The Southern Weddings girls have been obsessed with Paloma’s Nest since the beginning. It’s a fact. We each have at least one keepsake from Paloma’s Nest on our desks, and I’m pretty sure Lara has started collecting them. And now that the founder, Caroline, is writing her own blog, we have even more ways to love on her company!
Paloma’s Nest is dedicated to creating modern heirlooms — pieces for the home and for the heart. Each piece is designed and individually hand-crafted with care, pride, and passion. From the beautiful ceramic ring-bearer bowl to the line of stationery and gift accessories, each piece is made from pure natural products and recycled materials. You can see all of their pieces (and now make purchases!) on their site right here.
To Enter: Paloma’s Nest was built on the idea that simplicity is powerful. What single word means the most to you? Reply to this post with your “power word” and why it is important to you for the chance to win.
Win: If you win this contest, you are most definitely in luck — you will be able to pick ANY piece from Paloma’s Nest as your prize! Your selected piece will even come wrapped in the new Heirloom Packaging — a hand crafted slide-top wooden box, paired with a wooden Heirloom Tag. Read more about Caroline’s special packaging options here!
This contest will end at midnight on March 23. Good luck, everyone!
The one word that means a lot to me is "Identity."You have to know who you are as a person and what you want to be able to be happy, help others and empower your dreams!Paloma’s Nest items are so great, love the site!
inspire
My power word is CONNECT. With all of this technology we have–twitter, facebook, text messaging, email, etc. it’s easy to go week after week without any real human connection. This extends beyond work life–when we get home at night and my husband and I are on our laptops while eating dinner (terrible, I KNOW!!) or when I realize that I have worked for the past X many days straight and I haven’t even spent 30 minutes in all of that time connecting with myself. I write CONNECT on my daily planner (yes, I still write it all down!!) to remind myself to give someone a call, have lunch with a friend, drinks with a colleague or even just 30 minutes of journaling and deep breathing. Human connection does wonders for the body, soul and spirit!!!
I am crazy about Paloma’s Nest! Their pieces are so much my style and would be a wonderful detail for our wedding.The word I always repeat to myself is "peace." Just as simplicity is powerful, peace is also. It keeps me in check, reminds me to slow down and not sweat the small things. Having peace within yourself allows you to help others and share the power of peace.
To me the most meaningful word is "freedom", it says so many things for just one little word. Great giveaway! I LOVE Paloma’s Nest!
My word, although probably cliche, is "Love." My motto in life is that "love conquers all"– in latin "amor vincit omnia." To me, my love for my fiance and my family and friends is more important than anything else. I love Paloma’s Nest and would love one of these for our 2011 wedding!
"peace" is my power word – I’m not naturally a peaceful or peace-seeking person so all too often I become harried and antagonistic. Reminding myself, "peace, peace" brings me back – to find peace in my own heart and to seek peace in the world around me.
"Invest" It’s far too easy in our busy, busy lives to bustle through the immediate with our minds fixated on the future. As a result, I often forget to live in the present tense. A reminder to invest keeps me focused on giving my very best to this moment, right now. The absolute best thing about investing is that, as is true for all modes of life, you can get out only as much as you put in. And what I often find is that when I invest in people, rather than fleeting, material things, my rewards often are exponentially greater than I could ever imagine.
I’d have to say Faith. Faith has seen me through so much in my life, and Faith is what brought us together, I would love to have a piece from Paloma’s nest, I have been eyeing those bowls for quite some time now. Thanks for the opportunity.
My word is perseverance. It’s defined as "steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement." I think of it when I feel like I’m getting off-course from where I’d like to be in my life, or when I feel overwhelmed. To me it represents strength and grace!Paloma’s Nest – absolutely gorgeous work!
"resiliency" For me, the ability rebound, reinvent, revise, and move forward (the essence of resiliency) defines my approach to life and all it has to offer.
Dream. That is my power word. We must constantly dream, and then achieve those dreams. : )
My power word is LOVE! All things to me revolve around LOVE- family, friends, God, work… I do it all for LOVE =)
Honesty. This word is the foundation of my outlook on life and what makes sucessfull relationships. Being honest with yourself and those who you love enriches the world.
