Dine and Dish

Food blog with family recipes

Connect in 2012 {Giveaway: The Rusted Chain Bracelet}

I am sitting here, at 4pm, stuck in bed with the flu. Not quite the start to 2012 I was hoping for! Flu aside, I am really excited for the start of a new year.

Every new year I select one word to help guide my year. 2011 my word was “happiness”. I read and was inspired by The Happiness Project and it seemed only natural to focus my 2011 on intentional happiness. My “Happiness Reports” will continue into 2012, but my word is going to change.

For 2012 my word is CONNECT.

 

I want to spend time developing relationships and connecting with others on a deeper level. I want to connect with my husband through (at least) monthly date nights. I want to connect with my kids by spending more one on one time with them. I want to connect with my friends, making getting together with them regularly a priority. I want to spend time with my family…visit them more. I want to find blogs that move me and spend more time reading them. I want to engage my mind… read more, take more photos, live life vibrantly.

As a visual reminder of my 2012 word, I ordered a stamped metal bracelet from The Rusted Chain. On my bracelet will be the word “Connect”. Beki has generously offered to give one lucky Dine & Dish reader a 2012 word bracelet as well! To enter the giveaway for a stamped metal cuff bracelet from The Rusted Chain, simply leave a comment on this post telling me what your focus word is for 2012.

For additional entries:

  • Become a fan of The Rusted Chain on Facebook
  • Tweet the following “I hope to set my 2012 intentions in metal by winning a bracelet from The Rusted Chain & @DineandDish http://bit.ly/wmEchi “

All entries must be received by midnight, CST on Tuesday, January 9th, 2012. Winner will be chosen by Random.org and notified via valid email address.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Roberta Whitley says

    I hope you don’t mind, but I think your word selection for 2012 is fantastic & I am seriously considering that it will also be mine! Thanks for the chance to “connect” with you & your readers – its going to be interesting & fun here! Thanks also for the chance to win!

  8. Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says

    My word is RELAX. I have a very hard time doing this seemingly simple thing. I am go-go-go all the time. With just a year and a half left in graduate school, the stress is only going to get worse. Seeing the word relax on my wrist could be a great reminder!

  9. Sheila @E2g says

    Focus. It was the first thing that came to mind. Focus on family, loving better, laughing more. Focus on the things in life that matter and not letting worry and guilt distract.

  12. Tricia Marble says

    Discipline ~ I want to be disciplined in how I spend my time, disciplined in my finances and disciplined in how I treat myself (exercise, food, etc).
    Thank you for a chance to win one of these beautiful bracelets!

  15. Lauren says

    What a great idea. Connect works for so many of the themes of my life right now, but my word for 2012 is “leap”. I’m ridiculously excited for this year, and a touch nervous about what it holds. Happy New Year, Kristen!

  17. *Just Fran* says

    My word for 2012 is PEACE. The past couple years have been a pretty rough journey, at times, and I hope to have the peace to weather what ever the road for 2012 may bring.

  36. jules p says

    I guess my word for 2012 will be….patience. I do not have enough patience with my children, husband, even myself.

  42. Kelli says

    My word is ENJOY

    I want to enjoy life and all I have been given and worked hard for–my family, my home and the goals we have obtained

  43. Amy McElroy says

    Love your word for the year Kristen…and love this jewelry! Already saved the website for future purchases!

    My words for the year are: Life is Good!

  44. MaryBeth says

    I’ve been thinking about my “word” for 2012. I think it will be FEARLESS. Not the daredevil type of fearless, but rather the “do not be afraid” type of fearless. Yep…I’m going to be fearless in 2012. Best w

  46. Amy Kempf says

    While there are many things I am trying to improve in my life, I am working on being more self-disciplined in a lot of areas this year.

  47. Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says

    Focus word: Excel

    (in all that I do, in all that I put my mind to…just excel.)

  55. Cheryl says

    My word for the year will be Gratitude. I have started writing random thank you notes to people in my life and hope to maintain a goal of 3 – 4 per week for the year.

  56. Amy says

    My word for the year is Balance. Although I love your word connect. I am trying to not live at work and take care of me as well as everyone else. I want to find that balance in my physical being and spiritual self.

    I hope I will get to meet you Face to Face when I come out west to see my kidlet.

  57. Kelly S. says

    My word for 2012 is Focus. I want to focus on regaining my sense of self which has been lost over the last few years. I want to focus on spending more intentional/less distracted time with my kids, and I want to focus on building my own business.

  58. Elle Hyson says

    I think I need two words for 2012 – keep going – to continue to confound the doctors who gave me four months ten years ago –

    Happy New Year to you and yours Kristen and I hope you get over the flu quickly – my husband came down with it today and I am keeping my fingers crossed.

  61. Rachel Cort says

    My word for 2012 is Mindfulness. I want to create a habit of mindfulness–of what I am doing, saying, thinking, feeling…my goal is a more intentional way of being.

  63. Kelly Ulven says

    My focus word for 2012 is joy. Something that no one can take from you. It is internal and emanates outward.

  70. Heidi says

    My word for 2012 is ‘complete’. I have started so many things over the years and never finished them. This year I will follow through! It also speaks to me in many other ways.

  73. Michelle Hudiburg says

    I chose the word discipline for this year. I have such a horrible time finishing what I begin and I know it stems from a lack of discipline in my life. So, I’m setting out on a road to claim Proverbs 15:31-33. I want to welcome discipline so I can gain wisdom and follow the path the Lord has laid out for my life.

  74. Alison C says

    My word is peace. I had the family fill out a New Years form and the first blank was to write one word. Peace came to mind – with four 13 year olds, three cats, one dog, and one husband, I never seem to have any peace!

