One Little Word 2017

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating this space for me to share my corner of the world.

Social media this week is full of people claiming their one little words.  This is my fourth year of choosing a OLW to guide me through the year.  Search (2013), Reach (2014), and Turn (2015) were all words that suited me well.  

I felt I had a purpose for the year. 

Last year I struggled with Intent (2016).  The word fit more with my personal life, but it failed to encompass my professional life.  Looking at my words, I also noticed that the first three were verbs.  An action I had to take.  Something I did.

Since I am a doer, I knew this year I needed another verb, and I needed something that would guide all the "people" who make up who I am.  

I began reading other peoples' words hoping that one would find me.  I thought about the words quest, journey, metanoia (means a journey of changing), and elevate. I read tweets, followed the #OneWord2017 hashtag, and poured over pins on Pinterest, hoping something would surface.  

And it did.  

I read and pinned the quote "Decide to Rise".  It lingered in my thoughts.  

It was a verb; it was an action.  But could it guide all of me?

I thought my word had found me, yet it still wasn't perfect.  How was I going to rise in the year 2017?  It needed a purpose, a focus.

I found my answer through a post written by Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience. I discovered how I was going to purposely extend my word across an entire year.  

Last year, Ann made a list of verbs for each month and attached a noun to make a "SOULution" instead of a resolution.  I knew my one little word was leading me in a new direction.  (This also makes the fourth word that has been influenced by Ann. Read how she previously influenced me here and here.)

I have made my own list of twelve verbs and attached a purpose to each one, very similar to Ann's.  Now I hope to RISE each day with: 

love on my lips, 

hope in my heart, 

and thankfulness in my thoughts.

My word has a purpose for each month, a purpose to make a difference in my life and the lives of others.  They are not resolutions, but instead, a way to look positively in the year ahead.  I look forward to writing about and sharing my one little word this year with all of you.