Dedication. It doesn’t matter what you are doing in life, or what you are striving for. If you approach your goals, your family, your life with dedication you will have few regrets.
believeto believe in yourself, your spouse (or soon to be spouse!!), your family, your faith, your path that you are on. believing that everything happens for a reason, and that the route you are taking in life is one worth believing in.
Ipseity. It’s been tattooed on my wrist since I was 18 (7 years) and is more or less a forgotten word meaning know yourself, or be true to yourself. It meant a lot then and even more now.
My word is "Joy!" (including the exclamation point). No matter what happens, there’s always a reason to be joyful.
The one word that means the most to me is "family." My family is and has always been the most important thing in my life. And now, as I think about getting married in October, I have been thinking a lot about how I am so blessed to be gaining a husband, starting my own family, and gaining an extended new family of loving and caring people. Thanks for a great giveaway!
Beautiful – My fiance tells me this often and it makes me feel so good.
The one word that means the most to me is "family." My family is and has always been the most important thing in my life. And now, as I think about getting married in October, I have been thinking a lot about how I am so blessed to be gaining a husband, starting my own family, and gaining an extended new family of loving and caring people. Thanks for a great giveaway!
Balance. It’s my go to word for EVERYTHING in my life.
Remember
My power word is "Compassion." I just feel we could all use more of it–both giving and receiving! When you treat others with compassion, your heart is free of judgment and open to learning. Also, practicing compassion mean you have a chance to really connect with others, to empathize with them . . . a gift for both people.
My special word is JOY. My mom has always taught me to never let anyone rob me of my joy. She encourages me to live a life full of joy by celebrating the ups and downs and everything in between. I find happiness and love from the inside out and work at not letting my joy be robbed. Life is full of JOY whether it’s the little things or the big things on our journey through life. No one can or should ever take that away from you. I love to sprinkle JOY wherever I go. Spread JOY today and add some sunshine to your (and others) life!
My power word is "polish."This year marks my first year as a member of Teach For America, an organization that recruits young college graduates to teach in some of our country’s most underfunded and low-income school districts. I teach high school biology and the last eight months I’ve spent as a teacher have been some of the most challenging of my life. My power word is "polish" because I like to remind myself that that’s my job – the polish these students’ minds until they shine. This power word also applies to my upcoming wedding, as well. All of my vendors are booked, now it’s just honing the decor and other little details – "polishing!"Thanks for the giveaway. I love Paloma’s Nest and would love to be able to win one of their beautiful bowls or bouquet ties! Good luck to all of the brides.
Guaranteed….because isn’t that the greatest thing of all especially in love is if it is guaranteed? I think so. They always say there are no guarantees in love, but I believe that there are with one special person that is set for you to meet.
The simple word that means the most to me is faith. Not just in a higher power, but in myself, in other people, and in the universe, that everything will work itself out eventually.
My word would be KISSES. It’s the most important part of every day (don’t tell cuddles I said that)!
ConfidenceAs I grow older, I learn more and more how important and fulfilling it is to just be confident in who I am.
My power word is SMILE. A smile goes a long way…..it warms and comforts others and even when you are down, a smile makes you feel a little bet bettter.
HEALTH.This has been a very trying year health-wise for my fiance and our families. We have endured many hardships and struggles, and it has become clear to us that without our health, nothing matters. Being healthy- spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally is crucial in the success of our friendships, relationships and families. We have learned that it’s important to maintain our health and devote time to ourselves, as this fuels and inspires our relationships with others.
Trust.I learned that I had to trust in myself, who I am, my abilities and my self-worth before I could learn to trust in a love. When I met my fiance, I had to trust that he was in it for the long haul and trust that his love for me was as deep and real as my own. SO glad I did! On March 18th, I will celebrate our third anniversary of being together and on October 10th of this year we will be married! All because of a little trust.
Grace
"Faith"- You have to have fatih in something to live and to have hope. Faith is what gets me through each day. I have faith in my relationship with my fiance, faith in the Lord, and faith in myself.
"Find" Because everything in my life worth anything, I found. The process of actively looking and finding, of discovering one’s passions, sense of identity, and life pursuit is so powerful, enlightening, and full of grace. I found him. I found me. I found us. I keep finding.
Spirit. A little spirit goes a long way.
