In 2006 Ali began the tradition of choosing one word for herself each January – a word she could focus on + get curious about as she went about her daily life over the course of a year. Her words have included play, peace, vitality, nurture, story, light, up, open, thrive, give, whole, connect, space, habit, less, heart, pause, and joy (2023). Each word has become an individual thread that weaves together stories of her life. They’ve been imbedded into who she is + into who she is becoming. They’ve helped her to breathe deeper, to see clearer, to embrace mistakes, and to grow.

At the end of 2019 Ali felt moved to change the way she was running this workshop and invited a group of people to join her in co-leading this adventure. Her goal was to bring in other voices, perspectives, and life experiences and to make it more about the wonderful, wholehearted community that comes together around this project. 

Each monthly prompt (available on the first of each month) is designed to invite you back into conversation with your word. Some are writing exercises, some are crafty adventures, some are rooted in photography. Our goal is simply to help you stay connected to your word throughout the year in a way that is meaningful to you and your season of life. Some of the lenses we've used in the past to be in conversation with our words include: vision, adventure, practice, small wins, beginning again, reflection, etc. 

In 2022 we added a live monthly Zoom call where we connect to share ideas, reflections and stories related to the monthly prompt. This has become a much-loved way to come together to learn from one another, to listen, to share our successes + our struggles, and to cheer each other on as we walk with our individual words.

Our team believes in the power of documentation + the power of words to make a difference in our lives. You are invited to come get curious about your chosen word alongside us as we journey together in 2023.

Interested in seeing what a completed One Little Word® project might look like? Check out Ali's walkthrough video of her albums from 2011 through 2017 here. 

Please note that we will not be offering Monday Messages in 2023.