One Little Word® 2016 | Whole

For 2016 I'm going with "whole" as my One Little Word®

Since 2007 I've been choosing (or letting a word choose me) a word to focus on over the course of a year. I love the process of walking with a word for 12-months and seeing how it works in my life. Some years it's been super visible and other years it's been a slow burn below the surface. I tend to choose words that have layers of meanings and can be applied to my life in various ways: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I love learning more about the word throughout the year and taking the opportunity to reflect each month via the process of working on the prompts from the workshop and via taking action on the things I'm inviting into my life. 

If you are interested in hearing me talk more about One Little Word® and my choice of word this year, check out my friend Elise's Get Crafty podcast where we both share our words for 2016 and talk about our experiences living with a word. She also includes a link in the show notes to a past episode where we talked about the process as well.  

A lot of times I begin my year with a question or two related to my word. This year my questions to myself are this: 

What does it mean to be whole? What does that look like and feel like? 

I'm interested in investigating "the pieces of the whole." What are the pieces of my own life that work together to create the "whole" and in what areas do I need to be letting go and in what areas do I need to hang on tighter to create a more "whole" life for myself? And where does acceptance fit into this? Lots of great questions for me to explore and wrestle with and ponder and learn from. 

I'm also interested in investigating more emphasis on whole foods - maybe try Whole 30. And I want to continue making yoga a priority as I work on the "whole" of myself - the physical, the mental & emotional, etc. 

Two specific quotes that are resonating with me related to "whole": 

“I am a broken person. And I know exactly where my cracks are and how deep they run. I don't pretend to not be a broken person and therein lies the big difference. Because the truth is, we are all broken in places, but it is those who know exactly where and how they are broken, who also know exactly where and how they are whole! And we may not be whole in all places and in all ways, but we take whatever wholeness that we do have, and we make good of it. And we try hard to work on the broken parts, and we ask for help when we need it.” - C. JoyBell C.

“I want to die living. And I want to be remembered as one who lived with purpose, joy and feeling. I want to spend my time learning what goes into a whole and happy life, then building that life the best I can.” - Steve Goodier

Some years I'm super clear at the start what I want to invite my life and what I want to work on throughout the year. This year is less concrete but feels "just right" for 2016. Remember, there is really never a perfect word - there are any number of words that can work for any one of us in our lives at a given time - don't get hung up on choosing something perfect. 

I have no idea what will happen in my life in 2016. I know, because I've been around the block a time or two, that it will likely be a mixture of awesome and tough - those beautiful highs and lows that we all experience throughout the course of a year. My hope is that this word will play a role in my continuing quest to fully live the length and width of my life. 

Let's do this. 

PS | The lovely "whole" heart talisman featured in the photo above is from my friend Liz Lamoreux's Soul Mantra shop. She'll make one for you too - order a custom bracelet, necklace, or talisman here.  

SHARE YOUR WORD THE COMMENTS

I’d love to read what word you’ve chosen or are considering for 2016. In the comments feel free to simply leave your word as your comment or write a bit about why you are choosing this word. Next week I’ll combine all the words into a single post – it's become tradition and 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, 20132014, and 2015.

JOIN ME IN MAKING OUR WORDS VISIBLE

To help keep your One Little Word® more visible throughout the year I offer a year-long workshop featuring one creative prompt per month. Read all the details and sign up here. Registration is $5 off until December 31, 2015. I've also created a selection of products to help you document your journey with your word - check those out here. During the One Little Word® 2016 Kick-Off ordering period (between now and 1/31/16), items featured on this One Little Word® 2016 page are eligible for free shipping domestic and $5 international. If you add any other items from the shop to your cart, normal shipping rates will apply to those additional items.

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387 thoughts

  1. Michellejeanne says…
    01/04/2016

    AHA!
    Whole is closer to where I am headed, though I need to take time to read through some of the lists from previous years to be sure...

    I have considered complete: so many projects, so many things that I start, so many things I want to do, and I have been working on being selective. I have already done Meaningful, and it just doesn't feel right here, besides, its sister, Hope - my word from two years ago - has worked its lovely way into everything I do and plan, and is here to stay. Whole projects, the antithesis of partial and unfinished. Yes.

