Word of the Year 2014

sim·pli·fy

[sim-pluh-fahy]

verb (used with object), sim·pli·fied, sim·pli·fy·ing.

to make less complex or complicated; make plainer or easier:
to simplify a problem.

Source: Dictionary.com

I have chosen Simplify to be my Word Of The Year for 2014.

While my WOTY for 2013 helped me get started on DOing a lot of simplifying, 
I'm hoping this word will help me take it to another level. 

This image below may help explain what I look for in simplifying my life:

 

Here's to a more Simple (and wonderful) year.

Do YOU have a Word of a Year?  What is it?  
Share your link in the comments below!

Past Words of the Year:

2013: Do

2012: Emerge

2011: Courage

2010: Thrive

2009: Survive  

You may also want to look at: 

My Word of the Year Board on Pinterest

Word of the Year 2013: Year End Report

Have you noticed I haven't been here much this year??? It's because I've been living up to my 2013 Word of The Year.

As you may recall, I chose the word DO for my 2013 Word Of The Year. And wow, did that word ever play a role in my life every day. Not only did it encourage me to DO things, it also became a bit of a mantra and also a virtual butt-kicker from all my friends. “Ter, just DO it”, they would encourage me.

So, what did I DO this year?? Here are a few things (in no specific order) :

• I removed certain toxic people from my life. 

• I started a new job. 

• I finally got a tattoo in memory of my daughter and her daddy.    

• I joined a gym and hired a personal trainer. I fought against Fibromalygia and started healing my body. (and went down several jean sizes!) Still have a long way to go, but I'm well on my way. 

• Drove on a highway in the dark in winter (3 things I hate to do). Technically, I did this the last week of December last year but it still counts. :) ) 

• I found it easier to decide about getting rid of a few possessions that I had been on the fence about... Just DO it helped. 

• I 'celebrated' my birthday even though it was my most difficult one to date. This year I became older than my husband. He passed away two days before his 38^th birthday. This year, I turned 38. I went out for a few drinks and dinner with some friends and had a wonderful time.

There's a lot more I'm sure, but that is an example of how my Word of the Year 2013 worked for me.

Did you do a Word of the Year?? How did it work out for you??

DO: Continue Weight Loss Journey

You may recall that my Word of the Year is DO. One of the things I need to DO this year is to continue my weight loss journey. Since I'm now working full time, I decided I can finally afford a gym membership. In addition to that, I decided to sign up for a personal trainer to get me started towards my goal of losing weight and reducing pain due to Fibromyalgia. Below is a "personal prescription plan" that the trainer created for me. It's kind of hard to see from the scan I made. So far, I have only signed up for the first phase (18 sessions), but if it goes well, I just may sign up for the rest of it.

I'm looking forward to this and I hope that it works. Your moral support and encouragement is much needed! I'll post updates every so often. Here's where I'm at since my last update...

I've gained 4 more pounds since I last posted in March last year.

The fact I was beginning to gain weight again depressed me so I stopped posting about it. I actually gained a bit more than the 4 pounds mentioned but I've since gone back down a bit. Hopefully, with this new gym program and continuing to work with the trainer as well as my naturopath doctor, I will continue to lose weight and reduce pain. Wish me luck.

See more posts about my weight loss journey HERE.

Word of the Year 2013

do

1. to perform (an act, duty, role, etc.)

2. to execute (a piece or amount of work)

3. to accomplish; finish; complete

4. to put forth; exert

5. to be the cause of (good, harm, credit, etc.); bring about; effect.

There were many definitions but I've only posted the top 5 on Dictionary.com 

I chose this word because I hope that it will help me through each day, 

to just "do" whatever needs to be done, despite any challenges such as my fibro, 

make decisions easier, 

and live my life more purposefully.

What's YOUR Word of the Year??

Past Words of the Year

2012 - EMERGE

2011 - COURAGE

2010 -  THRIVE

2009 - SURVIVE

Word of the Year 2012 - Year End Report

I took a spontaneous trip to end the year 2012, so this report is a bit late.

I'm afraid that EMERGE did not work for me as other Words of the Year have. I found Emerge to be too much of an end result and it didn't quite motivate me in the way my past words did.

I'm slightly disappointed, but still determined to continue with the Word of the Year. Let's hope for a better 2013.

Past Words of the Year

2012 - EMERGE

2011 - COURAGE

2010 -  THRIVE

2009 - SURVIVE

Emerging (Organized) part 2

This year, my Word of the Year is Emerge. The goal is to have Emerged in several areas of my life by the end of the year. One of the areas is to Emerge more organized.

As I mentioned in part 1, I hired an organizer to come to my home and help me tackle my main problem areas. This time, we tackled the laundry/storage area of my basement. This room had always been storage but after I cleared the rest of the basement to turn it into a craft room, the laundry/storage room became overflowed with stuff and I could not see the floor. Again, we did a quick sort and tidy. It may not be even close to being organized yet, but I already see progress.