The whole idea of "grace" has powerful meaning in my life.
Soulmate- It’s a song by Josh Turner that is going to be our first dance. My fiance and I both know we were brought together at the time in our lives that we did and are each other’s soulmate. I love the Ring plates and have been wanting to get one for our wedding.
DeterminationThis word is so important to me because I grew up very poor with a single mother and two brothers. I had the determination to get out of that situation by going to school and working very hard. My mother always told me that without an education I would be stuck. I got into college and will soon be working on my masters. My determination has taken me very far from rural Alabama and I am so glad that I had a mother to push me in the right direction.
My power word is LAUGHTER. Marriage is all about conflict resolution, loving, supporting and laughing at and with one another. Laughter is a universal language spanning all ages, ethnic groups, and cultures. It gets you through the bad times and makes the good times so much better!
Smile.Such a simple word and simple action, but with the stresses of daily life, sometimes we forget to take the time to smile.
"Be". Too many people live in the past and procrastinate to the future. I’m find myself constantly thinking of things I should have done and things I need to do instead of BEing in the present. In every day moments, from the plain to the extraordinary, I try and remind myself to observe and remember the moment. Slow down. Be. Present.
Power word: AUDACITY. It just sounds badass and powerful. It not only means fearless and daring but BOLD too. I’ve been looking to get a piece from Paloma’s Nest for the wedding! This could be the audacious icing on the cake (as in it will make a bold statement)!
Honesty.This is what make my relationship with Paul so strong. It is not always easy to be honest, but it keeps us together.Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!
One word that comes to mind is HUMILITY. With this word I think of grace, strength, and kindness. There is something endearing and special about humility – thinking of others makes the world a better place. From humility comes greatness – a gentle kind of greatness, a greatness that does not need recognition. With this word I think of my mother. Even during her worst moments in her fight against cancer, she would say "I’m okay, remember there are those have it worse." She demonstrated the grace, strength and kindness of humility when she walked for the American Heart Association, just days after brain surgrey. It is my mother and humility that keeps me grounded and provides me with the inner strength to enjoy each day.
"FUTURE"This word is my power word because when me and my fiance first started dating he would always sign the cards he bought me "To my Future" I thought it was the sweetest thing in the world..and I knew that his was of saying he loved me, and here we are two years later, getting married!!
FAITH- with Faith all things are possible…..
TRUST.Trusting in others, trusting in myself. This word helps me to evaluate any situation and realize that it is never only about me, that I am surrounded by others who are capable, strong, supportive, and loyal. And vice versa, I can be that for others. Everything will work out, it always does. Just trust.
My special word is "go". To me it means don’t hesitate, give it your all and if you fall down, get back up and do it again. I commit to myself that I should always give my 110% in everything I do in life.
My one word is Courage. It is always deep within us and we need to believe it can helps us overcome anything.
Fortitude –"The best and most beautiful things in life cannot be seen nor touched, they must be felt with the heart" Helen Keller. I always think about the amazing relationship between Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan, what they accomplished together with fortitude astounds me.
I’ve been thinking about it all day, and I can’t come up with a word that is more powerful (or meaningful) to me than "happiness." For me, happiness is the key to self-meaning. I accomplish the most, feel most successful, and generally am more engaged in my activities when I am happy, which is one of the reasons why I am so fortunate to be making plans to marry my best friend, who above all other things makes me happy.Here’s to happiness!
Laugh. Happiness and joy is a choice we must face and make each and every day of our lives. People who wait to be happy or wait for others to make them happy will never be. We must allow ourselves the moment to be happy. Laughing helps to create that moment.
Empathy.It is so important to me, because I believe empathy is at the root of compassion, giving and appreciation for the people surrounding you, not to mention appreciation for what YOU have. I desire to find empathy and understanding with every person and situation I meet.
My power word is "Reach." It reminds me to reach for the important people who form my support net and to reach for my own dreams, and inspires my own core business philosophy. I believe that one of the most important things about events is the chance they give people to reach out and make the people in their life (business colleagues, friends, loved ones) feel important. "Reach" helps me remember to keep that concept a top priority in everything I do, and a "Reach" bowl would be a great addition to my office as a visual reminder every day!
