One Little Word

[Oogiem]

As some of you know I am also a scrapbooker and one of my presents to myself is to sign up for and do the year long One Little Word scrapbook class. 

The first struggle is that this month I am supposed to pick my work for the year and set intentions for the areas related to my word that I will focus on each month. I am interpreting intentions as mini-goals or phrases to spark new thoughts. Each month we will get some assignments of scrapbook type things to do related to our word.

Other folks in the class are using words like joy or open and intentions like Open heart or open for business. 

I am struggling deciding on a single word to focus on. The suggestion is that the word should reflect who you are now or who you want to be at the end of the year. 

I'm wondering if anyone here has some brainstorming or self evaluation ideas that would help me figure out my focus word for the year.

[guest439437484421]

There are always many different ways to brainstorm.  The first one is to simply compile a list of words that you're interested in.  Once you have your list then it's just process of elimination.  I'd shoot for 100-200 words and then eliminate from there.

 

 

The next one I can think of is a bit more... interesting.  Select a few words that you would describe yoruself with.  Then on each of those words, make 1-5 off branches that either help define the word, or compliment the word.  Then on each off-branch, shoot for 1-5 more words, don't worry about repeating words.  Repeat this until you've had enough, and then eliminate until you find the one you think is best.  Or you might find that there's a word that pops up more than once, that might be an interesting one to use.

 

notice:  i'm writing this more from a writing standpoint than a scrapbooking standpoint, so YMMV.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

A word for what you want to be at the end of the year? How about "Awesome!" as in, at the end of the year I will be even more Awesome!.

[cracked_belle]

in the past, I've done crafts involving my name.  one includes first starting with your first name, throwing in adjectives & adverbs (or adjectives & nouns),  place your middle name, then do nouns & verbs (or adverbs & verbs), and end with your last name.  brief example:

James eager nervous damaged adventerous creative unpredictable Christine fitness words feline improvement canoeing writing Parker

 

(I acutally cheat and mix them all up.  something more like:  nervous James fitness adventours canoeing Christine eager writing Parker unpredicable)

 

I suggest you do that to at least brainstorm ideas.

 

then, take each idea and do a side-by-side comparrision.  NERVOUS vs FITNESS --> FITNESS wins, so on to the next one.  do this until you've widdled all but a few away.

[Oogiem]

I  went around and around most of yesterday with all sorts of possibilities. I kept writing things like fighter, ranger, leader, survive, strength, integrity, warfare, completion and then last night I woke up at about 3 am with a clear thought in my head: "You must become a strong warrior."

 

Went to the class forum this am and another person chose a role word, homemaker,  and is writing her intentions as A Homemaker .....  

 

The more I think about it the more that describes what I need to focus on this year. Between fighting to save our farm, fighting my own health issues, training my mind, and so on the word warrior (in the sense of a martial arts warrior or monk or ranger like in Middle Earth) is a complete person who is physically, mentally and emotionally ready to face the challenges of her life. 

 

So my word for the year will be warrior. 

 

Here the more correct word would be ranger but for some reason that one doesn't resonate with me in the same way warrior does. So although I will not be focusing on strength in the same sense as the Warrior class here I will become a warrior this year. 

[guest439437484421]

I  went around and around most of yesterday with all sorts of possibilities. I kept writing things like fighter, ranger, leader, survive, strength, integrity, warfare, completion and then last night I woke up at about 3 am with a clear thought in my head: "You must become a strong warrior."

 

Went to the class forum this am and another person chose a role word, homemaker,  and is writing her intentions as A Homemaker .....  

 

The more I think about it the more that describes what I need to focus on this year. Between fighting to save our farm, fighting my own health issues, training my mind, and so on the word warrior (in the sense of a martial arts warrior or monk or ranger like in Middle Earth) is a complete person who is physically, mentally and emotionally ready to face the challenges of her life. 

 

So my word for the year will be warrior. 

 

Here the more correct word would be ranger but for some reason that one doesn't resonate with me in the same way warrior does. So although I will not be focusing on strength in the same sense as the Warrior class here I will become a warrior this year. 

 

that's just awesome!  it's a strong word with PLENTY of wiggle room and interpretation for you to do almost anything, so it's perfect.  have fun!

[cracked_belle]

excellent!  I'm glad you found your word. 

[Oogiem]

And I decided on 12 intentions/goals/focus areas that make sense to me.

 

 

January A Warrior eliminates residue.

February A Warrior chooses her battles.

March A Warrior exercises her body.

April A Warrior builds community.

May A Warrior nurtures new life.

June A Warrior is strong.

July A Warrior relaxes completely.

August A Warrior makes the hard decisions.

September A Warrior handles adversity.

October A Warrior practices her skills.

November A Warrior honors commitments.

December A Warrior reflects and evaluates.