One Little Word® 2020 | Less
Since 2006 I've been choosing a single word to focus on over the course the 12 months from January through December. I call it One Little Word®. It's a personal growth project that uses memory keeping as the vehicle to help us live with intention.
My past words have included:
- Play
- Peace
- Vitality
- Nurture
- Story
- Light
- Up
- Open
- Thrive
- Give
- Whole
- Connect
- Space
- Habit
For 2020 I'm going to focus on the word less.
Less is a word that has "almost" been my word for the last few years. I come back to it again and again in a variety of areas in my life so I'm excited to work with it this year and make it my focus. Less extra stuff. Less of what matters least + more of what matters most.
You're invited to join me in choosing word and working to make it visible in your own life in 2020.
SHARE YOUR WORD IN THE COMMENTS
I’d love to read what word you’ve chosen or are considering for 2020. 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, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
JOIN ME IN MAKING OUR WORDS VISIBLE
Since 2011 I've been offering a One Little Word® online workshop that's goal is to help you stay connected to your word throughout the year. It's not complicated and it doesn't take a lot of time. Each month you receive an email reminder to head back to the classroom for some sort of creative prompt/writing reflection. As with most years, the majority of the prompts will be similar to last year as I find that I enjoy the process of doing the same prompts with different words each year - it's never the same. I record all new videos each year that include my personal reflections on the process with my new word.
You can read all the details about this workshop and sign up here. You can watch a video walkthrough of my past album projects here to get an idea of past prompts. Registration is $5 off until December 31, 2018. I've also created a selection of products to help you document your journey with your word - check those out here.
My wonderful little heart talisman in the photo at the top of this post is from Liz Lamoreux and is available on her site as part of her Pocket Talisman Collection.
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I'm so excited to hear your word - I love this one for you. Can't wait to see how you use it in your daily life. My word this year is fearless. It's a big word, but I'm tired of *allowing* myself to play small. It's almost as though I'm giving myself permission to go after what I want and need in life. Here's to a great 2020! (Also...so excited to start the classwork for this OLW project this year!!)
🌟
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Hello Ali! Hello Katie! Hello OLW friends!
This year, after much back and forth between 2 words, my word for 2020 is HEAL. The reason - it is time. Wishing you all an amazing 2020 🌟🌟
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For 2020 I am choosing “spark.” I love Marie Kondo’s concept of only surrounding yourself with things that spark joy, but beyond my home I’m inspired to take that steps further by exploring relationships, goals, and experiences that spark joy, too. Coming off of my year of wild, I’m excited to see that it only takes a spark to start a wildfire (of passion, of creativity, of vitality, etc.).
What a fantastic word! I am still deciding on mine, but your word did 'spark' a thought in me! Best wishes for 2020!
how did wild go for you? that's going to be my word for 2020. i hope it was a good one?
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Love your word Ali. Ive been taking the workshop since Flickr & Big picture classes days so I think since 2008 or 2009... thank you for holding space for Us all.
Excited for this new year, new decade. My word this year is Heal. Heal my heart, heal past traumas, heal my relationships (family), & heal my health issues. I went to a yoga workshop yest stay called Begin Again & it was about letting go to start fresh. Really needed it & think it was helpful in my attitude for how I need to heal my self. A quote shared in the workshop was Change begins with Chaos. I’d never thought about it that way so I’m considering the chaos I’ve moved through this year maybe is creating the Changes I am moving towards as 2020 begins.
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My word for 2020 is STORY. My 2019 word was LESS so I'm excited to see what you do with it!
I did LESS in 2017 and 2018. Loved it!
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Struktur (german for structure)is my word for 2020
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My word is land for 2020. Can't wait to start!
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When I first chose a word, it was POSITIVE. I intended that it would help me have a more positive attitude as my boyfriend and I who had just moved in together were really struggling. By the end of the year, it really meant making a hard decision that would be more positive for me and I had him move out. Which led me to choose HAPPY as my word-find what makes me happy and try to find happiness again. That led me to PRESENT. I noticed that I was stuck in unhappiness because I spent too much time worrying about the future and lamenting the past. present led me to SELF. I wanted to focus on myself and started some personal counseling to try to unravel some issues. This has led to this year’s word: WHOLE, recognizing that I am whole as I am and nothing is missing in me. I would also like to focus on my whole self, which needs to include my physical health as much as my mental/emotional health.
