One Little Word - Release

The lovely and talented Ali Edwards (instigator of my recent December Daily Project) also does something slightly different every January. She doesn't make a New Years Resolution, she picks One Little Word (OLW) that she wants to focus on in the coming year. I read about her journey in 2010 with interest and even attempted to choose a word last year but had trouble pinning one down. I know now that I wasn't ready.

This year I have resolved to play along. I signed up for her class through Big Picture Classes and have been working at it already.

My word is RELEASE.

As you may know, I've been struggling with feelings of unhappiness for quite some time now. I started seeing a therapist in the fall and she has been helping me understand some of my natures but there's still a lot to be accomplished. One thing that has emerged is that I am holding on to a lot of harmful emotions so I felt that a word like 'release' is perfect as a daily reminder to let them go. Let go of the frustrations, the resentment, the fear, and especially, the anger. I don't see the need to go into the reasons behind the fact that I have all these pent up emotions right now, suffice it to say that I am hopeful that 2011 is the year I free myself.

We will be doing various exercises throughout the year to keep our word present in our daily lives. The first assignment (actually, this was a pre-assignment) was to make a Title Page. Here's mine:

We could download the background artwork and print it off onto white cardstock then add our word and embellishments. So that's what I did. The letters are Basic Grey and the flower, buttons and butterfly brad are from my stash.

Here are a couple close-ups. 

Our next assignment was a bit harder. It was to define and explore our word. We were given another PDF to download and print off. It contained pre-printed boxes with certain words on them - we had to fill in the rest.

Once they were filled in, cut out and put into a holder, mine looks like this: 

This is an 8 1/2' x 11" trading card protector sheet not the Pink Paisley 9 pocket sheet that Ali listed on our class supply list. I realized once I'd cut the cards out that they were quite a bit smaller than my pockets. I've ordered the Pink Paisley version so we'll see what the size difference is when it gets here (Thursday apparantly! Woo hoo!) For now though, this is what it looks like.

Also, I cut small pieces of Basic Grey papers to add into the other pockets. They may stay, they may not. I figure this is the type of project I can manipulate over the year as my understanding of my word changes.

Some close ups ...

My definition card reads:

Release: To free from something that binds, fastens, or holds back; let go. To relinquish (a right or claim). A DELIVERANCE.

Next to it I made a Title Tag. I  took a Martha Stewart tag, placed my word letters onto it then sprayed it with distressing ink. Once I removed the letters (and fixed the over spray by using a white pen) this is what I got. For my first misting job, I am quite pleased! Thanks Roxy for the tips!!

A couple more boxes ... 

I chose this word Because: it fits with the actions I have started and wish to continue - letting go of resentment and fear; losing weight; letting go of frustrations over body changes. Feeling free finally!

Okay, so I haven't started my weight loss journey yet but that is definitely on my list of things to do this year!!

Ali also prompted us to look up our word in a Thesaurus. Here are some of the alternate words for Release: ABSOLUTION, acquittal, charge, clemency, commute, DELIVERANCE, discharge, emancipation, exemption, exoneration, FREEDOM, freeing, let-off, LIBERATION, liberty, lifeboat, life saver, RELIEF, spring, turnout.

To be honest I'm not sure about some of them but ... it gives one something to think about! 

Our Invitation card.

With this word I invite:

a lightening

a change of heart

change of attitude

new experiences

new challenges

renewed intimacy

renewed relationahips

calmness 

And finally, we were to see if we could find a quotation. Here is mine (I couldn't fit the whole thing on the card):

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. -Alan Cohen

Pretty powerful stuff, eh?

Our last assignment for this month is to take a current picture of ourselves and print it off in 5x7 for the back of our title page. I haven't printed mine off yet but here it is.  

Hmmm .... not sure why I want to save THAT for posterity but ... we'll play along!

Thanks for checking me out!

See you next time.