    Thanks for the chance to win!

  76. THERESA E says

    CHERISH IS MY NEW WORD FOR THE YEAR. I WANT TO CHERISH THE TIME THAT I DO HAVE WITH MY FAMILY AND FOR WHATEVER AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE HAVE.

  77. Marla says

    My word for 2012 is Courage because I am opening a new business – a bakery cafe. It has been my dream for many years & I’m finally seeing it happen!!

  82. Bee says

    My focus word… success. I have a lot that I want to do with my life, and I need to take steps to make it what I want it to be.

  83. naomi says

    My 2012 is ReDiscover. My love for playing the piano, creating (I want to learn to mosaic and make candles), the city I live in … so many things can be preceded by the word “Rediscover”

    Yep – that’s my word.

  86. Jenniffer Hernandez says

    My word this year is “Heal”. It’s been a seriously rough 6 years and this year begins my time for healing.

  90. Annie says

    my focus word is WEDDING…this is the year for planning it and doing the things i want to do before it happens 🙂

  92. Di says

    How funny to see this post from you! Just yesterday a college friend of mine had a similar post about picking a single word to define what you want out of this year. I’ve decided that my word for this year is FOCUS. I looked through a lot of different words for ideas, but this one really spoke to me. Now to figure out where I want to go with it…

  95. Natalie says

    Santa gave the littles each a word for this year. Gabriel – Believe, Ethan – Joy, and Summer – Dream. I think that I am going to choose Hope for me because I do have so much hope for what is in store for my sweet family in 2012.

    Happy New Year!

  99. Megan says

    My word is “focus”. I quit my job at the end of September and I feel like I’ve been drifting the past three months instead of working on the projects I quit my job to do. I read The Happiness Project last year, and I think it will help me divide up my focus into smaller pieces. I don’t know if I will report on it every month, but it might help keep me accountable!

  100. Michelle says

    I’ve picked out a New Year’s word for the last several years. Some past words include passion, happiness and peace. This year my word is FUN. I want to spend more time having fun—date nights with my husband, playing games with my kids, getting together with my friends and neighbors for drinks, expanding my new business and meeting new people, following my passions, traveling, reading, writing and baking. Life is short and I want to try and experience as much as possible by simply living and enjoying it.

  108. Desi says

    I have several words that I love and really resignate with me…. your word from last year “happiness”… “grateful” because I need to stop wishing for more and realize what I do have… “cherish” because I want to cherish every day, even the little things, I want to cherish my successes, and my relationships. And lastly “blessed” because again, I am so very blessed and I would love a reminder on my bracelet 🙂

  110. Irina G (Fit Flexitarian) says

    My word for 2012 is THRIVE.

    I also liked The Rusted Chain on FB and Tweeted. Thanks! 🙂

  115. LyB says

    I love the idea of choosing a word to guide us throughout the year. I had such a hard time choosing mine but “mindfulness” feels pretty right. Most of the time I am so rushed with everything I need to do that I don’t actually take time to savor the moments, every little moment. So, mindfulness it is this year!

  117. Susan says

    Hope you are feeling better. My word for 2012 is EMBRACE.

    I want to embrace the time I have left with my teenagers before they leave to start their own lives as well as the chaos that includes. I want to embrace the time with my husband as we become re-acquainted during this start of the next phase of our life together.

  129. bianca says

    Oh my WORD (no pun intended)! I love this novel idea of a word for the year – that is so much easier to keep track of than a list of resolutions!!! I might just follow suite and come up with a word…oh but there are so many great words in my mind! Perhaps that is a sign my word should be SIMPLIFY. Yes, I love that!

  134. Laura says

    You are the first person I’ve come across with the same word as me…connection. That’s something I really want to be more intentional about this year.

  137. Jen at The Three Little Piglets says

    Mine would have to be peace. This needs to be the year I find peace! I loved The Happiness Project – such a great way to focus your energies on redefining the pieces of your life that you’re a little less than happy with.

  164. Erin from Long Island says

    my words for the new year are achieve and accomplish. with a new apartment and a new joblessness, i have a lot to do on these two fronts!

  170. Shaina says

    I want your word: Connect. Another one I could use is Interact. I fail so often at the give-and-take of relationships. The introvert in me crawls into a small, dark corner and hides from that. This year I hope to prioritize trying to put myself out there more in an attempt to really, truly connect and interact with people who may even consider me a friend someday.

  172. Shannon says

    My word is REAL. Getting back to basics. Real food. Real realtionships. Real excercise. Real Life.

  173. Delani says

    My focus word for 2012 is TIME – to remind myself to spend more time with my children, to make a conscious effort perfecting the art of being on time, to gauge my available time wisely in order to accomplish my goals, and so on. My relationship with the clock has suffered this past year and must be rewound. 🙂 A beautiful bracelet would be an awesome reminder of my intentions for the year. Thank you!

  177. Holly Marble says

    Intentional is my word. I want to be intentional about everything I do! Stop wasting time and be intentional about being with my family, the words I say, the activities I involve myself in.

  184. Tricia Marble says

    Tough choices. I would have t o say Intentional. These is my word I am focusing on! I want to be intentional with everything… how I spend my time, the words I say to my family and friends and the lessons I teach my children.

  187. Chelsea says

    My Word is Listen…to remind me to be quite and listen to others, to the beautiful laughter of my children, to the sound of my husband saying I love you..to my friends when they talk about thier lives so I can be the best friend for them, but most of all to Listen to God and what he is telling me to do and to be able to hear what he wants from me.

  189. Chrissy says

    My focus word for 2012 is “blessings”. I have been very blessed these past few years and I am continuing to feel the blessings pour over me.

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