The most powerful (and meaningful) word to me is FAMILY. Both my fiance and I work for non-profits, and while we truly care about the work we do (and wouldn’t have it any other way) it has left us with a super tiny wedding budget. (We’re paying for it ourselves) Without asking, members of our family have called us or met with us to ask us how they can help. Some have even just told us, "Hey, we’re going to pay for the musicians." or "I’m going to be in charge of the rehearsal breakfast". Week after week, our family continues to show us love, and it honestly just reminds us both more and more how lucky we are to have each other as family.
love. because the greatest of these is love.
My power word is "Happiness." Whenever I’m doing something I always try and assess if it’s adding happiness to my life or causing me to be deficient in it. Paloma’s Nest is amazing!
My word is "Hope" I have several things that say hope like a little stone I keep in my car and the word is even tattooed on me. I always have felt a connection to that word. Some people say "Never give up faith." I think that part is obvious. I say never give up hope, because you are sure of your faith. Life has taught me to keep my hopes high, because even if I am disappointed by something, having hope will help me find the good in things. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.Romans 15:13
PerseveranceDefinitely my power word in both my personal life and my relationship (military, long distance, waiting, etc.). I would love to have a Paloma’s Nest piece in my wedding. So unique and meaningful! And it is something that can be kept forever and passed down to children.
"live."That simple one word reminder commands me to consider most of what has been mentioned above. To not simply exist and be moved along in my life but, rather, to consciously choose my actions and reactions, adjust my perspective, align my priorities, and enjoy it all!
FaithI have always grown up hearing that word, but in the past year, it has come to mean so much more to me. My 14 year old sister was diagnosed with brain cancer exactly one year ago. Her faith in God has not wavered, and it made me realize exactly how important faith really is.
Mine is "visible". I am even getting "veduto" the Italian word for seen tattooed on my wrist. Being visible both in my business and in my relationship means the most to me of anything.
My power word is "believe". I even have it tattoed on my wrist so I never forget to believe in myself. I had it when I ran my first marathon and when I thought I wanted to quit, I looked at my word and knew I could make it to the finish line.
Trust. Such a powerful and important word. Without trust in our relationship, it would be hard to wake-up in the morning and breathe. I feel blessed that I have this beautiful man in my life that leaves no questions unanswered; whose purposeful actions remind me everyday that he has commited himself to me only; he makes me know that he takes joy in holding my heart in his hands. I trust him with all of my being.
CAPABILITY – overcoming what’s stacked against you and believing that you can accomplish even the hardest of tasks, whether that’s cancer, a broken heart, or something as simple as a exam. Every woman is capable to stand on her own two feet… but it’s always nice to have a companion standing beside you.
Promise. Such an amazing word and so powerful!
Create. And constantly strive to be creative!
I think that "family" is a powerful word because they are who taught me about "faith", "love", "confidence" and many other words I hold as important."family" is the people in your life who really make life so fufilling!
Family – it represents what’s most important to me!
Chai- It’s the Jewish word for "life". Its always been a tradition with my family to be a strong follower of this belief. Every day we have to live life to its fullest, and not only hear this word but implement it. xoxo
my power word is laughter. my fiance and i have been through a lot in six years – a year living apart, our luggage stolen the morning after his proposal, unemployment, an attempted robbery and more. but what made the bad bearable was my fiance making me laugh. plus he looks so cute when he’s smiling!
Laughter: Nothing else matters when you’re with people that can really make you laugh.
My power word is FAITH: Faith gives you the power to face challenges. To go into the unkown and to go after your dreams. I think the base of all power is steeped in having a strong sense of Faith
My word is "honor." In every relationship I have – with my significant other, my parents, my sisters, and my friends – I try very hard (really i do!) to be a person of honor and value others who have honor. The world needs more people who have integrity, are honest and fair. Honor should transcend everything and anything that we do!!
"grace"This one, singular word seems to encompass everything important in life. It’s beauty, charm, honor, love and protection that is freely bestowed on anyone, it’s also prayer, blessings, favors, elegance, mercy… This little word encompasses so many beautiful, selfless things, that life has to offer. It’s also my sort of personal mantra, to live everyday with, full of, and trying to spread as much grace as possible.
The word that means the most to me is "relationships".
