RISE in 2017

I wanted a synonym for “show up”. I think the act of showing up is important to a good life and I wanted a daily reminder for myself, but I didn’t want to use a phrase. When I started searching for it, I found ARISE. I like that, but I wasn’t sold. I played around with the word AWAKE for awhile, but I kept coming back to RISE.

It occurs to me that one of my favorite songs of 2016 is Katy Perry’s “Rise”.

The beginning of a new year is exciting, filled with potential and possibilities. Things can be different. I use this time to reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m going. I use a word to help me focus my reflection and my choices. This year my word is RISE. What do I want to accomplish with this word? What do I want RISE to help me do or be?

I want to RISE from the grasp of fear. We are all afraid of things. We all feel fear. There are times when I feel frozen in fear. It stops me. I want to RISE from the fear and simply begin. As soon as I begin, the fear dissipates.

I want to do things and RISE from the negativity. I want to show up. I want to write. I want to be a better teacher. I want to make this world a better place. This means I need to RISE to the occasion and do something.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rise

How will I RISE in 2017? That’s the best part… I don’t know. I want to focus on the positive. I want to develop rituals and routines in my life that help this goal. Here are a few I have planned, some are simple and some are bigger, but all are designed to guide my year…

1. Start every day with writing in my newly organized writing spot.
2. Document the year with daily pictures and post them on Instagram using the hashtag #haseltinegratitude17
3. Paint my nails.
4. Write for five minutes at the end of each school day to reflect and grow as an educator.
5. Send 3-5 cards each week to those I love.

New lamp with the sun RISING from the clouds.

I’m hoping that RISE will serve me well this year. What will your 2017 look like? Do you have a word or a phrase that will guide you?

I can’t wait to see where this word leads me. I’ll RISE up to meet it!

Category: Haseltine, OLW, RISE | 2 Comments

January 6 2016

SELAH, My OLW for 2016

Created with Tagul.com

I love the lines, “Selah, oh and it means, Praise and meditation…” I picked the word SELAH because it means pause and reflect. I want to be more reflective this year. I want to think more about my life and my choices and make the best choices for me.

Category: Haseltine, OLW | 1 Comment

January 6 2015

Flying in 2015

As 2015 approached, so did my seventh word of the year…or One Little Word. Previous words include: METTLE, ENGAGE, BUILD, EMBRACE, AUTHOR, and RISK.

In my seventh year choosing a word I realized that I don’t choose the word, the word really chooses me. My pondering for the OLW2015 began in October and I had really wanted INVITATION as my word. It seemed right…but alas, it didn’t stick. The days leading up to the new year, I’d settled on OPEN for my word. That was it. It felt right…until the day before. It wasn’t settling anymore. I was uneasy that I was making the wrong choice. A friend had been looking for her word and while glancing at a list I have, she mentioned FLY. As she said it I thought, “No. That’s not a good word.” The next day I was driving around town running errands and the word FLY appeared and grabbed my attention again. It felt like that was supposed to be my word.

Why FLY? I’m not entirely sure. That is both scary and exciting. I’m not sure where FLY will take me or why it picked me. In complete honesty, I am terrified of things that fly. I have been for as long as I can remember. I don’t want to be afraid anymore. Am I still afraid or is that a story that I’m telling myself? One goal of FLY is to face my fears. Find my love for birds and butterflies and all of the FLYing creatures.

Synonyms of FLY include soar and take off. I’m hoping that those words will impact my life this year.

FLY is not a word that appears as often as I thought it would. When I settle on a OLW, I pay closer attention for it. FLY has been harder to find, but it’s sweeter when I do find it.

During independent reading yesterday, both of my books addressed FLYing. (I swear I didn’t pick them for this reason.)

It feels like FLY is revealing itself to me…trying to tell me something. I’m listening…

Category: OLW, slice of life | 4 Comments

January 2 2015

Announcing my OLW for 2015…

Category: OLW | 1 Comment

November 18 2014

Planning and Packing Slice of Life

I am mostly a homebody. I love routine and quiet time. I can fill my days with reading and writing, painting and playing with Bella. Traveling stresses me out, but it’s important to take RISKS and I always enjoy myself once I arrive at the destination…so I do try to take some trips.

The act of traveling is hard. It starts with preparation. Booking the trip. Scheduling the days. Looking for the best deal. Reserving a spot in the kennel for Bella. Doing laundry. Deciding what to bring. Packing. Shopping for traveling essentials. Stopping the mail. Making sub plans. Sigh…

I’m in the midst of that experience now. Getting ready to attend NCTE and ALAN. I can’t wait until I’m THERE. It’s just that getting there is the challenge. I have made some lists (and I’m not usually a list maker). I’ve started some piles. Plans are in the works for my students and I can see it…I’m getting closer.

Once I’m on my way, on the plane or in the car, it’s that first moment, I always take a deep breath and smile! The adventure is about to begin. That moment, that breathe is coming closer and closer!

If you’re attending NCTE, I hope I’ll get to meet you in person. I’m volunteering at registration, so please say hello if you see me. I can’t wait to meet all of my fellow slicers at the dinner. I’m off to make some more lists…

Here’s my brand new notebook for NCTE. Notebook #60. WOO HOO!!!

