One Little Word® 2017 | Connect

Another trip around the sun is coming to a close. 

My overwhelming feeling at the end of this year is wholehearted thankfulness. For the whole of it. The hard parts and the easy parts and the parts in between. It's something we can count on - that crazy mixture of highs and lows and normals - throughout the 365 days we call a year in our lives. 

I absolutely loved focusing on the word "whole" as my One Little Word® for 2016. It is a word that I will carry with me for the rest of my life - "open" is another one that I feel strongly about. Whole challenged me in the ways I needed to be challenged and wrapped me up in goodness in so many other ways. I loved asking questions about the different pieces of my own whole and looking deeper into what it means to me to feel "whole." 

It's crazy when I think back on all the words I've had over the years (I started this practice in 2006):

  • Play
  • Peace
  • Vitality
  • Nurture
  • Story
  • Light
  • Up
  • Open
  • Thrive
  • Give
  • Whole

For 2017 I'm choosing to explore my life through the lens of the word "connect."

I'm ending 2016 and beginning 2017 by connecting directly and in person with my immediate family (parents, brother, sister + all their families) at my parents house on the coast. I'm already including "connect" in daily thoughts as I go about the regular stuff of my life - asking myself how I'm connecting with this and that and especially focusing on what I can disconnect from (love the angle of including the opposite of my word). 

This blended family life is offering me a whole lot of opportunities for connection and I don't want to miss those. We've all been sinking in to this "new normal" around here - life is such a series of "new normals" isn't it? We get used to a situation or a piece of our lives and then something changes - for better or worse - and then we are forced (either kicking and screaming or accepting or a crazy combination of those emotions) to adapt to the "new" normal. What I have learned over the last so many years is that we are always riding that wave - either in the beginning or the end or somewhere in between. It is life. It is our life. What we get to choose is how we respond and live through all those moments. 

In 2017 I hope to specifically investigate areas related to connecting with myself, connecting with others (especially family and community), connecting with work, and connecting with nature/outdoors (I feel a strong pull towards that this year). I also plan to focus on the idea of disconnecting in order to make sure I'm living in alignment with my highest values. 

If you'd like to hear me talk more about this topic, check out a new podcast I did earlier this week with Elise about our words from last year and this year. It's a very candid conversation about what's worked and not worked related to both choosing and living with our words. 

My wonderful little heart shown above is from Liz Lamoreux and is called a Whole Heart Pocket Talisman. It's a wonderful way to keep your word close throughout the year. 

SHARE YOUR WORD IN THE COMMENTS

I’d love to read what word you’ve chosen or are considering for 2017. 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: 200720082009201020112012201320142015 and 2016.

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, 2016. I've also created a selection of products to help you document your journey with your word - check those out here (stamps will be restocked later in January and we have a pre-order happening for an additional restock of the blue albums that will arrive in late March/early April). During the One Little Word® 2017 Kick-Off ordering period (between now and 1/31/17), items featured on the One Little Word® 2017 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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430 thoughts

  1. Bethhardingerblog says…
    12/29/2016

    Courageous.

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. cherrytree says…
    12/29/2016

    Embrace

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. devinraehogan says…
    12/29/2016

    My word is Gather.:)

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. craftyjenschow says…
    12/29/2016

    My word is R E A C H. This word will have me exploring myself in a lot of ways. I want to reach out to others. I want to reach for new opportunities. I want to reach for my family. I want to have the courage to reach when I need help. I can't wait to delve into it.

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. melpete88 says…
    12/29/2016

    Create

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. ExoticOrchid says…
    12/29/2016

    Harmony!

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. bonitarose says…
    12/29/2016
    Reply 0 Replies
  8. daniellekries says…
    12/29/2016

    Open.

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. CarolAnne says…
    12/29/2016

    Create

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. melanielouette says…
    12/29/2016

    Balance.

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. CindydeRosier says…
    12/29/2016

    I chose CONNECT too! I've been playing along since 2011 and this is the first time you and I have the same words. :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Ksoutwest says…
    12/29/2016

    I'm still thinking but my heart is leading me towards SEEK. I want to SEEK knowledge..SEEK adventure...SEEK clarity...SEEK wisdom...SEEK opportunities...SEEK balance. I love this idea of looking at the opposite of my one little word and how that relates to my goals and hopes for 2017 as well.

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. allgirls1337 says…
    12/29/2016

    Accept

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. mccarmichael says…
    12/29/2016

    Whittle....as in to whittle away the excess, the unnecessary. I am looking at this in many ways, from the "too much stuff" at home to the areas of life that keep my life "busy" instead of "full" to the things that need to be removed from my diet and everything in between. While I think whittling will be longer than a one year process and will require constant attention, I am so looking forward to truly focusing on it for the next twelve months and only leaving all of the good things, the important things, behind.

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. cryslee444 says…
    12/29/2016

    Change

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. SusanB says…
    12/29/2016

    Grace. This was my word in 2007 (I first discovered you and this practice back then) and I can say that grace was the word that most affected me out of all my choices. I initially thought about selecting a different word for this year; I wasn't sure about repeating it but I hadn't come up with anything yet. And then I noticed that grace kept popping up all over the place and so that confirmed it was the right choice for me.

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. broniors says…
    12/29/2016

    My word is GRACE.This year I want to explore what GRACE is. What is means to show grace to my family, friends, work colleagues and myself ... and ways that I can do it.

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. AWilliams says…
    12/29/2016

    I am going with a hyphenated word, Self-Love. I need to fall in love with myself again and not be afraid to put my needs front and center in our family.

    Reply 0 Replies
  19. bevwarnock says…
    12/29/2016

    I chose the word RELEASE!

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. katie_rose says…
    12/29/2016

    Peace.

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. Smartis86 says…
    12/29/2016

    Change. Due to my contract, there will be changes anyway at work; but I also wanna change my gym habits xD and some other changes wouldn't be bad either. I'm curious what will come.

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. amycmiller says…
    12/29/2016

    up

    Reply 0 Replies
  23. JeanneMurawski says…
    12/29/2016

    My word this year is brave.

    I've been doing the workshops every year since you've started offering them, and connect was my most powerful word so far. Here's hoping it brings good things to you!

    Reply 0 Replies
  24. ScrappinMyHeartOut says…
    12/29/2016

    I'm going with "moments" for 2017 and I'm really excited about this word! It's so different from my past words - soul, hope, understand, whole, exercise and nourish! I wanted a versatile word that I can both take seriously and also have some lighthearted fun with, and I think I've found it!

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. teacherlisa says…
    12/29/2016

    My word this year is no.

    Reply 0 Replies

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