Awesometastic!It has alone helped redefine our company and our client base. It helps keep me centered, knowing that I can keep me in my business!
Beauty. Whether its seeing the beauty in others, or seeing it in yourself – or struggling to see it at all, we could all use a little more beauty in our everyday lives.
The word that comes to mind for me is "breathe". I am a sole believer in the power of your breath. Whenever I get stressed about the wedding or anything happening in my life, I just take a few mintues to breathe and then get back to the issue. It is my happy place. I LOVE Palomna’s Nest!!!
My word is "home" By nature I am a homebody, but the more I look at what is important to me the more I realize that word encompasses it all. The people I love the most are at home, the place I feel the most safe and the most loved is at home, when I have had a bad day I can’t wait to get home and see my wonderful husband, after a long vacation I love coming home and sharing my stories of adventure, my home is where I love to entertain and fellowship with my friends, and more than anything I know my true "home" is not on this earth. It is a word that I can’t say without feeling a comfort and warmth consume me.
As cheesy as it may be, my power word is LOVE. I think once you have love, love someone, love yourself or just love others – the possibilities are endless for everthing positive in your life: happiness, laughter, peace, acceptance, beauty, joy and the list of great things that spring from love are endless. I think that happiness and peace springs from love in every direction. To love, be loved and show love is my goal in life.
I have a phrase. "Get On Board" It started after the election, when people wouldn’t stop complaining about Obama. I told people "He’s our president. Get on Board!" It continued from there and I use it when people are so resistant to change. sometimes you need to be reminded to just Get On Board!
LoyaltyWithout loyalty no relationship can flourish.
My power word is PERSPECTIVE. Whenever I am having a busy, overwhelming day at work, or am facing a moment where I feel like I have so many decisions & tasks to do/make & that I’ll never get out from under the pile, I will stop, and remind myself that no matter what it is that I may be doing, or need to do, that I’m not saving lives, or defending our country’s freedom on front lines, or responding to a 911 call…or doing anything close to those types of honorable, life-changing responsibilities worthy of that type of weight….I’m just doing my office job and planning a small wedding…. and while that may be important to me, at the end of the day, life will go on…I’ll get through it and be just fine. Once I remind myself of those certainties, everything shifts back into perspective and I move forward. It’s amazing what a little perspective will do for you!
My word is "Simplicity." The best things in life are those that are simple….& southern. :)
The word that means the most to me is "cherish." The dictionary defines it "to hold dear" or "to keep or cultivate with care and affection." In the midst of planning a wedding, I am teaching myself to cherish each moment – even those moments filled with stress and challenges. Embracing the experience requires a committment to myself that I will treat each minute of this process as a gift and a step taken towards life with my new husband. I reject the temptation to stress over minutiae and instead choose to focus on cherishing the opportunity to plan a wonderful day (NOT a perfect one!). I cherish the family that brought me up, the anticipation that builds as my wedding day approaches, and the man I can’t WAIT to marry.
HOPE.
My power word has to be "believe". If you trust in that with all things (yourself, faith, family) than you will figure out what is worth believing in. Thanks for the fun giveaway!
DREAMThat word to me encompasses love, which was my first "power word" thought. You can dream for love, you can dream for a baby, you can dream for an ice-cream cone…and you can dream big. Dreaming is what gets me going everyday!
Perserverancethe word actually sums up so many character traits in life… all encompassing the positive ones like ~determination, tirelessness, faith, dreams, goals, love
my "power word" would have to be faith. my parents have always built our lives around faith but i never really appreciated it until i became an adult myself and realized that without faith, what is the point? without faith in god, we have nothing to justify hope in humanity. without faith in people, we would assume and expect to worst. without faith in ourselves, we would not succeed. so yes, FAITH is without a doubt my "power word".
My word is "Love". I just feel that its the most powerful, and beautiful emotion!
My power word is "selfless." My fiance is one of the most selfless people in my life, and I think to really make a marriage work, you have to be selfless. Always put the people you love before yourself! They, in turn, will be selfless to others!
TRUE. I love this word! I like that it represents being yourself as well as being honest. It’s the word I try to keep in mind as I think about getting married soon. My fiance and I talk about being true to ourselves while still joining our lives and being true to the values we share. It’s also the first syllable of my new last name! I can’t wait to carry this word with me.
