The Year of Living Bodaciously: Take Two

Once upon a time, approximately 368 days ago, I declared 2010 to be my year of Living Bodaciously.

While I had great and earnest intentions, that didn't play out like I thought it would. Life, real and urgent, interfered and co-opted me in ways I never imagined. Will's ongoing health issues completely occupied and pre-occupied me. When one parents a special needs child with some rather complicated medical quirks, one's priorities are always gauged by those quirks. And last year, we had one quirky experience.

But. While The Eleven brings with it the Beast We Know (Will has some crazy infection centers in his ear region) it also brings a very aware and active medical entourage who are all working together (and dispensing antibiotics) to get him cleaned up and healthy.

So Mama here can now think about Being Bodacious once more. BAM!

I'm going to share my big old declarative post from last year again, since frankly, it still sums it all up for me. And I'm going to be talking about my evolving bocaciousness on a regular basis, with open invites for y'all to participate either here in the comments or -- better yet -- on your own blogs. Part of Being Bodacious is to encourage each other in our pursuits -- like writing.

This next part might look familiar. Or it might be a New To You thing. Regardless, enjoy and ponder. And start owning your bodaciousness -- 'cause we've all got beaucoup amounts of it to embrace and share.

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Bodacious.

Main Entry: bo·da·cious
Function: adjective
Etymology: probably blend of bold and audacious
Date: 1832
1. outright, unmistakable

2. remarkable, noteworthy
3. sexy, voluptuous

It’s rather a funny word, though, isn’t it – bodacious. Albeit with some great meanings across the board – yep, even the sexy and voluptuous part. Can’t be noble and upright all the time. (insert lascivious eyebrow raise here)

That’s what I’ve declared the next 365 days to be for me. Full of bodacious living.

How I’m going to be.
How I want the path I follow to be.
How I want the footsteps I leave behind to be.

Bodacious.

I asked some friends to give me one word they would like to see describe their take on The Eleven. Here’s what they told me:

Skinnier
Prosperous
Fulfilling
Awesome
Amazing
Improved
Success
Happy
Patriotic
Love
Happy
Lessons
Contentment
Ausgezeichnet
Employed
Lighter
Orgasmic
Opportunistic
Calm
Happier
Plurific
Peaceful
Non-Craptastic
Bacony
Excitement

That works, dontcha think? Got a word to add? Leave it in the comments. I’m curious to see what’s on your psyche.

What is it about the genesis of a new year – a series of days, hours, minutes, moments – that causes the collective humanity to assess themselves and set upon some course of self-improvement at the least and self-awareness ideally.

You got me.

I know, though, that for the right now, my gym will be full of people on a mission. Cigarettes abandoned. Calories counted. Order sought. Calendars streamlined.

Whether anyone will be able to maintain his or her personal quest for the next 525,600 minutes is one of those great unknowns. I’d like to think so. But just as the human condition prompts us to engage in self-improvement activity, it also gives us reason to stop, whether of our own doing or from the doing of outside, unavoidable forces.

At least we mean well.

So what am I going to do with myself here in the shiny and new framework known as the year MMXI? So glad you asked…

Have better posture and engage my core CONSTANTLY
Be more sassy
Do unto others…
Laugh every day
Engage in self-confidence, not self-defeat
Make a difference
Make a joyful noise
Pray more
Praise more
Thank more
Trust more
Achieve and better fitness goals -- then make new ones to tackle
Make my house a home, with an open door, full glass and engaging heart
Write, dammit – WRITE!

Most of all, though is that I want is to let The Eleven be a year of sustained passion – for creative ventures, relationships, myself and life as a whole and to cultivate the belief that passion translates to success by any and all definitions.

Let’s go do this thing called life, y’all, here in The Eleven.

You ready?