    Finish doesn't quite work, because I also want to take time for ME. Last year's word was New: new kitchen and bath (construction!), daughters graduation, another beginning high school and new sports, a new part time job, going on a mission trip with my girls, getting ready for the oldest to go away to college (so very weird). The word could also have been CRAZY but New fortified my heart, told me to embrace all, that I could do it no matter how crazy! So this year I want to take more baths, be better at taking care of me, get back to being prepared at the small things as well and look ahead instead of "that big thing was awesome, what is happening tomorrow and what do I need to do for it? A balanced Whole life. yes.

    Focus or Slow don't quite fit, though I very much want to include being present in each thing that I do, as a family, with my girls as they grow up, at their activities, my husband and friends in this busy time when we all run from one thing to the next. Whole relationships. yes.

    Presence, maybe. all of these words popped into my head of their own accord as I tried to sleep a few nights ago, and none of them quite encompassed the breadth of where I want to take this year and I hadn't yet figured that out. Not quite there yet, but Whole, in the time it took me to read your post and type out my not quite right words, is beginning to sink in.

    Thank you Ali, for setting me on the right track.

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. katerunnergirl3 says…
    01/04/2016

    My word is saba', a Hebrew word that means "to be satisfied". I didn't realize until very recently how much I seek to be satisfied by many different things in life (none that are innately bad) but ultimately leave me still feeling empty. Psalm 90:14 is a prayer that the Psalmist makes of the Lord, one asking that His unfailing love would satisfy him in the morning that he may be glad all his days. I want 2016 to be the year that I look first to God's unfailing love to satisfy me before anything else.

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. sarahundfuchs says…
    01/04/2016

    My Word is stark, which is kind of strong in German.

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. donna10 says…
    01/04/2016

    DO!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. Reetselig says…
    01/04/2016

    My word is smile .

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. Carolly says…
    01/04/2016

    Devote is my word for the year...still figuring out what that looks like

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. daniscrapper says…
    01/04/2016

    Experience is my word for the year, will be sharing my thoughts on it on my blog soon.

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. aphahn says…
    01/04/2016

    My OLW for 2016 is "free." And these quotes will support the work I want to do to make 2016 even better than my "fearless" 2015 which was pretty epic!

    "Release your majestic mind, embrace your untamed inner spirit. Break free from captivity, avoid society...You were born to be free." ~ Melanie Moushigian Koulouris

    "Forgiveness does not make the other person right. It makes you free." ~ Gecko & Fly Quotes

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. Talex24 says…
    01/04/2016

    Time

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. farrell_la_gmail_com says…
    01/04/2016

    my word is JOY

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. AliEdwards says…
    01/04/2016

    Updated.

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. scrapnana says…
    01/04/2016

    My word is "Ignite". I need to get my fire back. Being close to my 7th decade, an empty nester and retired, I'm falling into a slump of not wanting to do as much as I used to. Have lots of thing to do but I need to "Ignite" my fire, my faith, my desire and myself into a more productive me. Looking forward to what this year will bring.

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. ValDee says…
      01/04/2016

      That is a GREAT word, hope it brings everything you want!

  13. ValDee says…
    01/04/2016

    My word this year is RESOLVE. Achieve worked very well for me last year, but this year I need to work on me and resolve seems just right!

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. sunray says…
    01/04/2016

    My word is "OWN". Loving it already. :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. Phineartist says…
    01/04/2016

    I've chosen UNCONDITIONAL --- the ultimate in loving fully, everyone and everything. Yes, it IS a Happy New Year! :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. JinOK says…
    01/04/2016

    Bold....

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. mela280 says…
    01/04/2016

    Embrace

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. CarolynMarnon says…
    01/04/2016

    JOURNEY

    Reply 0 Replies
  19. MariaEufemia says…
    01/04/2016

    I'm going to go with STEADFAST.

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. TristaHertz says…
    01/04/2016

    Harmony

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. Shannick says…
    01/04/2016

    FOCUS

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. carringtonl says…
    01/04/2016

    trust

    Reply 0 Replies
  23. Yuka says…
    01/04/2016

    My word is NOW. I'm sure the word will encourage me to enjoy the moment right now throughout the year (and my life).

    Reply 0 Replies
  24. scrapbecca says…
    01/05/2016

    Faith

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. vetti says…
    01/06/2016

    Restore

    Reply 0 Replies

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