For the past few years I have chosen a word at the beginning of January, and shared it visibly on my blog in hopes of using it to guide and define the upcoming months...a One Little Word. My words have been: begin, flourish, abundance, and last year was thrive.

For 2015 the word "wholehearted" is what I've chosen...or what has chosen me. Its first big impact was through Brene Brown's TED talk on vulnerability. Its a must-watch if you haven't seen it yet! She is a researcher/storyteller who spent a long time researching vulnerability, shame and connection. So much of her words resonated with me.

I wanted to find myself in her manilla folder full of "wholehearted" people. People who live from a deep sense of worthiness; a belief that they are worthy of love and belonging. That concept resonates with me so intensely. One of my favorite things she said in her talk was an explanation of the meaning of courage. It comes from the Latin word: cour; meaning "heart" and its original definition was to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart. And that is what I want to do in 2015...what I want to do in my whole life.

To be courageous and live wholeheartedly. And through this vulnerability, embrace the gift of true connection.

“wholehearted [hohl-hahr-tid] - adjective: 1) fully or completely sincere, enthusiastic, energetic; hearty; earnest. 2) done, acted, given, etc. with total sincerity, enthusiasm or commitment. 3) unconditional commitment, unstinting devotion or unreserved enthusiasm; genuine and true.”

I aspire to be wholehearted in my relationships, in my worship, in my decisions and in my art. I feel a need to lean into living and loving fully. I yearn to be enthusiastic for the things that fill my days. I long to give of myself to the important people in my life, to my friends, to people in my community and to my dream clients with total sincerity. I want to be genuine. I crave truth. I desire to be authentic.

And then once this word really clasped on to me, it kept coming up in so many places. I saw it in scriptures I was reading, like Joshua 14:8 and Jeremiah 29:13. Quotes with my word came up naturally on Pinterest. I searched through the #wholehearted hashtag on Instagram and was so touched. I knew this was my word.

Now that we are a few days in to 2015, it has already helped to guide me in a few ways. It motivated me to get out my front door on days when that was the last thing I thought I could do. Each day I have committed to and followed-through on reading a portion of the Bible. My intention is to read the whole Bible this year. I have even found myself giving emotionally when I thought I had nothing left to give, and being filled up in return even more, because of it. And to all of these beautiful, little moments I say: YES! This is what I hope for. This is what I invite more of into my life.

To life wholeheartedly. To be wholehearted. To tell the story of who I am with my whole heart.