Here are some Before/After photos:

I am linking this post to Laura's 29 Day Organizational Challenge.

Emerging

This year, my Word of the Year is Emerge. In the past. my words (Survive, Thrive, Courage) have been used to get through every day things. I have struggled with Emerge so far, because it seems like such an end result. I began to think I have chosen the wrong word for my year. With Survive and Thrive, I'd wake up in the morning and think "You just have to survive this minute, hour, day". Same with thrive. With Courage, if I had to do something I was nervous about, I just had to reach inside myself and find some courage.

I realized I needed to change my way of thinking with Emerge. Yes, Emerge is an end result.... but in the process, I am Emerging.

That said, one of the areas I want to Emerge is with my organization. Over the years, I have worked hard to get my home organized. A couple of months ago I was having a conversation with a friend and I told her I'm fed up with trying to get this place organized. She suggested a professional organizer and took it upon herself to get a few quotes for me. One organizer responded in such a way that I decided to invite her to come do the free consult. She agreed with my assessment that my house is mostly organized with exception of these few areas, and agreed to help me finish what I have started. (Did I mention she gave me an A+ for effort? :) )

Many parts of my house are quite organized but I still had a few problem areas. One being a room upstairs, which I have featured on my blog before. This room became a mess again after I cleared out my office/guest room for my homestay student. Most everything that was in there went into the spare room.

The other problem area is part of my basement. I recently moved my Stampin' Up supplies down to the basement, but before I could do that, I took everything out of that room and moved it to the laundry room. What a mess!

And the final problem in this house in regard to organization is paper. Paper! I sort it again and again and again and it is never ending.

On Friday, the organizer came to my house and we began to work on the spare room. She estimated it would take us about 4 hours to go through it but it only took us 2 hours. Here are some before / after photos of that room. Keep in mind it's not really done as some of these things will be moved to the basement for proper storage once I get the basement set up.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

The next day I moved those plastic drawer bins downstairs.

Will update you with more later.

I'm linking this up to Laura's 29 day challenge at I'm an Organizing Junkie. Because I used the help of a professional, I don't know if it counts towards the challenge, but I hope this post will inspire you

.

Word of the Year 2012

e·merge

 [ih-murj]

verb (used without object), e·merged, e·merg·ing.

1. to come forth into view or notice, as from concealment or obscurity

2. to rise or come forth from or as if from water or other liquid.

3. to come up or arise, as a question or difficulty.

4. to come into existence; develop.

5. to rise, as from an inferior or unfortunate state or condition.

from dictionary.com

Every year, I choose a word to help guide me through the year.
This year, I have chosen the word Emerge.

This post put the word in my mind.
I toyed with other possible words for the year but kept coming back to Emerge.

I googled the word and came across this image.
"She Hoped To Emerge A New Woman" struck me as the perfect description.
That's exactly what I hope for in 2012.

I hope to Emerge in 2012 as a
healthier,
happier,
more secure,
successful,
organized,
better
me.


What's your Word of the year?


Word of the Year 2011 - Courage
Word of the Year 2010 - Thrive
Word of the Year 2009 - Survive

A Little Courage Was Needed

(she loves climbing on the table when the vet isn't in the room!)

Today I took Emma to the vet.

I found a lump on her back.

I was so scared!

But I used some courage and made the appointment.

The vet checked her out and actually found 2 lumps.

She took a sample and they came back with fat cells.

So, for now everything is okay, but I'll have to keep an eye on her.

I feel a bit relieved but not entirely.

My husband's lump was "just fat" too.

Word of the Year 2011: Year-End Report

In January, I announced that my Word of the Year for 2011 would be Courage.

With the year coming to an end,
it is time to report how the word has worked for me.

Using the definition from Merriam-Webster
"mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty"
I would say that this word was definitely a good word for 2011.

In 2011, I had to use courage to make some changes in my life.
The biggest use of courage was when I abandoned all the
what-if-it-goes-wrong anxieties
and jumped feet first into a financial plan
which resulted in all my debts being paid off.
How's that for courage?!

I also used courage this year to:

Start my weight loss journey.
Not letting my pain stop me from going for walks with my pup.
To take on a job as a poll clerk at the elections.
Be Team Captain for a Relay for Life Team in memory of my husband.
To start dating again.
(and courage just now to admit that!)
To go to Convention!
To babysit a little girl the same age mine should have been
(during the hardest month of the year, too)
To fight wasps all by myself!
To let a 14 year old deaf student move into my house.
To videotape a mouse instead of screeching and running away.
(okay so I screeched a bit too)
To speak in front of 100 people at the 5th annual Walk to Remember.
To take a big risk in hopes of solving my financial crisis
To sign up for my first-ever craft sale.
To talk a bit about my dream.

