one little word | update

i am... moving along in my one little word album. although i am not sure my word full is moving me to change my life or is the center of my thinking, this class is reminding me that i had goals at the beginning of the year that i want to achieve.

on several occasions the word has popped into my head and i've thought, i told myself i was going to live life to the fullest. am i doing that? are the choices i am making reflecting my goals? am i giving this my full attention? it's a little voice in the back of my head. it's not a constant thought but it's enough to sometimes push me in the right direction. and it's just what i need.

for may we got to play with paint and stencils and mist. i had to tell myself to let go and have fun. for me it's ok to follow the leader and not feel like i have to be completely different. i want to complete the assignment and i want to enjoy the work.

the task was to make 9 art cards and describe who i am.

my process followed ali's pretty closely. i cut the paper to fit the pockets. i painted them with gesso to get a heavier texture. i stamped and stenciled with grey paint. then i covered everything with a light coat of white to tone down the grey and make it more subtle.  i misted with more stencils and pink and gold mist. i stamped the "i am" at the top of each card and wrote out my statements.

what i loved about this process was that i had to be patient, something i struggle with. every layer has to dry before you can add the next layer. i had no expectation about how i wanted them to turn out. i didn't overthink or worry about if it looked "right." i just did it. sometimes playing is what it's all about.

i also took some time to finish up a few of the previous months' prompts.

the vision board is the one i get stuck on every year. in fact this is the first time i've completed it. but i didn't make a big board.

i get overwhelmed with all of the images and words. instead i made a smaller scale piece using the phrases and words that stood out to me. and i love it.

march was an action assignment. what things can i do that will help me achieve the goals i set for myself? here are the five i am working on at the moment. making some progress. i'm sure i will add to the list as the year moves along.

the opposite page is supposed to have printed pictures that visually represent my word. i have the photos ready to be printed but need to upload and pick them up at costco. on the to do list.

i'm also filling out these reflection cards every month. it's something new for me and i'm enjoying them.

we will get a new prompt on monday for june.  hoping to get the april photos in the book before then so i am up to date.

here is the post with the first few pages of my book.

i hope you are still in touch with your word for the year if you chose one. it's never too late to refocus and revisit the reasons you chose your word or choose one now.

it's a small thing that can have a huge impact.

olw | january

as i mentioned before i am taking ali edwards' year long one little word class.  my goal this year is to finish.  to do every assignment and complete the album.  most of the assignments are easy and they are always fun so that should keep me motivated.

i am using an 8 1/2 by 11 we r memory keepers album and page protectors for this class. and my goal is to keep it simple and not overthink the process.  just go for it.

my intro page is this quote i found at the beginning of the year.  it is so full of hope and that is how i want the year to go.

my next page is my blog post from january introducing my word.  then there are some worksheets with prompts.

-in what ways is this word already a part of your life?
-what do you want more//less of?
-what do i fear most in 2015?
-what am i most excited about in 2015?

on the back page are my intentions for my word.  one of my intentions is to fill my mind with positive thoughts so that negativity and fear cannot exist. the yoga is helping!

the next page is a 9 pocket page protector that i cut down.  ali provided some small cards to fill out and then we got to be creative for the other pockets.

i used studio calico cards, a transparency, and some old acrylic letters to fill in those spots.

i also wanted to include a picture of me, taken in new orleans last year, and a picture of my family, because that is what makes my life full.

i included the card i hand wrote.  it's double sided so on the front of the card i added some word tiles from a recent studio calico kit.

overall i am happy with how this turned out.  i think setting the intentions and clarifying why i chose the word will be a great reminder throughout the year.

i am really excited about this month's lesson as well of making a vision board.  i have my magazines and scissors ready to take that on.

my one little word for 2015 | full

Quote from oprah.com

one little word. one simple reminder of my goals, my priority, my focus.  an anchor.  a vision of what i want my year to be.  something to work for and lots to work on.

that is what my one little word has done for me every year.  it's a concept that ali edwards writes about, and many other people do, instead of resolutions at the beginning of the year.  i've been choosing a word for 7 years.  and it's been one of the best things i've done.  better than any resolution i've made, or kept.  better than a to do list for the year.  it's simple but effective.  at least it has been for me.

in the past my words have been; resolve, gratitude, time, focus, happy and dare. each one has meant something different to me. i still think about those words and the impact it has had on my life - big and small.

last year i couldn't settle on a word. i felt like i was forcing it, so i didn't choose one.  and as i have mentioned before, last year was a little weird.  i'm not saying that not choosing a word is what made the difference but i know that when i have that focus - and i use it - it changes things for me, in my choices and in how i approach situations.

so this year i am on board again.  and excited to see what happens.  in choosing a word i thought about what i want the outcome of the year to be.  in december of 2015 how do i want to describe my year?  i can say that in the past i had a year where i dared myself to try new things, a year where i focused on photography, and a year where i chose happiness.

so for 2015 i want to say my year was FULL.  a year full of adventure and laughter.  i want to have lived a full life.  i want to have a full heart with love and compassion.  i want to enjoy my full house.  i want to recognize when my plate is full - and be ok with saying no.  i want to have enjoyed things that were full of flavor and not cheat myself with junk.  there is a definite end goal here.

something that helps me pick a word is looking up quotes.  originally i thought my word was going to be thrive.  i love that thrive had a physical, emotional and financial component.  as i was looking up quotes i found many that said fill your heart with...  a full life is...  so i thought hmmm, maybe full is my word. and that's the one that stuck with me.

