My One Little Word 2013

New Year’s Resolutions seem to last for about 5 minutes, so I had pretty much given up on them. Then I heard about “One Little Word” and decided I might have better luck with a broad concept than I did with resolutions.

My “One Little Word” seems to find me, which is wonderful. Late in the year I start paying attention to the words that come into my world with some frequency and one will almost miraculously attach itself to me.

In 2012 that word was create. I had a charm made saying “create” and wore it around my neck almost daily, reminding me of my intention to do a lot of creating.

I posted a check in with my progress here, so you can go back and get a sampling of the things I did, should you feel inclined! I ended a little on the slow side, but for most of the year I remained very focused.

In October my 2013 word found me…”happy.”

I’d been having a hard time on a number of fronts. Mistakes, disappointments – some of my own making, some not. I had concluded that having a creative business was not in my future and was feeling sad (and even a little resentful) about it.

Then on a family trip to San Francisco, I stumbled on a book called “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin. I curled up in a chair with the book and within a few minutes, I knew the concept had applications in my life. I bought it, and within the time it took to read the first four chapters I had come up with the framework for my own happiness project which will include monthly exercises in the form of an art journal, thus combining the nuts and bolts work of identifying my “happy” with being artistic for the whole year.

Within days my “Notes From the Universe” included a message about being happy, as did my “Daily Truths” from Brave Girls…seemed like every time I turned around, I was seeing the word “happy” in a context that applied to me. I began to realize that although I can’t have the creative business I so long to have, I need to find a way to recognize the “happy”  in what I CAN have.

And so “happy” became my word for this next year.

In 2012 I bought myself a number of metal dies for stamping my own charms, and will do one for my word, so once again I can hold it close to me all year.

I will also do some art that encompasses sayings about happiness, and try to figure out a way to include “happy” in my “26 Angels” efforts, as well. I will be blogging about my progress on these fronts throughout the year.

I’m not saying goodbye to my 2012 word. My plan is that each year as a new word is added, the old word will have become embedded in my life! So in 2013 I will be happy AND creating!

I am a proud part of a group of wildly creative women. We call ourselves the Fly Tribe, and I’d like to invite you to visit their websites to see their words for 2013. In addition to our Fly Tribe, you’ll find stories from other creatives, as well.

Click to access Word hop 2013

Just scroll down the page to find dozens of blogs to visit at your leisure. Happy 2013! Hopefully you will be inspired to adopt your OWN word.