2011 Mantra

I've spent a lot of time this past week trying to come up with my theme word for 2011.

2010's word was Prioritize.

I won't say that I failed to keep that my motto, but I definatly didn't live it out everyday. 
I was tempted to just make that the 2011 word too, but that just felt lame.

So when I sat back and thought about my life and where I wanted to be at this time next year I realized that to get there I need to SLOW DOWN.

Quit over planning.  Actually stay home and play with my kids.  Be intentional about my days.

But Slow Down is 2 words and I'm a stickler for only wanting one word.

So I search for synonyms for slow down but all Google would give me was "Retard" and, while that would make me laugh in times of stress, it just wasn't what I was going for.

Then yesterday my mantra came to me and it was perfect.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 2011's Mantra is:

ILLUMINATE

I'm in love with it.

It covers every one of my goals for 2011.

Like my number one goal, to LIGHTEN UP.

Stop freaking over the little stuff.  Have FUN.  Stop being a downer.

In 2011, I will not say "No" to things that really don't matter. 

Like riding trikes inside.

(Which was actually pretty fun and I'm not sure why we've never done it before.  Our house is perfect for indoor riding.)

Or Self Feeding.

(Which made a huge mess, but entertained him for quite some time.)

Or letting her help with the cleaning.

(Which totally made her day.)

The little things that I'm so quick to say no to. 

Not in 2011. 

We're going to have fun around here this year!

And while I know that Lightening Up is going to make me an all new parent, Illuminate means something even more to me.

This year I want to be a light.

I want to share my Faith, my Savior, my God.

I want to be an actual light.  Shining in the darkness.

I want to be encouraging, patient, calm.

Slow to speak.  Slow to anger.  Quick to love.

I want to enlighten my children's lives.

Read to them, teach them, show them who they are.

I want to lighten my husbands burden and not add to it.

Love him, nurture him, support him.

I want my words, that are so many, have meaning this year.

I want to end idle chat, gossip, and critisism.

My goals this year are lofty.

Being a light and lightening up will challenge me every single day. 

Because neither of them come natural to me. 

I'm going to have to work at it.

So that's why this year's word is actually a Mantra.

Something I will repeat to myself over and over and over until it is a part of who I am.

Here's to hoping 2011 is brighter because of me.