Three words to guide and inspire as we move into 2011

Last year I was prompted to select 3 words to guide and inspire me throughout the year. The 3 words recovery, discovery and laughter came easily to me and they stayed with me as a mantra. I have found the task more difficult this year, perhaps because I really like last year’s words. However, things must move forward and I very much trust that the coming year will be different from the outgoing one.

So in that spirit, after night time and daytime deliberations, I feel that I have settled on my new guide for 2011.

Harmony, vitality and adventure.

Harmony is the main essence of how I want to see the year. It represents the need to maintain a balance in life, especially between work, health and leisure. It shows the importance I hold in keeping a space for creativity in my life. It also shows my dislike of conflict and wish for peace, in my life and in the wider world. It also has the dimension of being in harmony with my body. Much as I wish for NED I know that there are no guarantees. So no matter what the year throws at me, I intend to be at one with how I handle it physically. And in a very different vein, harmony in the musical sense shows my love of music and its importance in my life.

Vitality covers my wish to feel the full benefit of feeling well, and enjoying life to the full. In a wider sense, I feel it can also cover a broader approach to life, embracing and each new day and new challenges.

I decided to pick adventure as my third word, as it also has a range of meanings which I feel will guide and inspire in the coming year. It shows that I want to push myself and reach for new experiences. If we look at its origins – (I knew learning Latin all those years ago would have a use) the word is made up of the verb to go, or move. The prefix “ad” brings the notion of forward to the motion. So adventure also represents moving forward. I most definitely intend to keep moving forward, no matter what the year throws at me.