One Little Word 2015

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 My one little word for 2015 is story.

And there is quite a story to it.  As I come to the end of the year I start looking back at where I have come from and looking forward to what is ahead.  My words seem to come naturally through what I am doing.  Sometimes it is something I have read or maybe heard.  Other times it is through things that I see.  The more I engage in the process the more aware I am of how my word comes to me.  Last year my word was brave.  And I needed it.  I am really only starting to process what happened through our building adventure that went terribly wrong and took over my life.  I wrote it all down.This year sees me looking at that story.  Am I ready to tell it?  It has made me see the importance of story.  Everyone has one.  One of the big purposes of our studio building was for me to develop my scrapbooking and help others tell their story. Now it is complete I am looking forward to seeing where my one little word will take me.

Back in 2010 I chose my first word for the year.  I came across the concept through Ali Edwards.  She explains it really well here

"Essentially the idea is to choose a word (or let it choose you) that has the potential to make an impact on your life.
Maybe you want to invite something or maybe you are hoping to subtract something. Maybe your word will be practical or hopeful or creative or fanciful. Maybe you need a big word, something in-your-face that will challenge you everyday. Maybe you need something smaller and quieter that will whisper gentle tidings as you make your way throughout the year."  Ali Edwards

You can read about her One Little Word Journey here.

Here is a look at the words that I have chosen

2010  Breathe
2011  Be
2012  Define
2013  Enough
2014  Brave

As I go back through my words I recall just how much they have each become a part of my life as I have worked with them in different ways.  A lot of times they have been what I needed and I am thankful that I came across the concept as it has changed my life for the better.  Just one little word.  I wonder where my word will take me this year?

One Little Word - Brave

My 'one little word' for this year is BRAVE.    Last year my word was ENOUGH.  It worked so well.  I have been choosing words for a few years now. You can read more about OLW here.   I should say they have chosen me.  This year was no exception.  Last year I took part in Ali Edwards class for OLW.  It gave me great focus for the goals that I set and where I was headed with my word.  I had plans to do the same this year.  I got as far as choosing a focus for each month and putting it together in my new diary and there they have sat.  There is no point in going back and writing about what I was going to do.  I can't change that. Time to move forward.  To see where BRAVE takes me into the end of the year.    I love what Elise at enJOY it wrote in her thoughts on her word.  While she doesn't feel as active with her word.  She says 'I know what I want it to mean. I want it to mean "balanced, full and all-in." Some days I feel all of those things. Other days I feel like it's a load of crap'.  I know what she means.

Brave is a word that has been thrown about a lot.  I started with my word when I read this blog post at Mercy Ink  where she writes  'My passion is for you to be encouraged in the everyday, ordinary life stuff, while also being empowered to participate in God’s call to love the least of these, the orphans and widows, the hurt, lonely, broken,  and forgotten.'  Being brave is not just about me.  And with my love of music I love the anthem that she has chosen by Nichole Nordeman 'Brave'.  And every time Sara Bereilles 'Brave' comes on the radio I can't help but sing out loud.  There are books that I want to read on it, like this one and this one.

But it all starts here.  

This month my focus is brave organising.

I choose to

Start moving more

Sort my recipes for meal planning

Re-organise my scrapbooking supplies ready for the move into the studio

Refine my systems for planning and goal setting into what works for me

And I have been.  I have been making my way through the piles.  The things that have been thrown in to boxes and maybe even at one time were sorted.  In order to make way for new things we sometimes have to let go of what has come before.  Looking forward to sharing how it goes.

I choose - November

I choose

My intentions from One Little Word for November is 'connect enough'. As I look back to last month I find that it flows well from accomplishing enough, as I have finished things I have made more time for relationships.  I booked in the social event with the women at church.  A day of crafting and catching up with people I know.  There weren't many there but it is a start of things to come.  I have been more available and am looking at how I can invite connections into my life.  I came across this quote on the net.

I want to live like that.

While I haven't finished the projects that I started I am well on the way and in the process have discovered some things that I want to implement into my life next year that will help with staying on top of my creative projects.

A big jump forward has been in getting together the plans for our studio space. This started as a dream 10 years ago and is starting to take more shape as we are realising it could become a reality next year.  Exciting.  It says much about God's timing.  I am always wanting things to happen.  To be sorted and in control.  It is when I let go and live in the margin that God does mighty things.

Choices for November

Be available for people

Keep simplifying so I can

I choose - October

I choose

My intentions from One Little Word for October is 'accomplish enough'.  Quite fitting really.  My intentions were to look at what I had started that needed finishing and to move ahead with new things.  I have been doing quite the opposite.  Starting new things before finishing what I need to and continually trying to catch up with what I am already doing.

Choices for October

Finish the projects and classes that I started

Make dates for social events that I have planned

Visit businesses for information about building our studio

Keep blogging

One Little Word - October

One Little Word

The prompt for this month was to get messy with your word.  To see where you are at.  So appropriate for me who has been absent for some time from sharing where I am at.  Such a great way to get back into it.  So I got to it.  I have looked at the idea of art journaling and collage for a while. This was such a great opportunity to try it out.  I really enjoyed it.  Especially the freedom to keep playing if it didn't quite look right. 

