Oct 4, 2016

SIMPLIFY: ONE LITTLE WORD 2016 (Q2 and Q3)


My One Little Word for 2016 is SIMPLIFY.  

This is my fourth year doing the One Little Word project and my third year following along with Ali Edwards' workshop of the same name.

I chose the word SIMPLIFY out of a desire to focus on and devote attention to the things that were most important to me while letting go of everything else.  I spent some serious time thinking about the core elements of my life - the things that make me happiest and that give me the most peace.  My goal is to keep these things front and center and let everything else fall by the wayside.

This year, my word just feels right.  It feels like I've found my sweet spot.  While I feel like all of my words have made positive impacts on my life, SIMPLIFY is blowing the rest of them out of the water.

The big thing I have to say about my word, just now, is how thankful I am that I chose it.

It has given me permission, time and time again, to slow down and to say no.  When things get out of hand - either in the real world or just in my head - I remind myself to just slow down.  There is no rush and there is no reason that I have to do or be or have beyond what's right in front of me.

It has allowed me to see how much the world is focused on more.  Do more.  Be more.  Buy more.  Have more.  Earn more.  Share more.  When I say, "the world," I'm not discounting my own part in this.  These desires for more get stirred up quite easily in my own heart and my own nature.

It has helped me to focus.  I set intentions for myself at the beginning of the year.  They are centered on my spiritual life, my physical health, our finances, our home and our family.  This is it.  These are THE things.

It has helped me to look for places to streamline.  Just like everyone else in the world, I don't want to spend time doing things I don't like to do.  And, just like everyone else in the world, I want more time for the things I love.  With my word as inspiration, I've found ways to improve my like to don't like ratio.

And now, I'm looking ahead to the new year.  I'm not letting go of this word for a few more months or, really, ever but I'm thinking about ways I can build on it in 2017.  When I decided on SIMPLIFY, I hoped that it would be a word that could help me build a new foundation for the next phase of parenthood and life.  I think that's just what it's done.  I am thankful.      

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Read my Q1 Update or see all of my One Little Word posts.  

1 comment:

  1. I loved this part so much: "It has given me permission, time and time again, to slow down and to say no. When things get out of hand - either in the real world or just in my head - I remind myself to just slow down. There is no rush and there is no reason that I have to do or be or have beyond what's right in front of me."

    I have also been choosing a word the past few years and they've all been action-type words. I'm thinking for 2017, I need a rest! Getting back to the basics and being content with what's right in front of me. Thanks for putting into words what my soul seems to be craving!

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