One Little Word 2011

I talked about my one little word for 2011 on the LifeInk blog already (and I encourage you to go read that post), but since then I've found a few more great resources for delving a little deeper into this amazingly powerful concept. Ali Edwards is teaching a class at Big Picture Classes on this topic, and it's only $36 for the year-long class!

I also stumbled across these gorgeous necklaces from Liz Lamoreux  on Etsy - how awesome would it be to wear your word around!? I'm thinking of mentioning this to my husband as a possible anniversary/V-day gift ;). She has brass teardrop, washer, and circle shapes available, with your word stamped in the metal, and your choice of chain length. So very cool.

Christine Kane published a worksheet titled "Your Word of the Year Discovery Tool" that walks you through selecting your word, then answering a series of questions/journaling prompts designed to get you clear and focused about why you selected this word and what kind of results you want from it this year. Well, the worksheet explains it better than I do!

So over the past few days, as I have time in between toddler meltdowns, diaper explosions, organizing the new apartment, cleaning, cooking, etc., I've worked through these questions. I'd like to share a few insights I gained into my word for 2011, "BELIEVE."

One question Christine asks is "In what ways do you already live/embody this word? I wrote that I already believe in God, I believe I have intrinsic worth as His child, and I believe He has a plan for me. I'm not sure, however, that I actually "embody" these statements. Another question asks what would be different in my life if I embraced and lived my word daily. If I lived out the word "believe," I think it would/will dramatically change my everyday living, my outlook on life, the way I respond to trials and struggles, and the way I think about myself and my purpose.
For example, if I believe that I am a talented, gifted, creative writer/editor/scrapbooker and actually live out that belief, how freeing that would be! Instead of battling insecurity and feeling that this article/blog post/scrapbook page isn't good enough, or that I have nothing original to contribute, I would be emotionally freed to simply create.
Another question she poses is "What old patterns, Default Settings, or beliefs have kept you from living this word until now?" As part of my answer, I wrote that I am full of "default beliefs" programmed into me since childhood at home and church. I believe these things, sure, but I've never internalized them for myself, so they are only a surface and superficial part of my life. One of my goals this year is to reexamine my basic beliefs, about God and about myself, and make them mine - not my parents' or my church's, but mine.
I certainly haven't covered every area of this 9-page worksheet. Many of my answers are too personal to share, but I hope I've inspired you to dig a little deeper into this "One Little Word" fad, and figure out your "why" and "how." For me, this year I will embrace my word "Believe" in two broad areas of my life: believe in myself, and believe in God. By first nailing down precisely what I believe, and then internalizing those beliefs on the soul-level, I believe that my life will radically change.

How about you? Have you taken the time to explore your word for 2011, your reasons for choosing that word, and what you hope to accomplish this year with that word? Did you learn anything? I'd love to hear your thoughts!