My sisters like to say – “Words are hard.”
Isn’t that the truth? Lol. And I have a story about words today…
Are you one of those people that chooses a “word of the year” for each new year?
If you aren’t familiar with the idea, the concept is to choose a meaningful word that expresses something that you connect with and plan to focus on throughout the next 12 months. Kind of cool, right?
Well. I don’t have a word of the year. I have a LIFE WORD.
This word came out of a season of life when I had experienced several long periods of unemployment. That is another story in itself – but I was really frustrated with what I saw as limitations to bringing in income, as well as struggling to determine a career focus. So I decided to choose a passion that I could develop and share with people, and hopefully also make a profit! Natural living and holistic wellness was the obvious choice. It was my zone.
(BTW – this was also part of what instigated me to start learning about essential oils, which I still love and share today!)
Like all inspired entrepreneurs – I needed a name for my “dream business.” And I wanted that name to be everything! Haha. I wanted it to represent who I am and ALL that I wanted to create. Honestly – I wanted a word that would become a movement for transformation!
I found that word. Although the business idea didn’t develop too far at the time, this word has truly been all of those things that I wanted – for ME. It became the representation of what I have identified as my life purpose.
Because my roots are in Hawai’i, it was really important to me to choose a word from beautiful ‘Olelo Hawai’i (Hawaiian language). I couldn’t think of just one concept in English that worked for me. I don’t remember the details of my search process (I do know that I spent HOURS on it), but I clearly remember the notes I scribbled on a ring of tiny notecards. Some of my concepts & potential “words” reflected my life circumstances at the time, but I kept asking myself – what is most important to me?
I had several specific concepts I wanted included, touching on values, goals, & desires…
Nature, it’s my lens and pattern for life.
Living life to the fullest, both in my potential and being fully ME – who I was created to be.
Beauty, seeing & appreciating it in each moment.
Creating, nature plus my talents to make life even more beautiful.
Celebrating, because it’s all a gift to be received & acknowledged with joy.
This all came out of deep self-reflection! Much of what I wrote was (and still is) what I struggled most to actually make reality – but desired whole-heartedly. So it became even more important…
I remember when I stumbled upon a short ‘Olelo Hawai’i word that caught my attention – and then I suddenly saw that word combined with another – and the concepts of each struck a chord.
ulu : lush, green, vibrant, growing, thriving
and
wehi : beautiful, beauty
But they had to work together. I was trying not to force the language to work for me… I looked up the compound word, and this is what I found:
uluwehi [ooloo-vayhee] : beautiful decorations used to signify a celebration, especially using nature’s green, verdant life as lovely celebratory decor
(This is a summarized concept of the translation – I pictured a beautiful luau, lushly decorated, or even the hula dancers with all of their adornment.)
I had it. I wanted to GROW BEAUTIFUL LIFE.
(A loosely accurate translation, assuming the celebratory significance)
ULUWEHI.
________
It’s been many years since those moments. I thought I was choosing that word for – well, for you. For other people. And it still represents what I want most to offer – what I believe I am meant to offer. But first it was for me.
I have clung to this word when life shook and I struggled to find any meaning at all.
Uluwehi.
It has been a light and a guide when I have paddled through the murkiness of distinguishing my SELF out of the layers of definition, expectation, & suppression that life brings.
Uluwehi.
It has been my mantra to focus my growth & learning and my life goals, my values, my desires.
Uluwehi.
I have become Uluwehi – even while I still struggle at times to live it out. Because I’m still growing beautiful life everyday.
And because I know, through my studies in holistic health, that true transformation comes from full life commitment – this concept evolved into a committment to living a lifestyle.
A creative + natural lifestyle
Grow your beautiful life • ULUWEHILIFESTYLES
lush | vibrant | living | growing | celebrating
Wow! I had a lot to say about this! But I hope I was able to communicate a glimpse of why I am passionate & grateful to be able to share here.
I can’t wait to hear about any words that are or have been special to you. Tell me!
xo
Danielle