My word is CONSISTENCY. The people, traditions, and blessings in life that bring us the most satisfaction and joy are the ones that are consistent and therefore, comforting. It’s empowering to know the people or things in life that can be counted on. :)
FAMILY
My word would be "present". Amid the craziness of everyday life, I find it necessary to ground myself in the present. I often get caught up in what is going to happen next or what big event is coming up, and forget to enjoy the moment I am living in right now. Reminding myself to stay in the present helps me to enjoy the simple and amazing moments that happen everyday.
My fiance is in the Navy and we have spent four years of our relationship apart. He is truly a good man. Not only does he love and cherish me but he honors me. In our circumstance, honoring me is the best way he could show me love. Honor has become my one power word because we both try to live our lives in a way that honor not only each other but our friends, family, country, and God as well.
My word is "Agape." We as humans all seek to be loved unconditionally despite our many flaws. We seek that one person that will walk beside us through the journey of life, and when we do stumble, he/she will be there to pick us up and see us through.
my word is: Happy.i’m about to be married!
FreedomWhat is more important than that? Cute stuff BTW!
My "power word" is grace. Saying it or even thinking it reminds me that we could all use a little bit of "room" as we go through our daily lives. Whether it be for the crazy driver ahead of me or for myself and my never-ending to do list, I think that grace is central.As I read over a few of the other comments in order to reach the bottom and post my own, it occurred to me that grace is at the heart of so much–love, compassion, forgiveness, acceptance and even joy and its necesary sidekick, being in the moment.I am a newly engaged wedding planner. From this seat, I have seen both the effects of grace for bridesmaids, mothers in law, the little glitches and even one’s fiance. As I plan my own wedding, I remind myself of the importance of grace often. In the face of a differing opinions and others’ insistence that we do this or that, grace reminds me that they just want what’s best for me and my guy and are doing what they think is right to make sure the day’s everything we imagined.
"Hope"
"bliss"life is filled with blissful moments. there’s nothing like the feeling of pure bliss :)
"LEAP"It means joyfully deciding to take a chance; to take a faith-filled risk.
FAITH!All you need is faith, faith, faith is all you need! :)
My power word is "unity". I believe that all things are connected whether we realize it or not, and that when we embrace every tiny part of life as a piece of a bigger puzzle, we can all find peace and love within ourselves.
Fly.My power word means so much to me and it seems like such a simple yet succinct umbrella term. It provides me with the wisdom with knowing there are so many opportunities out there. With the ability of all the other power words provided: love, strength, humility, faith, etc. I can fly to achieve greatness within myself and my relationship. Without my S.O, I wouldn’t have the strength, courage or confidence to fly. In my relationship, I always find myself soaring to new heights.
Laugh.Just laugh and life gets a little brighter, words take on a new meaning, air smells a little sweeter and you can always go to bed knowing you laughed today.
My power word is "together." This single word constantly reminds my fiance and I where our happiness comes from…our time together. This can also translate to other aspects of our lives: together with family, together with friends and together in Christ. We’re cherishing this time together as we prepare to become one!
My word is" Forgive" you have to have a big heart full of LOVE to do that!!!!!
My power word is "delight". Experiencing delight in the simple, beautiful joys of this life, day to day, helps to ground me, to connect me to others and to myself, and to relish in the laughter and love of family and friends. I was just browsing Paloma’s Nest and really want to purchase one of the ring dishes for my upcoming wedding. I can only imagine how special the "sun, moon, stars" dish would be on my very special day. Simply "delight"ful!
empower!
Maybe it’s cheesy, but the most powerful word to me is JAMIE, my fiance’s name. It encompasses so many of the great things he adds to my life – love, joy, hope, inspiration, stress relief. :) Life with him is twice as good and half as hard.
HOPE.happiness+opportunity+perseverance+expectation=the way i view my life on a daily basis.
"Journey" I have had quite a ride and am learning to appreciate the journey part more than the destination:)
Integrity. No matter what you do, when you do it, or who you do it with…do it with integrity,
bloom
Appreciate. I think that we should "appreciate" what we have and make the best of our situation instead of taking things for granted. In life we tend to forget that things aren’t that bad if we make the best out of it instead of dreading over something that is simple. Life is short so appreciate your loved ones and the things you have in life.
my power word is imperfection. growing up, i taped a sign to my wall that said "perfection is the enemy of greatness." i embrace all my imperfections–it makes life that much more enjoyable!