Notebook

Markers

iPad

Snacks

Category: NCTE, OLW, slice of life, writing notebooks | 5 Comments

November 5 2014

My OLW

I need to pick a word that sums up what’s important to me. This word will need to guide my choices this year. Hmmmm, I have to think about what I want to achieve. What’s important? I want to be a good teacher. Also, I want to be a good mommy to Bella and a good auntie. What qualities do I need to achieve these goals? LOVE, KINDNESS, PATIENCE. Those could work, but…I like picking unusual words. Reading and writing are things I love to do and I love words, so it’s important to me to celebrate those things too. Words are the tools I work with everyday, so I have to pick just the right one!

I collect words all through the year. I try and listen for words that could work for me. Here’s the list on my phone right now…

None of those seem to fit with what I’m thinking. (That happens a lot!) I’m thinking that I want a word that means happiness and joy! That’s what I want to remember as I’m teaching and being an auntie and a mommy to Bella.

I found it! I found it!

ENCHANT

Google says that it is a verb that means, to “fill someone with great delight, charm.” It also means to, “put someone or something under a spell.”

I like the connection with magic. That makes me smile. Being able to help others be happy and delighted is something I’d like to do. My OLW is enchant. What’s your word?

Category: OLW | 2 Comments

October 15 2014

RISK in 2014 and Searching for a Word for 2015

Instead of making resolutions at the new year, I pick a word for the year. My one little word guides my year. I have an ongoing list…on my phone, in my notebook…and I’m always looking for potential words. I believe it’s important to find a word that will lead me to a new and wonderful place in my life. Words are important and meaningful to me and having one to guide me has proven very helpful.

When I pick my word, I have a vision…a goal. In my head, I know what I’m hoping my word will accomplish for me. The best thing about the word of the year…it never goes where I think it will, but it always goes somewhere better. I trust this process and it works for me.

Here’s a little history…

2009… mettle

2010… engage

2011… build

2012… embrace

2013… author

The plan for RISK was to get my focus off of fear. I’d fallen into a bad habit of making decisions out of fear and that was limiting me a lot! RISK has done it’s job! I feel braver…well, not braver…how can I explain this? I have more faith. More decisions are made out of faith instead of fear. It’s a change I can see and feel in my everyday life. I’m so grateful!

It’s October and 2015 is approaching quickly! I am looking for my new OLW. I have some contenders… GRACE or BE or CHOOSE. Others… SURRENDER or BEGIN or STORY.

Picking my word is personal and so important to me! I’d love to hear what words you’ve used before and how they worked for you. I’d also love suggestions! What do you think?

Category: New Year, OLW | 2 Comments

January 9 2014

One Little Word for 2014

I don’t make resolutions. Resolutions make me feel less than and I don’t want to start the year feeling like a failure. In 2009, I discovered One Little Word as an alternative. I’ve been picking a word of the year since 2009.

My word guides my year. I have an ongoing list…on my phone, in my notebook…and I’m always looking for potential words. I believe it’s important to find a word that will lead me to a new and wonderful place in my life. Words are important and meaningful to me and having one to guide me has proven very helpful.

Here’s a little history…

2009… mettle

2010… engage

2011… build

2012… embrace

2013… author

Usually, it takes awhile for me to pick my word. This year was different. I was sure of my word. I’d picked it early. I felt comfortable that I’d made a good choice…until I started reading a book by Dani Shapiro.

The book is Still Writing. Ironically, my original word of the year was going to be still. I was looking for peace and reflection during the craziness and busy-ness of life…but as I read these words by Dani Shapiro, I knew I was wrong. Another word was waiting for me:

“…the willingness to fall flat on our face again and again…” (p.179)

“When we set our hopes for this life, we are staking our future on the contents of our own minds.” (p.179)

“There are no half measures when it comes to risk. Risk means that gut-wrenching feeling, having your heart in your throat, not knowing…not having a plan.” (p.179-180)

That’s my word. It scares me. It scares me SO MUCH! And that’s why I need this word. I know that I’ll carve out time to reflect and be still, but I often avoid taking risks. I’m a home body. I like routine. I like to know what’s expected…but life isn’t like that! I need to get out into the world and BE me!

Wow! I just looked up the definition of risk…it’s a downer.
from Merriam-Webster’s site:

risk: possibility of loss or injury : peril

2: someone or something that creates or suggests a hazard

3 a : the chance of loss or the perils to the subject matter of an insurance contract; also : the degree of probability of such loss

b : a person or thing that is a specified hazard to an insurer c : an insurance hazard from a specified cause or source<war risk>

4: the chance that an investment (as a stock or commodity) will lose value

It’s all about perspective. Possibility of loss…on the flip side is possibility of gain! Someone that’s a hazard…I’m looking at that as someone who is doing what needs to be done…for the good. Here’s a visual representation of risk:

This year, I will risk! I will take chances and lay it on the line. Can’t wait to see where my word will take me this year…

What will your word be? Please share in comments!

Category: goals, New Year, OLW | 4 Comments

Write Your Story

Your story matters.