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My word for 2019 was change. The changes I thought I wanted aren’t the changes I got but the changes I got where so much better!!!
To continue with deepening the changes I have decided my 2020 OLW will be habit as there are some habits I want to develop and some I’d like to be rid of.
I loved the experience of focusing on a word last year and I’m Excited to start the new journey!
X
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Considering “welcome” as my word for 2020. Also love Brandi Kincaid’s “hospitality”, and my reasons why work with both words. Looking forward to some quiet listening time after holiday visits are over to help me finalize my choice.
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So excited to get started for 2020! My word is {PHOENIX}. For far too long I've been lost, letting fear and people hold me back. And that's not me. I always go after what I want, but after I graduated college, from doing an accelerated degree, I became so burnt out I didn't realize I lost myself in the process. The last half of 2019 was about me coming back into myself. So 2020 is now about me (F)acing (E)verything (A)nd (R)ising.
I have certain things that are on a timeline that need to be done by a certain point. If all goes well, I'll announce it next December in the group. But I've also let go of a lot of false friendships in 2019. Most importantly I want to build a stronger relationship with myself, level up, rise, and just enjoy the journey. 2019 has showed me so many lessons. So Phoenix will be about going after everything I want or dream for myself and actually making it happen. I'm done waiting for others. It's time for me to do me.
Awesome word and story. And love the fear acronym. So good 🌟
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I love your word so much. I think it's perfect. I can't wait to take your OLW workshop (first timer here!) and see how my word works in my life in 2020. My word for the year is START. It's funny because even though the new year hasn't started yet, I've been thinking of it and it has actually already impacted me. I think it's interesting because in a sense, I STARTed early. Ha! Thankful for you and OLW and the ways you inspire me to get my story down and document life. Thank you! Here's hoping 2020 is your best year yet, friend!
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I love your word and can't wait to see where it takes you in the upcoming year. My word for 2020 (and this is my 13th year!) is "TODAY". I spend too much time thinking about the past and worrying about the future. I want to be more aware of the moment I'm in. I don't want to set myself up for failure by choosing a word that feels like it's a big goal with lots of things to do to get there. I have overwhelmed myself like that in the past. Small steps lead to great things and that's my motto for 2020. My intent is to think about what can I do today to make me happy or set me up for a better tomorrow. Today is a gift and I will make the best of it.
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2020 is the year that I will be FIERCE . . . It is a word that scares me slightly but at the same time seems perfect to me.
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Hi Everyone, I am looking forward to another year with all of you! My word for 2020 is HABIT. It has been a companion word the last several years and popping up in several areas of my life so I am excited to journey into 2020 with it. Sue
HABIT was my 2019 word ... and I’m continuing with it in 2020! I debated many other possibilities and determined this is the best path!
Here’s to HABIT!
Cheers~
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Happy (almost) New Year! My word for 2020 is "build." Looking forward to building a strong foundation for the new decade. Excited to follow along with all of you this year.
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2020 OLW - positive
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Purpose. Like almost every year, this word became clear to me about mid-way through 2019. Excited to spend a year considering purpose.
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my word for 2020 is Nourish :-) Less was my word in 2018 and I loved it!
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FOCUS
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My word for 2020 is LISTEN. I have wrote about relationship building for the last several years in my intentions but have not made noticeable progress. My kids are at the age that I need to work hard at strengthening those relationships for the teenage years ahead. LISTEN to people, listen to my body, listen to the outdoors. I am excited for 2020!
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BREATHE is my word for 2020. I think I wil approach it slightly like the way you did with the word SPACE in 2018. Thought about that word for awhile as well, but BREATHE feels better when I think about what I hope to achieve next year.
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Love the word choice Ali! My word this year will be “Home”. The past few years I’ve been running around like a chicken with my head cut off and neglecting projects, or simply being at HOME. 2020 is the year to get my house in order and as clean as I like it. Also, being home with my rapidly growing girls (15 & 8), also being HOME to write the memoir I’ve been working on the past year. 2020 will be a great year! See you at Storycamp!
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This is how I picked the word GRATITUDE—by deciding to do everything less and appreciate more. To see and story tell more because of that gratitude, while having less stuff, less stress, just less! Can’t wait to go on this journey!
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I am 99% sure my word will be ENOUGH I always want everything perfect and be a little controlling if it is not Going to let it perk a little more ;)
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