One Little Word 2013... and goodbye to 2012!

Usually I choose a word to embrace during the year, inspired by Ali Edward's One Little Word project.  The one that worked best for me one year was "Breathe", mostly because I literally had to remember to breathe properly when under stress or I was hit with very unsettling dizzy spells.  It still works for me, I think that word will be my personal mantra word for years to come.  If I was brave enough to get a tattoo, it would be that word!

Last year I didn't really choose anything, although I eventually embraced "enough", from a phrase that someone shared with me:

"May we all have:
Enough happiness to keep us smiling,
Enough trials to keep us strong,
Enough sorrow to keep us human,
Enough hope to keep us happy,
Enough failure to keep us humble,
Enough success to keep us eager,
Enough friends to give us comfort,
Enough enthusiam to look forward,
Enough faith to banish depression,
Enough determination to make each day better than yesterday"
In a year of turmoil, with massive ups and down, learning that I had 'enough' helped so very much and I am forever grateful to her for helping me embrace this. 

See... 2012 was a true roller coaster of emotions and I hung on to my word 'enough' like my life depended on it.

One of the bad parts was my hubby needing to quit working because of his battle with depression.  That rocked my foundations, going from plenty to having just enough and having to put my own needs and battle with melancholy aside to help him through his.  But the absolute totally sucky part was my BIL being diagnosed with cancer, which is now terminal.  He's fighting with everything he has to make it through to each goal he has set.  He's got spirit that man, you can see it burning in his eyes.  We all know it's going to win eventually... but not without a fight, and it's definitely going to be later than sooner because none of us are giving up hoping.

But there has been much joy as well, the highlights being:  going on a trip of a lifetime to New York... meeting Natasha, one of my very dearest friends, even though we live half a world away from one another... getting to hug and see my soul sister Michelle again when she came back to WA...and discovering that having Darren at home has reduced my stress ten-fold and that having enough... it's enough for now!


I have gained new friends, misplaced some too, but through all this I have bonded even closer with the handful of people who are within my inner circle of trust.

I have learned that while I can't trust everyone, I need to be open to be happy within myself, no matter the outcome.  If my trust is abused, then its those who have taken advantage of my nature who lose... they lose me, as well as a piece of themselves.

I have learned to say no {finally}, so that I can say yes to the things that are important to me.

And I have learned to slow down, take time out and not stress over everything, sometimes the most wonderful surprises happen when things don't go to plan!

I have also learned from a beautiful soul who I have met online, what I need to find within myself to shine brightly.  She told me I need to "create thoughts of joy, no matter what" and by doing that, those around me will draw from that and be happy also and then it grows and grows.  How beautiful, how true and you can't understand how much I want that, not just for me to be happy, but for those around me to be happy also, I guess my happiness simply needs to come from within. {Thanks H, your words resonate through my mind daily.} 

So now... here I am at the start of 2013, wondering what my One Little Word should be.  I have signed up at OLW, to actually do the project this time.  Only trouble was settling on a word and in writing this I have found it!! 

This year I want to concentrate on setting my heart free... I don't want to let the negatives sadden me any longer, I don't want allow the unthoughtfulness of others to dull my spark, I want to be better within... I need light, I need radiating happiness, I need my soul to shine!

While looking for a word that fulfills these I found a latin verse "solum omnium lumen" which translated means "the sun shines everywhere" - I love that, the optimism that, no matter what, the light within us can shine free... and what better word than shine to emcompass it all!

So this year, I plan to learn to...

SHINE

and BREATHE...

while remembering I have ENOUGH.

Not too much pressure for One Little Word is it?