I'm a little late getting on the train, but a number of wonderful blogs I read have mentioned picking a word for 2011 rather than a resolution. And like the lovely author of Dark Mother Goddess, I also have a massive case of demand resistance so I didn't even bother making a resolution this year. So, I set about trying to think of the right word for me. What do I want out of this year? Well, the only way I can describe how I spent last year is "in flux". So much change and arriving nowhere (how frustrating). I finally left the most destructive relationship of my life, found a part of myself that I thought had been destroyed, and realized that I deserve better. That's great, really, that's all great and I am thankful for the changes that occurred within me, but I need something a little more quantitative this year. I need something I can measure. The thing I need is to be able to say that I am moving forward with my life. And then I heard one of my favorite songs of all time, "Break My Stride" by Matthew Wilder. So that's my word for 2011. Stride. The very act of moving forward.
Now to put the word into motion (How clever am I?). I'm in no way accountable enough to remember to meditate on my word on a daily or even weekly basis, so I need to find a way to remind myself of it. Getting it tattooed on my forearm is an option but I think I'll wait and see if I still like it that much next year before I do that. So far, I have decided that I will add the song to every musical playlist I use, I will also reupholster my desktop wallpaper with the word, and I will hang little STRIDE signs all over my habitat. And because I have an emergent reader in my life, that last idea means I'm gonna hear this word read to me till I'm willing to stride right off the edge of a cliff. If you've got any ideas on how to incorporate my word into my consciousness, I'd love to hear them!
Besides the above, I think I am going to begin working with Nike. What better aspect of the divine to help me take strides than the goddess of victory and running shoes. Sadly there is very little modern (meaning in this case, not ancient) artwork of her. Hopefully I can find something soon, as I like very much to a visual representation of whatever deity I'm working with.
If any of you have chosen a word, let me know! I'm so curious to hear what the rest of you are focusing on for the coming year and why!
What great ideas to keep your word close at hand. I am a tattooed broad...but since I plan on doing this word of the year everyear..I fear I will look like a newspaper by the time I'm dead ; )
ReplyDeleteI love your blog and your writing style. Can't wait for more!
Thanx for the encouragement! The tattoo is sort of a personal joke for me. I've been gonna get a tattoo constantly since I was a teenager. Without fail, I decide I want a different one within 2 months so I never actually get one.
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