the other awesome thing is that i can adjust as the year goes along.  i am finding a connection with the words fill and fulfill.  fill is an action word and i love that.  i can fill things the way i want so eventually it will get full.  i think they go hand in hand.

i joined in on the one little word class taught by ali edwards and will be working on the monthly assignments.  my goal is to have a book full of inspiration and experiences that will help me see my own personal growth throughout the year.  now that's exciting.

for this month we worked on writing definitions, things we want to let go of, and our intentions.  i have taken this class in the past but i don't think i have ever been this engaged with the assignments as i am this year, or at least this month.

one of the exercises asked

what am i most excited about in 2015?

here's my answer:

"CHANGE - i'm ready for this next phase in our lives, more success, possibly a new career path for me that will bring accomplishment and personal satisfaction.  i'm excited to watch each of us grow and mature and come together at the end of the day to share our stories.  i feel like this year is a big year for us."

for me there is something about putting my thoughts down on paper.  expressing what i want.  it helps me immensely.  that is the biggest reason why i blog.  and one of my goals this year is to write something everyday.  to fill a page with words.  it's part of who i am.  i have filled a calendar with blog post ideas and will be posting on a regular basis.  did you notice i blogged 5 times this week?  my goal is to post 3-5 times a week.  but i will also write just for myself.  a quote, a thought, something the kids say that i want to remember.  writing is a big focus for me this year.

i know a few of my friends are going to join me in picking a word and find ways to make it a part of their year.  i'm excited to share this experience with them.  i hope you give this idea some thought.  let it sink in, and then choose a word.  it's really that simple.

have a great weekend.

one little word

Source: sundayinbed.tumblr.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

it's the start of a new year.  that means resolutions are on everyone's mind.  we all make them in some way or another.  some last all year and some never see the light of february.

i used to make them. but now i choose a word that i want to focus on throughout the year.  this will be my sixth year choosing a word. and what a difference it has made in my life.

2007 - resolve
2008 - gratitude
2009 - time
2010 - focus
2011 - happy

it's a concept that is all over the inter web.  but i read about it on ali's blog all those years ago.  she even has a class that i've taken that is a monthly reminder to live your word.

last year i chose happy as my one little word.  how did it go?  amazing.  i learned so much about choosing happiness over waiting for it to happen to me.  that quote at the top is as simple as it gets. this word was all about living in the moment and not worrying about the what if's.  something that i work on all the time. i truly felt like this year i smiled more, laughed more, felt true joy in my heart.

so i will carry happiness with me as i move into 2013.

every year i wait for my word to come to me.  i'd hear something and jot it down.  i would see the same word over and over and it would stick.  the word that was present over the last few months was "brave."  i started pinning quotes and letting the word settle.  then i was reading a post by brene brown about her new book, "daring greatly".  that took me to a quote that she references and i knew that "brave" was not my word, "dare" was.

here's the quote i read:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” —Theodore Roosevelt 

i had to ask myself the question "do i dare?"  i live a safe and comfortable life.  i like the known and fear the unknown.  i don't take chances.  maybe it's time that i do.  i'm ready for an adventure.  for  something different.

i have plans to truly live my word.  i am taking the olw class again this year and am so excited to see what happens.  and i will dare myself to try things, to accomplish things and to finish things.  and then i will dare you to try them.

so... dare #1
choose a word.  simple as that.  find a word you connect with.  think about where you want to be at the end of 2013.  do you want to be more balanced, calmer, more focused or more brave.  take a look at this list of words that people have chosen.  which one says something to you.  choose a word and see what happens. i dare you.

in 2013 i will dare myself in many ways.  no more thinking about it, planning for or waiting to be ready.  no, it's time to get it done.  and even if i fail, i will fail while daring greatly.

one little word

focus
what a journey this word and i have had this year.

it is the word that helped me reach so many of my goals.
it is the word that kept me moving, growing and dreaming.
it kept me wondering and reaching.
it surprised me and challenged me.
it made me take a deep breathe.
it made me think and forced me to see things for what they are.
it was fun.
it will stay with me forever.

i especially enjoyed taking the one little word class this year.  it was a great way to keep my word present throughout the year.  i've been doing this for 4 years now and this is the first year that my word has been consistent, and a lot had to do with this class.

i am signing up again this year but focusing on my new word.

happy
i started thinking about my word a few months ago.  listening and being patient.  for a while i thought my word was going to be "intention".  but then i saw this word and i really thought about the meaning and what i want for my life in the coming year and this was it.

in 2012 i want to be happy.
simple as that.

i am happy now.  i am.  not all the time, but i have a happy life.
what i want is to be really happy.
to eat things that make me happy.
to experience things that make me happy.
to visit places that make me happy.
to be with people that make me happy.
to feel it in my soul.

i think what sealed the deal for me was reading this quote:

Source: facebook.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

i couldn't stop thinking about it.  to be happy not just for me but for others.

and then i found this:

Source: awelltraveledwoman.tumblr.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

my year will be filled with trying to do this.

i have been collecting quotes and synonyms and definitions.  if you follow me on pinterest you may have noticed that my quotes board has been filled with beautiful images of happiness.

this word feels right to me.  it's a simple word.  it's doable. and it can change everything.

i even have a second stage.  once i have the happiness thing down my word will transition to delight - something that gives great pleasure or joy. i have a feeling it will be a natural transition.


my sister gave me the happiness project a few years ago and it has been sitting on my bookshelf.  this is the year i read it.  maybe one chapter a month.  read it and put it into practice.

i am so excited to really be happy.
i hope you will consider having a word for your year.  it is truly life changing.
and i would love it if you would share your word here.  let's take this journey together.