OLW 2017

Hi lovies! I chose the word "Humble" this year. Definition includes "having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance" and "offered with or affected by a modest estimate of one's own importance".

This word can be misunderstood quite easily, and I do not intend to live it as a negative influence (berating, demeaning, or lowly). I am choosing to utilize this OLW as living more simply, more modest, more respectful. Sort of a less talking, more listening approach (if that makes sense).

This word found me, in several ways recently, and I knew that it was to be my OLW for 2017.

I've chosen a OLW for several years now, and truth be told, I always have the best of intentions sticking with it throughout the year, but somewhere in the middle it diminishes and by the end of the year I come back to it just in time to choose another word. This year, I have chosen to be active in really living and working my OLW. This year, I have joined Ali Edwards OLW year-long class. I am mostly excited, and a bit nervous, but overall I am really looking to commit myself to this creative process.

One Little Word : 2016

Can you believe it's here already... 2016... the New Year!!
And you know what that means...
Time to pick this year's One Little Word.

In the past I've chosen words that reflect my intentions for my family, and my position as a mother. Protect, Awareness, Keep, Positivity. This year rings true to much of the same. It might surprise you, it might not. My OLW for 2016 is...

Pray

While this very much could have been the last 6 months of 2015, I've decided to make it my focus for 2016.

Why?

With all that is happening in the world, the death and destruction, the anger and hate, it is a scary time to live.
I'm just one person...with a worldly problem, what can I do to help?
I can pray.

There are so many friends and family members currently being affected by tragic events such as cancer, murder, and suicide.
I'm just one person... with such tragedy, what can I do to help?
I can pray.

Within my immediate family, we have been through troubling and trying times. Times that will test our hearts, letting go of old and swallowing new.
I'm just one person...with more times tested on the horizon, what can I do to help?
I can pray.


In this last year I have been down on my knees talking to God more times that I ever had before. I foresee that will increase as I hope 2016 will find answers and acceptance for so many who surround my world.

My prayer for you... is that you find all the things you so richly deserve in 2016. I pray that you find peace, and love. This might sound general and hallmark'y (yes, I made that up... Jen-ism) but I truly mean it. I want those I love to be deeply grateful for this beautiful life and ultimately happy with the gifts we are given daily. Simple gifts life the sun shining, being able to talk to our parents or siblings, loving our children, food in our bellies.

One Little Word : 2015

I fully acknowledge that I have become a "sometimes blogger". Sometimes I'm all about it, sometimes not so much. Typically I blog to vent, or release what's going on in my personal life. The really great thing is that it is my blog and you are not forced to read it.

With all that being said, I choose to participate in Ali Edward's One Little Word project annually, mostly because I have been partaking in this "tradition" since it's inception. Whether I've blogged about it, or journaled about it at home, it has become something that I like to give some attention to. 

And so, my OLW 2015 is... (drumroll please)...

Awareness

This word has come up in multiple current aspects of my life. I feel that it is going to be abundantly used, it needs to be abundantly used. 

It is confounding how we as people, as human beings, can go through life almost completely unaware. Daily life, schedules, appointments, agendas, routine, it all becomes repetitive, monotonous, mundane. We become so disconnected to ourselves and the people around us. We are too tired or too busy or sometimes simply forget to invest our time and attention to each other and into the things we love. We don't do this intentionally, we just become too unconscious. 

For me, personally, I need to bring back the awareness of my every moment. I need to become better aware of my actions towards other people, more aware of the decisions I make, more aware of the way I treat and view myself (this one is super tough for me). I truly believe that if I can keep awareness, nothing but positive and beautiful things will follow. 

Cheers to a happy and healthy 2015!! xoxo

One Little Word : 2014

It's about that time again.... Ali Edward's One Little Word. This year, I've chosen a word that has been in my heart for the past month. My One Little Word is...

Protect

I feel as though my life and my livelihood has been being attacked, mentally and spiritually, physically and emotionally. I have come to recognize that sometimes I put myself and my family and my beliefs in open waters for others to violate. I need to be aggressive in taking back the responsibilities of my life and my livelihood.

