, money or energy on unimportant, frivolous, things. The letting go of fear, and expectations. No longer living societal stereotypes and finding what really matters (what we can live with and what can't live without). This is a terrifying and new road we are heading down but I think if we can make it through, we will come out on the other end better, happier and knowing what really makes life meaningful and worthwhile.
Really looking forward to this class.
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I'm really struggling with finding a word. I have three words in mind at this time: balance, wellness, and courage. I have a hard time with choosing the word each year and often forget about it for months at a time. I guess my problem with these three words is their interconnectedness (not sure if that's a word). I would love to have balance and wellness be a part of my life and that takes a lot of courage for me right now. I also like the idea of mindfulness or mindful. I'm just digging myself in further and further. Anyone else struggling with this?
Have you made a choice? It's ok to have more than one - there's no rules. Maybe go with a couple and as the year goes on you'll find that one seems to be more meaningful.
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My word for 2011 is "Make". Make time for myself, make gifts for others, make space by releasing and selling/donating items I no longer use (or are new and gathering dust on the shelves), make new friends, make memories (make scrapbooks!), make 2011 a year of productivity and release.
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