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 will be TODAY.....a while back I printed out a quote from The Compendium site...."A year from now you will wish you had started today", hoping to start a few things, so will need to pay attention to the importance of each today.
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Accomplish.
That's my word. This was the first year that it didn't just come to me but I guess in the end it did. :-)
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I've thought a lot about my word for 2011. At first I was thinking love..living in love, giving in love, being in love. But it never set in on my heart.
This morning while journal-ing, the word 'surrender' came to me. And it fits perfectly with where I'm at right now.
2010's word was 'discover' and I truly discovered so much about me, my faith, life and love.
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My word for 2011 is RECEIVE – a word that acknowledges my acceptance of who and where I am today (the good, the bad and the ugly), and welcomes the experiences that will mold me into becoming an even better version of myself.
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My word for 2011 is FAITH.
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my word for 2011 is OWN.
as in own it.
own my choices.
own my story.
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I have been making lists of words since the reverb10 question was posed earlier this month. Now, on December 31 I am down to two. The first is SPACE. This is about the advice that I have been trying to heed to make more space for myself in my life- also, space to let ideas percolate, space to not let fear and anxiety drive me. And, space for the things that are most important to me-my daughter(now napping beside me), my husband, my health. If we don't make or leave space for things, then they won't happen or won't grow.
The second word is CONNECTION. I recently started to integrate some of Brene Brown's writing into my life and have had a big "aha" moment about the importance of understanding our need for connection- to people, to ourselves, to our bodies, to our dreams, to the truth of who we are, to acceptance of all of our glorious imperfections.
It will be a tough choice, but I'm hoping it will come to me by midnight. Perhaps it will be a matter of making space for connection...thanks Ali for this project and the space to contemplate these ideas.
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grace...
beautiful, charming, having favor, being blessed, goodwill, mercy, and indulgence.... what else could i hope for in the new year!
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My Word Is Open ...
Open to Change ..New Ideas .. To an Old Love Made New Again .. Open to new Paths with my children on our Journey into this new Year..I am ready and Open to embrace New adventures and Memories:) Bring it!
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Just signed up for the OLW class. I am a first timer to OLW and quite excited about the possibilites of the word I have chosen for 2011.
My word is TRUST
I was waffling between FAITH and TRUST and googled the two to see how they are different, found a great article about the distinction between them. In part it said that "Beyond faith (‘emunah’ in Hebrew) there is trust (‘betachon’). Faith alone can be a passive state: one believes that G-d can change an impossible situation for the better. Trust is not just that things can get better, but that they will get better."
Bring on the New Year!
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This is my 2 year in a row picking a word. I was glad to start it last year, because my word for 2010 really helped keep a focus on what I wanted my year to be.
For 2011 I am picking Embrace. I want embrace what I have and whats to come in my life. And to just enjoy what it is. So thanks for encouraging one little word!
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I finally chose DELIGHT. My words the past two years have been SAVOR + EMBRACE. I think it's time to take it up a notch and really DELIGHT in all the wonderful things in my life. I love the word - I would define it as joy from a childlike view.
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I have chosen Patience for my word!
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My word is EMBRACE. I find it so easy to worry about circumstances, kids, things I can't control. I'm going this word will help me to accept and embrace where and who I am right now. And of course it also means hug, and who couldn't use a few more of those?! :)
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My word for 2011 is MIRACLE.
Like yours, this word found me. In everything around me: from music to movies to books to print.
2011 is a big one for me: we (my husband and i) turn 40 (ons day apart) and we have been married 20 years.
My girls turn 10, 12 and 14. (See all the 2's and 4's and 0's?)
love these ordinary miracles.
The course of Miracles states that the slightest shift in perception is a miracle. So it's not about BIG things but the little, ordinary miracles.
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Grow is my word. This is the first year (in twelve years), where I am certain we will not be adding any sweet, new, little babies to our family of seven. This word is symbolic to me for so many reasons and the more time I spend with it, the more meaning it holds for me. Ali, I am so grateful to you for this idea and cannot wait to join you in class. Blessings to all!
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Content. I want to do two things this year: become more satisfied with the blessing I have in my life, and to focus on improving my writing, both personally and professionally. Content covers both.
CONtent
ConTENT
How cool is that?
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I chewed on several words:
Positive- I simply need to be more positive. Kinda vague to me.
Peace- I think I need to come to peace and terms with who I am now and lay the past to rest. However, I think I need to move further than just that.
Direction- I need to come up with a direction for my life. This may be too much to bite off in one sitting given that I don't have a clue right now.
Focus- I need to find it in my life. Motivation- I need more but I think this word is almost a negative reminder to myself that I don't have it.
Move/movement- felt kinda weird- am I going to dance? walk?
SO. After all of those, I realize that I what I really need to do is simply go FORWARD and it feels like that word covers so much of what I was trying to cover with the others. I need to move forward, think forward not back, look forward and focus, etc. So forward it is. Go forth and prosper, to infinity and beyond, and all that good stuff!
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Ali, I've been a regular reader for your blog as long as I can remember. I love to see everyone's "word" year to year but have never desired to do it myself. However, this year, as I was reading your request to hear everyone's "word," I felt the strongest word come to my mind like it was a clear whisper from the One above. He whispered, "surrender." It was more than powerful and I have not been able to stop thinking of that moment for days. Today, as I laid down for a nap, I dreamt of the word! I know it was God speaking directly to me in a more powerful way than ever before. I need to surrender to Him. To quit worrying about things that are beyond my control and let Him be the one in control. I know that I need to give more faith and time to Him.
So, I guess I am picking a word this year: Surrender.
Thanks for making this experience possible!
Jen
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I am new to this concept, but was already thinking along these lines anyway. My word is Gratitude. I have had a crappy year: my 32 year old cousin died in January and my 69 year old Dad died unexpectedly the week before Thanksgiving. Terrible cancers claimed/are claiming friends.
I was not feeling very grateful for 2010. But, in reflecting on hte year, I discovered that not a day went by that I couldn't have found something to be grateful for.
In 2011, I will keep a calendar where I write down something EVERY DAY that I am grateful for. Gratitude is my word!
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My word is HEALTHY. I'm ready for that word to be a big part of my life.
Thanks for the annual inspiration Ali :)
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Hope
I want to learn to embrace hope regardless of where I am at in life. I want to find those things that give me hope, give others hope, sustains hope through all life's ups and downs
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Teach. This year, 2010, my word was story. I wanted to really embrace telling the story. To be present for the story, to journal and photograph the story, to share the story in my scrapbooks. It is so easy to have good intentions and never get around to getting it done, to rush through life. By participating in One Little Word Story became a real part of my everyday life. In the process I took a new path that was so unexpected. I became a scrapbook teacher to help others tell their story. And, I am pretty good at it. So this year I want to make Teach my one little word. To teach others to scrap what is important in their lives, to teach my children and grandchildren to live their lives more fully and to teach myself to live life with grace. I can't wait for your class to start. This is going to be "Big".
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I've written my one little word post on my blog http://rebekahsmind.blogspot.com/ and can't wait to see what 2011 brings.
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This may sound selfish, but my word is going to be me. I spend so much time taking care of my kids (I am a single parent) that I feel I haven't had enough time to take care of myself.
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