I also:

Pumped gas by myself for the first time.
Poured windshield fluid in my van for the first time.
Met with a counselor (a story for another time: I proved I was right)
Drove on the highway a few times. (courageous because I nod off while driving)

and much more!

While Courage may have been my Word of the Year, it doesn't mean it will end when the year does. As with my previous words, Survive and Thrive, the word Courage will carry over for the rest of my life.

Did you have a Word of the Year? How did that work out for you?

Previous WOTY:

2009 - Survive
2010 - Thrive

Check back next week to see what my Word of the Year for 2012 will be.
(any suggestions? I'm still narrowing down the options!)

My Weight Loss Journey: Goals

just me being silly

“Courage doesn’t always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying,
‘I will try again tomorrow’.”
~Mary Anne Radmacher

In looking for quotes about weight loss, I found the above quote. I have heard this quote a few times this year, and I think it rings true. More importantly, you may remember at the beginning of the year, I chose the word Courage for my Word of the Year (WOTY).

When it comes to weight loss goals, I have always kind of generalized my goals. "I want to lose weight". I think this came from fear of disappointment.

As a sufferer of chronic pain, I have often quit any attempts to exercise and get into shape. This year, I have my WOTY urging me along. An even though my body aches, I haven't quit.

I met my first major weight loss goal in April, in part due to my courage to keep trying. This may be a lesson I've learned too late, unfortunately, but its one I plan to continue.

Don't let your fears prevent you from taking that first step. And the many that will follow.

Word of the Year 2011

cour·age

noun \ˈkər-ij, ˈkə-rij\

mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

(source: Merriam-Webster)

When I was trying to decide on a word for the year 2011, I thought of many possible words such as Create, Succeed, Live, Grow. All great words, but I would need courage to do each of those things and more.

I knew that the word I chose had to be something that could keep me going throughout the year. My word for 2010 was "Thrive" and when I was having a bad day and everything seemed although it would fall apart, I would remind myself to thrive. And so, thrive I did. It was a good word for me, and I wanted to choose a word for 2011 that would have a similar effect on me.

There are many times in my life where things could have been different had I had courage. This year, I have chosen "Courage" to be my Word of the Year in hopes that perhaps it will manifest itself and become a real part of me. I hope I will gain courage to do the things that I may otherwise not do, and courage to be who I want to be.

Christine Kane has a Word of the Year tool to help you discover your word. While I already was contemplating "Courage" as my word, I used this tool to determine that yes, indeed, this was the right word for me.

Here's to being courageous in 2011!

What's your Word of the Year?

Word of the Year 2010: Thrive
Word of the Year 2009: Survive

Word of the Year 2010: Year-End Report

In January, I posted that my Word of the Year for 2010 was "Thrive".

With the year coming to an end,
I thought I'd post a little bit about how that word worked for me.

Whenever I was having a tough time, I would remind myself to "Thrive".
Just thinking of the word would prevent complete meltdowns.
Well... most of the time!

It encouraged me
to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances.
(source: Merriam-Webster)

In 2010, I took some steps towards "normal" again.
It was very difficult but with the word 'Thrive" on my mind, I kept working at it.

It may seem silly to think a single word can really be that motivating but it is.
And while I know I did not accomplish all I set out to,
I think I made steps in the right direction.

Overall, "Thrive" was a good word for me for 2010.
Next week, I will post about my Word of the Year for 2011.

Did you have a Word of the Year in 2010?
Have you chosen one for 2011?

WW: Not Thriving

(crappy webcam photo)

I took this
as sort of an update
to my
Word of the Year photo

Word of the Year 2010

Last year, I heard about this neat idea to come up with a Word of the Year. The Word of the Year is a word that describes something you want to be, something you want to achieve, something you hope for in the new year.

My word for 2009 was Survive. After the death of my husband and my daughter, it is something I've had to learn to do every day. Every day, starting from the instant I wake up, until I finally fall asleep at night, I have to survive to get through each moment of the day. It is often an unconscious effort, but it is effort, nonetheless.

So, somehow, I survived the first year without my husband. Now, in addition to surviving, I must thrive. And so, fittingly, that is my Word of the Year for 2010.

thrive
Pronunciation: \thrīv\
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Form(s): thrived or throve \thrōv\; thrived also thriv·en \thri-vən\; thriv·ingthrī-viŋ\
Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse thrīfask, probably reflexive of thrīfa to grasp
Date: 13th century

1 : to grow vigorously : flourish
2 : to gain in wealth or possessions : prosper
3 : to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances

source: Merriam-Webster

The third one seems the best definition for my Word of the Year post, don't you agree? I am progressing despite or because of circumstances. My life is not leading where I had hoped or dreamed, but yet, here I am, moving forward, one step at a time.

Here's to thriving in 2010.

What's your Word of the Year?