Respect. Respect for yourself, your family and friends…and everything you do really. Definitely a powerful word :)
Devotion. I am hopelessly devoted to the love of my life and I am devoted to living a life of love.
My word is "perspective." Whenever things go wrong or I am feeling overwhelmed, I try to remind myself to keep things in perspective. No one died. No one is sick. Things in my little corner of the world are really good. So what if I have to spend 15 minutes in traffic, or I got a stain on my favorite blouse!
My power word is BREATHEOften, when I find myself getting bogged down in the details, I have to remind myself to stop and take a breath. It’s amazing how few deep breaths can change your perspective!
Inquiring. It reminds me to always look past what I think a situation is and to look deeper. Not to accept the face value of anything, because that may mean I miss out on something incredible. I’m very glad I kept this in mind when I met my fiance. Based off of first impressions, I didn’t think we were much of a match. But I gave it a shot and agreed to our first date and haven’t been disappointed since!
My word is "story." Seems like a funny word, but it encapsulates the idea that our lives are stories, either good stories or bad stories. I want my life to be a good story- a story that is marked adventure, love, trust, wholeness and growth. This word is important to me because it reminds me to truly live life, rather than settle into what is comfortable. It reminds me to look for adventure, and live a life worthy of being called a good story.
Serendipity. Similar to happenstance, but more positive and more refined. Such an underused word with such a powerful meaning. A true forgotten gem in the dictionary. I love making pleasing discoveries by casualty. So much more than a wonderful movie and unique cafe in New York City and Las Vegas…
"sine qua non" – which means: without which (there is) nothing. I have been with my fiancee for 7 years. In January of 2009, he proposed to me and sang a song he had written for me. He wrote the song because of a question I periodically asked him from time to time – "Baby, why do you love me?" The song is entitled "The answer" and is his response. My favorite verse is about halfway through. He says, "I can tell you there’s no single sine qua non alone that move me, There’s no single ‘cuz I love’ or ‘I love because’," I have not asked him that question since that day. Now I know, I don’t have to ask. When he sang the song, I told him I was going to take a picture so that I could always remember the moment he wrote a song for me. He never sings in front of people, even me. While preparing my camera to take a picture, I decided to record the song instead, of course I did not tell him, he would have never agreed. But then I had the video and was telling all of my friends and family about that magical day. Eventually I decided to post it so that they could all view it. I posted it on my Facebook page, but you can watch his proposal song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4ioNlhpZPY. We are getting married in August and I know I am the luckiest woman ever.
"sine qua non" means: without which (there is) nothing. I have been with my fiancee for 7 years. In January of 2009, he proposed to me and sang a song he had written for me. He wrote the song because of a question I periodically asked him from time to time – "Baby, why do you love me?" The song is entitled "The answer" and is his response. My favorite verse is about halfway through. He says, "I can tell you there’s no single sine qua non alone that move me, There’s no single ‘cuz I love’ or ‘I love because’," I have not asked him that question since that day. Now I know, I don’t have to ask. When he sang the song, I told him I was going to take a picture so that I could always remember the moment he wrote a song for me. He never sings in front of people, even me. While preparing my camera to take a picture, I decided to record the song instead, of course I did not tell him, he would have never agreed. But then I had the video and was telling all of my friends and family about that magical day. Eventually I decided to post it so that they could all view it. I posted it on my Facebook page, but you can watch his proposal song here: <object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f4ioNlhpZPY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param></object>. We are getting married in Texas in August and I know I am the luckiest woman ever.
"Hope," there’s no word to me that is more powerful. When all else fails in the end you will always have ‘hope.’ This is something I’ve lived by my entire life and will continue to. There are times in everyone’s lives where hope is all we have. It is important for me to win this wonderful giveaway because not only is it a great honor to have such a wonderful piece from Paloma’s Nest but it is something I would honestly cherish close to my heart for the symbolism each piece holds.
Laugh. Humor and keeping a light spirit makes life so much for fun, and I believe everyday should include as much laughing as possible.