2011 – What’s Your Word for the Year?

Kia meets with a friend on a weekly basis to help her stay grounded. Someone to help her not get too high or too low. Another person in her life to be a sounding board and a friend.

So they came up with this plan to pick a word for 2011 that would help them define the year. Something that they could aspire to, plan for, pray about, etc. She asked me what word would define my 2011.

Just to back up a little, you may remember in 2009, I referred quite a bit to the phrase “Don’t Give Up.” I even found a t-shirt with the saying on it, and wore it at least once a week. It was something that I thought a lot about that year. Like a lot of you, 2009 was a rough year financially for me. When things are hard financially, it carries over to other parts of life. I needed to remember to keep going. I needed to remind myself that things would get better. It did. Lots better.

So 2010, I didn’t have a conscience word, but looking back I would say it was “commitment.” Again in life, we make commitments that we may not want to keep (coaching a kids basketball team, volunteering for a role at church or another community role, creating a project in your business that didn’t turn out like you thought it would – but having to stick with it for at least a set amount of time), telling your kids  your going to take them to the park, etc). None the less, we have to keep them.

Which brings me to 2011. My word for 2011 is ‘Freedom’ Freedom can obviously mean a lot of different things. It can be as simple (or complicated really) as a state of mind, it can mean letting things go, it can mean choosing different options in life.

I hate feeling weighed down. I don’t like feeling locked in for life. Funny enough though, some commitments actually bring me more freedom. Marriage means freedom to me. My children bring me unlimited amounts of freedom and potential.

So, what’s your word? What word or phrase will you choose to help define your year? I would love to hear.