My family, my children... they are my everything and I will protect them with all that I have.
My heart ...has been broken more times than I care to share. I will protect it, but will remain open to love.
My relationships... those need to be protected. Far too often I take them for granted, and I need to secure them with love and kindness and generosity.

My hopes are that this year be prosperous for my family. We've been through so much turmoil over the past few years, I pray that beauty shine through the ugly and all that is positive prevail.

One Little Word : 2013

Hello beautiful people! Happy New Year! And what a year it's been, hehe.


So... as I said before... I am totally choosing a word for Ali Edward's One Little Word ... and it is...

Positivity

I don't even think this is a real word (like dictionary word) so we're gonna go ahead and call it a Jen-ism. Seems fitting. 

The short-story on how I chose this word goes like this...
I kept seeing this word and using this word for, like, days and days in a row and I just really wanted something that means 2013 is going to be OUR year! 

No more deaths. No more money problems. No more binges. No more excuses. No more weeks on end of  sadness.

It's going to be a YEAR FULL OF POSITIVITY because we are going to wake up every morning and choose to be positive, to make someone's day by giving them a compliment, by talking someone off the ledge, by taking that flower arrangement class that you've always wanted to, by eating beautiful and healthy foods, by getting out and walking or running or hiking a mountain, by being grateful for every single breath of life that our glorious God has given to us!

Right!! Now go out ... and infect others with POSITIVITY!

Love Yous!

quiet.

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I've spent alot of time in the quiet. Not something I am used to. No sounds, no commotion. It's peaceful and disturbing to me. It is much needed and most avoided. 

You see, I like chaos. I like being so busy that it forces you deal with the task at hand instead of what is eating away at you inside.

Yesterday, I spent the better half of the day in silence. (I would say complete silence, but I was doing laundry so the whirl of clothes being beaten by water and thrown around by air where a constant muffled background noise.) I like background noise. I need background noise. For me, the television has always been my background noise, exactly like my Dad. I don't have to be watching it, but its a comfort to have it on.

Here is some trivia for you. I have to have the television on when I sleep. The minute the self timer goes off, I'm up and panicked and rushing to turn it back on. The self timer is just to appease my husband so that he can actually get some sleep. lol.

But the night before last, I turned the television off and (eventually) fell asleep in dark silence.

When I woke (early) I took comfort and refuge in the quiet. I embraced it, and carried it with me throughout the day. It gave me space to think about the things that I was avoiding. It gave me clarity to see the things I was choosing not to see. It was enlightening and powerful and terrifying.

Like I said, I was doing laundry (27 loads, I'm still working on) and I was walking around the house trying to clean, pick up, anything! But it didn't matter what I was doing physically, because mentally I was in the quiet. So bizarre and so rare, for me. I am used to having (quite literally) a hundred different things in my head. I know it's a 'mom' thing... 'whats for dinner', the boys needs new shoes, the car needs an oil change, don't forget to check the kids nook history, make a grocery list, make sure to double the ingredients for the soups and chili, balance the checkbook, call the lender'... but for me... I like to add things to my brain that really have no business being there... 'how many miles is it from Phoenix to Virginia, how many customers died last year, is the world really going to end soon, what would it be like to adopt a child, how can I help the starving kids in the world, I want season dinner theater tickets, what if I get cancer, what if Mom gets sick, how many weird worlds biggest things are there in the US, how far is the Grand Canyon from my house...' anything to avoid thinking about the things inside of me that I should be dealing with... need to deal with.

With this holiday season taking the top spot for suckiest holiday season ever... I wasn't doing any New Years resolutions or yearly goals or anything like that (those of you who know me, know that I love my 'New Beginnings') but after yesterday, the quiet got me thinking about Ali Edwards' One Little Word project. I don't know if its something I'll participate in necessarily, but I think for Me... for 2011... I think my word will be Quiet.

What would your word be?