one little word

Last year, my word for the year was plan. I may have made some progress, but I'm not sure I did a whole lot with it. That may or may not have something to do with the fact that I wanted to change my word about 2 months into the year to order, but Marc had given me a plan necklace, so I felt like I should stick with it.

So I kind of assumed that order would be my word for 2011. But then, towards the end of 2010, I started thinking a lot about the word remember. I have such a terrible memory, and so many things I want to remember.

Again, I thought I had my 2011 word nailed down, but then a lot of things kept coming up that had to do with hope. Quotes that were resonating with me. I even noticed a string of my own Sunday thoughts were centered on hope. I do have hope in the big picture. I know that things are going to turn out okay. But sometimes I forget to feel hopeful in the short run, in the everyday chaos of my life. I started to feel really good about hope, to think that this word and I might need to become more familiar with each other. I think that focusing on hope in my daily life will lead me to be less negative, and ultimately happier.

Then one evening, I was talking to Jill on the phone. She asked if I had chosen my word for the year yet. I told her that I was 95% sure it was going to be hope. Shortly after that, I told her that I had ordered my necklace and was waiting for it to arrive. She burst out laughing. Then, and only then did I realize that apparently I had already chosen my word.

Gosh, do you think I should have gone with remember?? Good. grief.


hope

1. the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best
2. grounds for this feeling in a particular instance
3. a person or thing in which expectations are centered
4. to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence
5. to believe, desire, or trust


"The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance, but live right in it, under its roof."— Barbara Kingsolver

one little word 2010

In 2009, I chose to focus on the word progress:

"I think it will be good for me to focus on making progress. I still have a lot of areas I'd like to improve in, but I want to be able to applaud myself for every little movement I make in the right direction. I want to be pleased with what I accomplish, rather than upset with all that I have not yet accomplished. I want to learn to accept myself where I am, right now, be gentle with my efforts to improve, and appreciative of any and all growth. For a perfectionist like me, I think it will prove to be a real challenge."

Looking back, I wonder if this choice of word was a bit of a cop-out. Maybe I was disillusioned with my ability to fully embrace free (for 2 years!). I think maybe I was just overwhelmed and feeling the need to be kind to myself.

I find myself wondering if I never really got to the point of accepting "progress, not perfection", because now I am back to desiring real change. Actually, I think I did a great job at the acceptance part -- perhaps not as well as I could have at the progressing part. In any case, I still feel that progress was what I needed at the time. But now, I need something different.

After considering several words for the past week or so, I have narrowed my selection to:

PLAN

I had a bit of an epiphany when I realized that, for all of the things that I really want to accomplish this year, probably the biggest roadblock I would face would be a lack of planning. Could it really be that simple? That by having more frequent meetings with myself, as Jill says, I could put into action so many of the things that I want to have happen in my life? I think it could. In fact, I'm feeling really optimistic.

I did a quick search for some quotes, and now I am feeling even better about my choice:

Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan. -- Norman Vincent Peale

Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan. -- Tom Landry

It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan. -- Eleanor Roosevelt

If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much. -- Jim Rohn

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. -- George S. Patton

Reduce your plan to writing. The moment you complete this, you will have definitely given concrete form to the intangible desire. -- Napoleon Hill

If you fail to plan, plan to fail. (unknown)

The Eleanor Roosevelt one is really resonating with me.

So if you're like me, and you are wondering how you can get more out of the experience of having a word for the year, here are some ideas:

1. Every time you make a list, write your word at the top of it, so it is always in front of you. I saw this in a comment on Ali Edwards' blog, and loved it. The act of repeatedly writing my word will, I think, keep it from becoming just another sign on the fridge that I don't see anymore. Heaven knows I make a lot of lists, so this may just be genius.

2. Make a wordle with quotes about your word or just your feelings about it. It's easy and fun!

3. Download this worksheet. Then fill it out! I'm planning to do this, I see it as a fleshing-out of my intentions and plans for the year.

Here's to a year of positive change in 2010!!

progress

And now, a little progress report.

See, normally I would be bemoaning the fact that I haven't made more progress in 2009. But I'm trying to be kinder to myself. I'm giving myself a break and remembering that I was sick for two weeks and I've had sick kids. In short, I'm celebrating every little bit of progress.

I have cut down on my candy consumption. That's progress.

I started exercising again after almost two months off. And after seeing Kristi's post from the gym where her bike was telling her to pedal faster, I did. I upped my workout difficulty and duration and have been doing it for three weeks now. That's progress.

I've been better about washing my face at night. That's progress.

I had a cleaning epiphany: I discovered by chance that it only took 10 minutes to do my dreaded task of mopping. 10 minutes! (Not a thorough mopping like Emily's where she wiped down all the cupboards, but still...) I can do anything for 10 minutes. I should be mopping a lot more frequently now. That's progress.

I painted the inside of the front door and the door trim. I also painted the shelves for our interminable bookcase project, which brings it nearer to completion. That's progress.

I've been reading my scriptures absolutely every night. That's progress.

Here's to more. And more...

one little word

After two years of focusing on the word free, I found I was having a hard time letting go.

I've been working on being:

free of negative self-talk
free of stuff I don't need or use
free of excess weight
free of the constraints I put on myself

After two years of free-thinking, I have managed to get rid of a LOT of stuff that I don't need or use. I've even managed to change my thinking about stuff quite a bit -- I don't want as much as I used to, I don't want to have to take care of and organize that much stuff. Throwing things out and giving things away has had a very freeing effect.

As far as negative self-talk and constraints I put on myself.... I think I have made some progress. I could certainly do more in that department.

As for excess weight... sigh. I'm no better off there than I was when I started.

In truth, I could see myself sticking with that word forever... or at least a good long time, but I felt like maybe I was losing focus. The cute green polka-dot Free sign on my fridge was starting to be just another part of my landscape, rather than a motivational dictum.

So I started trying on different words. At first, I thought about choosing something that comes a little more easily to me... say, calm. But even though I do work at being calm, I knew that wouldn't really be a stretch. Then, I tried some other words, but they all ended up just being synonymous with free.

Finally, I found it:

prog⋅ress

  –noun

1.	a movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage

2.	advancement in general.

3.	growth or development; continuous improvement

4.	the development of an individual or society in a direction considered more beneficial than and superior to the previous level.

5.	forward or onward movement

–verb

6.	to go forward or onward in space or time

7.	to grow or develop

I think it will be good for me to focus on making progress. I still have a lot of areas I'd like to improve in, but I want to be able to applaud myself for every little movement I make in the right direction. I want to be pleased with what I accomplish, rather than upset with all that I have not yet accomplished. I want to learn to accept myself where I am, right now, be gentle with my efforts to improve, and appreciative of any and all growth.

For a perfectionist like me, I think it will prove to be a real challenge.

spt -- new you

When I posted about my one little word last year, I never suspected that so many people would get on board!

I also never suspected that everyone would run with it and make so much more out of it than I did. I'm actually feeling pretty disappointed about how little progress I managed to make toward freeing myself in 2007. I expressed my disappointment to Jill, and she suggested I hold onto my word a little longer. Eureka! No one's forcing me to choose a new focus before I'm ready! {here's me, climbing out of my box}

So I'm doing it. I'm holding onto my little word free. And I've narrowed my focus even further. I really want to make progress in 2008 -- I'd like to become nearer to:

free of negative self-talk
free of stuff I don't need or use
free of excess weight
free of the constraints I put on myself

Here's hoping I can make more of it than I did in 2007. Now I just have to have that meeting with myself to figure out how I am going implement my goals!

p.s. My kingdom for a snowblower!