One Little Word® 2014
Make your word visible: Order your own word from recycled matericals created by artist Colleen Attara here.
My One Little Word for 2014 is thrive.
This year, more than any other I can remember, I'm starting off the year with questions. What does it mean for me to thrive? What does it look like? What does it fee like? Are there areas in which I'm already thriving? What's realistic vs. visions of what I have in my head of what it means to thrive?
Open was an awesome word for me last year. It was a touchstone as I navigated my way through growing pains and man oh man did it work in a million different ways I could not have imagined when I started 2013. More often than not when faced with a decision, I chose to open more rather than closing off which was my number one intention last year. That said, I feel like I've been spinning in circles a lot this past year. I've been reacting vs. being proactive and have been dealing with a variety of issues related to stress and growth (totally all part of my own life journey).
To me thriving is optimal living. It's being present and awake and stepping up to be my best self physically, emotionally, spiritually, creatively and within my relationships.
It's not a quest for perfection. It's an opportunity to continue choosing to let go of things outside of my control and to figure out who that best-me-right-now really is.
It will be a whole new journey and I'm here to tell you I welcome it wholeheartedly.
Bring on 2014.
This year I invited my friend Elise Blaha Cripe to film a little video about her experience with One Little Word. One of the reasons I admire Elise is that she is awesome at follow-through and documentation. I've loved reading about her experience with her words over the last few years on her blog and she inspires me consistently with her projects and her real-life reflections.
Here's Elise in her own words:
Thank you Elise for sharing about your own journey here.
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.
SHARE YOUR WORD THE COMMENTS | I’d love to read what word you’ve chosen or are considering for 2014. 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, 2012 and 2013.
ONE LITTLE WORD® 2014 | To help keep your One Little Word® more visible throughout the year I offer a year-long workshop featuring one prompt per month. Read all the details and sign up here. Registration is $5 off until December 31.
My word is courage. I need to stop being so afraid to do something, try something, say something, I need to have courage. This is my first year doing olw and I've always been intrigued by it and excited to see what it'll mean for me.
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It's really difficult to pick just one word! I really like wonder, however I'm strongly attracted to imagine and keep thinking about appreciate as it's my nature....then tonight CK suggested aspire. Oh my the choices we have. Last year I used balance and I'm so grateful for the time to balance our life, actions, ideas and actions. So what do you think? OLW ... does it need to be this difficult? I'm listening and yet I have not heard which of the four is 2014!
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This is my first year doing One Little Word. My word is MORE. I want and need MORE. MORE for my relationships with my family and friends. MORE for myself, not always putting everyone else first. MORE in my job that has become stagnant. MORE for my life to feel fulfilling.
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My word for the year is CREATE. Create a new beginning. Create a financial plan and follow through with it. Create changes in myself physically and emotionally that will make me the best me that I can be, for myself and my boys. Create wonderful memories. Create works of art, particularly in stained glass. I think that this is the perfect word for me heading into 2014.
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save
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Focus.
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My word is Courage
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My word is LOOK. Look ahead, look for the good.
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EMPOWER
I was thinking about what word I wanted to pick on the way home today and the word EMPOWER popped it my head and as soon as it did I started tearing up.
In about 3 weeks I am leaving a corp job that I have had for 14 years so I can pursue me dream of becoming a full time personal trainer. Its something I have been working on for the last year and although I know Im going to be truly happy doing it, its really scary because I will be solely responsible for my success and failure. Nothing is guaranteed.
Its going to be the year I will have to take really take control of all aspects of my life. I will be in charge,the ball is in my court. I will have to EMPOWER myself with knowledge, I will have to EMPOWER myself and find leads and promote myself, I will have to EMPOWER myself with my own training, I will have to EMPOWER myself to keep my family financial strong, and I will hopefully be EMPOWERING others along the way.
Sooo.. I think EMPOWER will be my word this year.
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My word is WORTHY. 2014 is the year where I focus my time, energy, emotions, and money on things that are truly deserving, and worthy, of them. Looking forward to taking the OLW journey with Ali as our guide.
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Reclaim.
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Yield.
To my creator, to others (by putting them before myself), to the the rhythms of life, to those things that I have no control over, to whatever 2014 has in store for me.
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My word this year is PURPOSE.
As a mother of 3 young children under 5, I am tired of only "surviving" each day and I now want to LIVE each day WITH purpose. I want to bring meaning to the tasks I am performing even mundane ones.
I know it will be hard most days but I am ready to take on this challenge.
I wish you all a great year with your word!
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I'm going with the phrase "let go". Release could work but doesnt quite capture the nuances that spring to mind for me... Letting go of expectations, need for control, clutter, baggage, that sort of thing...
Love having a word to guide my year rather than a list of goals. Thanks Ali for this simply awesome concept.
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My word: BUILD
I am excited to start right where I am and BUILD on it.
I love that it is a verb and encourages action - building my relationships, building memories for my little boys, building my business, building an income, building up others, building new routines, building up to a new role as a stay-at-home-mama.
My first blog post about BUILDING: http://tinyurl.com/qdj3wvo
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Elevate
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Believe
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[…] point of measure for the things I am hoping to achieve. This year I am once again participating in Ali Edwards One Little Word group after not taking part last […]
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Free.
I'd like to be free. Free of negative, unhealthy thoughts. Free of self doubts. Free to do what I want to and break through the barriers I created within myself.
On the side note, this one little word hit me as I read the book "Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook. She asked a simple question - "what would you do if you weren't afraid?".
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Appreciate.
I want to learn to appreciate everything in my life. My family, my relationship and myself.
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I just signed up for this class and I am super excited. My word for 2014 is BELIEVE.
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My OLW seemed to choose me - "ACHIEVE" - because this year I want to focus on actually achieving my many goals.
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GIVE. As in give it a try, give my best, give of myself to others. Last year my word was FOCUS and it helped me get through an extremely challenging year. This will be my fourth year participating in OLW and all my friends know by now I don't do resolutions, I pick a word. So much more effective!
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Thank you Ali! You are such an inspiration to me!
This will be the 5th year I'm embarking in this One Little Word journey and I totally love it. I agree with Elise that these words stick with you and shape you once you are "done" with them and start a new year/word.
My word for this year 2014 is TODAY. I would love to live with all my heart and soul each day of this new year, choosing the right attitudes, priorities, values, decisions, faith each single day, trying to live in the PRESENT and by doing so, shaping my and my family's future.
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[…] more deliberate action. I’m not sure where this word will take me–if you read Ali’s posts on the subject, you’ll learn pretty quickly (from her own experience and from the comments others have left on […]
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