Here is what I came up with.

It reads

Just where am I at with my word?  To look at what I have done at first glance I would say it is not enough .... but that is just it.  Without being aware I have been living my word.  By not doing I have been doing enough for me.  I know what is enough for me; I know I am enough.  There is so much possibility when I say no my yes gets louder.  I need only listen to the right voice - In Him I am enough - He is more than enough for me.  I am already free - Go out and live.

This is life don't miss it!

One Little Word - May

One Little Word

For May the prompt was about little and big messages. Putting together the words that you hear, the things that you want to listen to.

Seems like I need to listen to these words more often.  I get bogged down with all the things I want to do.  Most of the time I need to just start. I find that I feel good when I do one thing towards what I want to achieve.  It gets me one step closer to completing the task.  While I would love to have big chunks of time to get things done it isn't my reality.  So I do one thing.

One Little Word - April

One Little Word

 I went to post the prompt for May and realised that I never posted my prompt for April.  I didn't do March as it was looking at setting goals and didn't need to be posted.

So here it is.  April saw us putting together photos to represent and connect with our word

I enjoyed finding photos of our life that connected with my word - enough.  I can see how I am using it in the everyday.

One Little Word - February

 

The prompt for February was to create a vision board. I have read about these and it was fun to take up the challenge. It didn't necessarily have to follow with your word but I found that as I pulled together the pictures that caught my attention I found they were in direct reflection of what I have been trying to bring about with my word for the year - enough. I have had my pictures for some time and every so often I have added a bit here and there. With everything else that needed doing aside I put some time aside to put it together. 

I created the board around my focus picture - the ripple in the water.  It is significant for me as I used the illustration at my father's funeral.  One drop can cause a ripple and effect so many.  What is enough for me that I can have an effect on others?  Each of the other pictures flow from this.  About life slowing down, enjoying moments, giving thanks and loving life.  Love how it came together.

One Little Word

The journey continues.  I have put together my definitions and chosen a focus for each month
With my focus on chosing the words I wanted I have copied the layout and ideas from Ali using my own stash and type.  

Looking forward to what is enough for me this year.

One Little Word

My word for 2013

e·nough

[ih-nuhf] 

adjective

1.adequate for the want or need; sufficient for the purpose or to satisfy desire: enough water; noise enough to wake the dead.

pronoun

2.an adequate quantity or number; sufficiency.

adverb

3.in a quantity or degree that answers a purpose or satisfies a need or desire; sufficiently.

4.fully or quite: ready enough.

After putting together my series on enough at the end of last year I wanted to carry it through and allow it to be a part of who I am.

Last year my word was define. My idea was that I would finally get to writing my mission statement and setting my goals.  To put together my project of defining me.  Yet I ended the year in a very different place.  To define means to set the meaning of and determine the boundaries of a word.  So to define me I had to strip away everything that didn't fit with me.  It meant simplifying my life.  Clearing the clutter and the unfinished projects and deciding what I really wanted to be doing and who I want to be.

I came across this verse while clearing my diary from 2012.  Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed -  PROV 16:3.  After reading this post by Amanda at Always Amanda and this post at To Overflowing. I need to remember that while I have plans and dreams I always need to leave room for God to write the story.  So here is to this year and living a full life of white space and margin by discovering what is enough.

One word

My word for this year. Define..
de·fine
   [dih-fahyn] Show IPA verb -fined, -fin·ing.
verb (used with object)
1. to state or set forth the meaning of (a word, phrase, etc.): They disagreed on how to define “liberal.”
2. to explain or identify the nature or essential qualities of; describe: to define judicial functions.
3. to fix or lay down definitely; specify distinctly: to define one's responsibilities.
4. to determine or fix the boundaries or extent of: to define property with stakes.
5. to make clear the outline or form of: The roof was boldly defined against the sky.

There are so many things going around in my head about who I am and what I want to be doing. I want this year to be about defining me.

I first came across the idea of a word of the year through Ali Edwards blog. You can read about it here. I love the concept and how it has shaped my past two years. I am looking forward to where it will take me.

It has been awhile

I keep meaning to write. I have so many things that I have learnt and want to pass on. I have posted so many times on my creative blog. It seems easier. Its not that I have nothing to say I have just been doing it. Living life and having a chance to write about it are each a full time thing.

So when I sat down to check out some of my favourites for some reflection and inspiration I was amazed just how relevant they are for me right now. And I had to share it. I have been asking a lot of questions lately and the answers keep on coming.

I started here at A life in need of change and here at Big Mama.

One thing that I have really been wanting to post is my word for the year - be {a whole post in itself}. Reading these really reiterated why I chose this word. To know oneself and what one ought to be and be it.

One word 2010

I read this awesome post from Ali Edwards at the start of the year. Be sure to check out the links as she explains it really well

My word for this year is

BREATHE

I chose it because I am focusing this year on decluttering and simplifying. I want to be enjoying life and I am certain that the process I am going through is going to enable me to do the things that I want to be doing. I realise just how important it is to stop and breathe. To think before I act and to slow down and take in all the things around me.