One Little Word: Reach and Be Real

Goal setting

Jan 22

Written By

*Brush script by the talented Random Olive. Oh hello One Little Word...you elusive mistress you...Last year I chose a One Little Word but never shared it. Instead I shared my list of 14 for 14 goals and my OLW was woven in those. Last year my word was Time. I needed to get a handle on managing my time, being on time, using my time wisely, prioritizing the important things, going to sleep on time, etc etc etc. I feel like I did this pretty well and if I was lacking in any areas, moving to Korea kicked my butt in gear. I was forced to use my time to truly be in the moment and build memories with our friends before we moved and now, being here, on a VERY STRICT school schedule, has really cemented my routines. With last year being more of an experiment year, I wanted to go public with my word and continue to tie it into my goals for this year and share it better.Reach: A continuous stretch or expanse; the ability or power of someone or something to do, achieve, or control something; to strain after something; to arrive at or come to something; to stretch out; to extend. This year I will be working through (an old version of) Ali Edwards One Little Word class and building a small minibook to document this journey. For my word this year I chose to make it more of a phrase. I chose REACH because I wanted to reach for new things, reach for bigger things, reach for deeper relationships. I want to try harder and be more intentional about things I am working at. But as soon as I thought this, I thought 'yeah right'. Therefore came the + BE REAL portion. I tend to be a yes-sayer, so this year is about reaching but about being real in what I reach for. Not saying yes to things that are more than I can handle or things that I don't actually want or that I personally don't care about. So here are a list of 15 goals or things I want to accomplish or focus on this year that will help me reach in new ways.

Complete one Ecourse a month. This will help me develop my skills further and the most important part of this is to actually FINISH a class. Plus you guys get a review out of it!
Quilt. I want to reach for a higher skill level and add a new project in my sewing skills.
Read the Bible all the way through. I want to reach deeper into my relationship with the Lord. I'm tracking my progress on a Habit Progress Tracker from Elise.
Visit 15 new countries. I want to explore this world and I hope I never arrive at the end of this lifelong goal of seeking out the expanses of this amazing planet we live on.
Complete Project Life. This will allow us to reach back and remember this year through this beautiful memory capsule.
Launch an Etsy shop! I want to reach a goal of running my own creative business!
Read. I want to reach out into new genres and really extend myself in this hobby. I plan to use lists like this, this, this and this to expand my reading list.
Take 1 great photo of us a month. I am using these monthly cards for my Project Life and would like to overlay a really good photo of us in them. Not a selfie, but a legit tripod set up, posed, planned photo.
One out-of-the-ordinary date night a month. We want to reach deeper into our relationship and branch out of the ordinary dinner + a movie.
Take an art class in person. No specific plans for this yet, but we will see what I can find! I can only imagine the depth that this will create for me in a new or particular skill.
Pull out the big camera. This is on everyone's list right?
365 crafting time! I am so in love with this project. I have successfuly completed over 4 months of doing some kind of creative activity every day. I am reaching so far beyond my past creative habits through this challenge and I want to finish it strong this year and have it be a permanent part of my life.
Get 100 Rejection Letters. I am killing it with this class! I am getting rejected by so many people way out of my league and some of them are even saying YES to me! To say this is the best practice of 'the reach' would be an understatement.
Explore Korea. We want to truly take advantage not only of our ability to travel the world from Korea, but to travel Korea. We hope to go on at least 3 or 4 camping trips this spring to reach past our tiny view of this amazing country.
Learn Korean. Oh goodness. This is the biggest reach of them all! We took a beginners class and did not feel very successful. We are looking into a private tutor and are just trying to be more mindful and learn a few words here and there and put them to use.