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One Little Word for 2018?

lmccandless

lmccandless

The Force is strong with this one.
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
20,894
Who is thinking about their One Little Word for 2018? I always love hearing your plans.

Sometimes I feel like my word finds me more than the other way around. In the last 4 years, I've done flourish, walk, balance and joy. I am leaning towards light for 2018.
 
I'm not going to do any official one little word stuff, but I do love the idea of choosing a word and clinging to it throughout the year. I am considering balance or joy. I think my family has struggled with balancing things in the past 6 months and it has taken a toll on me emotionally. I would like to work on balancing things out this coming year. But then there's joy. I also want to focus on choosing joy ALL the time. 2016 was probably the hardest year of my life and I struggled immensely, feeling like I was in survival mode a lot of the time. But, regardless of the circumstances, I want to choose joy and focus on the positive and not let myself be weighed down my worry or sadness or anything else negative. I kind of feel like joy can encompass what I am striving for with balance too, so after writing this I think I am leaning more towards joy :heartlub
 
I've never done the "one little word" thing, but I do have a motto for 2018. My daughter gave a sermon Christmas Eve morning which she mentioned that it was still Advent -- Advent 4. She talked about the angel coming to Mary and saying "Do not be afraid"....and how that message is also for us. So I'm going to write on my planner -- Do Not Be Afraid. This is a wonderful reminder. My husband lost his job a couple months ago and found another one, but without benefits and part-time. We are hanging in there and using Cobra for insurance, but as I worry about the future, I will say "Do not be afraid".
 
I have never officially done a One Little Word, but I do think about it every year and usually have something I generally want to focus on. Funny, I was just thinking the other day that I really like Light. I follow several LDS families on Instagram and they were talking about their Light the World campaign. It got me thinking about how that might work in my life and with my family. Plus, I also felt like it could take on several meanings in my day to day world. Light is really important to me in many ways. I might have to put a more conscious effort in to it this year :)
 
kimingvtx said:
I've never done the "one little word" thing, but I do have a motto for 2018. My daughter gave a sermon Christmas Eve morning which she mentioned that it was still Advent -- Advent 4. She talked about the angel coming to Mary and saying "Do not be afraid"....and how that message is also for us. So I'm going to write on my planner -- Do Not Be Afraid. This is a wonderful reminder. My husband lost his job a couple months ago and found another one, but without benefits and part-time. We are hanging in there and using Cobra for insurance, but as I worry about the future, I will say "Do not be afraid".
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I can so relate to this one and clung to it a couple of years ago. I'm working on it now as well. My husband was laid off in August and is hoping to return to work after the first of the year, but a few years ago he had lost his job and we went through the part-time deal for quite a while. I repeat "Do not be afraid" often.
 
cinderella said:
I was thinking about doing it, but I couldn't decide on just one word. So I guess ny word should be "decide".
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Lol...you're too funny, Cindy!! I'd definitely go for it.

I pick a word every year and try to "live" by it. In a way, for me it has become almost a New Year's resolution that I try to keep. I haven't picked my word for 2018 yet. I'm still thinking about it. Maybe I should use "decide" too. ;)

In all seriousness though, I think I'm going to go with something along the line of discipline or reform. I'm putting myself on a budget (which I haven't done since I was saving to buy my first house in 1997). I've cancelled most of my kit clubs beginning in 2018 (I have so many that they barely get used).

There's a laundry list of changes I want to make to streamline and simplify my life, so I can focus on what I really want to do...scrap, get my website up and running, and start making hybrid process videos on YouTube. Now...where did I put that discipline??
 
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IntenseMagic said:
I repeat "Do not be afraid" often.
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I'm going through a period of great fear too right now, and I often look at a giant painting I have in my house that says:

The will of God will never take you where the grace of God will not protect you.

May this be a reassuring message for both of our fears, and I hope that everything works out for your hubby the way you want going forward. :heartlub
 
londoncuppa said:
Lol...you're too funny, Cindy!! I'd definitely go for it.

I pick a word every year and try to "live" by it. In a way, for me it has become almost a New Year's resolution that I try to keep. I haven't picked my word for 2018 yet. I'm still thinking about it. Maybe I should use "decide" too. ;)
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Decide sounds better than "Make up your mind already!!!", that also crossed my mind... See? I can't even decide on "decide"!
 
I have used Focus for the last couple of years and it definitely caused me to "focus" on some things in my life so this year my OLW will be "change". I need to make some changes in both my professional life as well as my personal life.

First and foremost I need to change my personal life to become healthier. My weight has got a little out of control (at least in my opinion) and I need to refocus and change the way I am eating. That will also help my 2nd goal which is to strive for improving my finances and save more money (hubby is wanting to retire in the next couple of years so I need to watch my spending). It's funny that I can do a better job on eating but the cutting back on spending is tough (especially with all those wonderful goodies in the store).
 
rdjrneace said:
I have used Focus for the last couple of years and it definitely caused me to "focus" on some things in my life so this year my OLW will be "change".
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I used "focus" in a recent year too. It did help me to focus that year on changes I wanted to make. Changes I want to make this year are going to require discipline because I have 2 hobbies...scrapping and shopping for scrapping supplies!
 
This is a great thread! So many good ideas! :beat I love doing OLW- and a few years back, I chose the word "Author" - I have never let it go- because it really works so well on keeping me focused and responsible for my actions- I have a pinboard I use to put inspiring quotes and keep my word on my radar- I think that "hunting" for pins to add really helps me too! :yup
 
I try this most years but it has never really worked for me. But that doesn't mean I should stop trying.

My word will be RENEW.
Lot's of reasons but I cannot really put it to words. So I won't.

ForeverJoy said:
I have a pinboard I use to put inspiring quotes and keep my word on my radar- I think that "hunting" for pins to add really helps me too! :yup
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So I have a pinboard now too! :D This idea is amazing. Hopefully it will help me on track.
 
I love to choose "one little word". Its much more attainable IMO than a new years resolution. It encompasses more yet can be less restrictive than a resolution. This coming year, I want to focus on "balance".
  • work
  • play
  • hobbies
  • exercise (strength training and yoga)
  • food (meal planning, freezer cooking)
  • organization
These are all areas I want to find a workable balance for in the new year. Not so much a schedule for things as a way to encorporate all this into my lifestyle without feeling pulled in too many directions. So, if everything is more in balance, then I should feel more centered, less stressed, about life in general.
 
I think I paid one year for OLW and never followed through. But I try to pick a word. One year was Kind. Another was Joy and I made a pinterest board too. Fearless might be a good word for me. I'd love to use Joy again. I don't think I did a word at all last year.
 
So I'm a hardcore OLWer and put way too much thought into choosing my word each year... and I am breaking those rules for 2018 with the word I have chosen. :)

2017 was a good year for my family after many years of survival and hanging on and just barely making it. It ended with me getting a good job that I really enjoy that we are just starting to see the benefits of now after a few weeks there. We are finally going to thrive vs. survive in 2018, and I can't wait!

I normally choose a verb so that I can focus on doing vs. being but next year's word is going to be #extra (yes, with the hashtag) which is a fun/hip/cutesy way of saying 'self-care' (but where's the fun in that?!). I am finally going to focus on me and do things for me that I've been putting off or choosing not to do because I thought people would judge me/we couldn't afford it/I didn't think I was brave enough --- nice makeup, a nose piercing, matching tats with my bestie, massages, trips by myself to visit friends/family, all the leopard print & floral & glitter/sparkle & pink I can find, singing or dancing lessons, Bible study/women's group/some other way to meet people & make friends, etc.

I'm going to be all in, all the time which, to me, is the very definition of #extra.
 
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