My Word for 2011 is ... CHANGE

For the past few years, I have embraced the concept of One Word for the year. I am not sure where the idea began, but I learned of it through Ali Edwards.

In 2009, my Word was CREATE. in 2010, it was ENJOY.

This year, my One Word is CHANGE.

With one daughter married and living away from home, another ready to leave the nest and a son beginning what will hopefully be his final year of tertiary studies, my nest is emptying. Rather than a feeling of sadness, this brings the excitement of CHANGE.

In 2011, I will turn 48. In two years I will crack the half-century. My body has started the major CHANGE signalling the end of fertility and my future as a wise elder is visible down the path of life.

It is time to evaluate WHO I am and make plans for my Second Adulthood. "Later" is fast approaching and all those things put off until then need to be planned for. CHANGE can be positive, good and exciting.

Ironically, as I actioned the first of my plans on Friday (creating a new bank account online), my iTunes randomly shuffled and as I clicked the "create new account" button, Rod Stewart sang "It's not time to make a change, just relax, take it easy, you're still young, that's your fault - there's so much you have to know"! Thankfully, my love of Rod Stewart has never cast him in the role of guide or mentor, so I laughed and clicked the button anyway! As I heard on TV recently, Rod is to become a father again at 65, so I will take on board the line that came later - "Look at me, I am old but I'm happy!" (Unlike me, Rod has never-ending fertility and this could go on for years yet!)

This morning, the first of the year, has seen me make a start on one goal which will be actioned this year - my daughter's friends were discussing their tattoos and there are now plans to take me to their body artist soon to get the "ink" I have been promising myself since the year I turned 40! Now I just need to decide on a design and find the cash!