One-word theme for 2011

As I was trawling Facebook this morning (when I was supposed to be writing application letters for jobs - yes, I know, procrastinating again.  I must remember to put that down on my list) I found a post from Gretchen Rubin as part of her Happiness Project 2011.  She suggested that we have a one-word theme for the year.  I didn't take me long to work out mine as it has been an ongoing personal theme for some time....BREATHE.  Whilst I was in BBH I wrote this down on my wrist everyday as a reminder to do so and when  I started to panic or get upset, it would be a reminder to slow down and deep breathe through the moment.  Crazy but it works. 

So that is my word for 2011.  But, I am planning on making it my word for LIFE.  Yes, I am getting a tattoo in the exact same place.  You may think that's really classy (not) but it will be in small print and located where it can be covered up by a watch (which I never wear) or some bracelets and wrist bands (which I always wear).  Problem averted.

However, I am not liking the idea of having the English word - how boring.  I have found heaps of online translators and dictionaries and have tried the word out in so many languages - French, Russian, Thai, Arabic, Hebrew, you name it.  The more I have looked, the more confused I became.  So, to narrow the choices down, I decided to stick to languages directly related to me, and my history.  For example, I love New Zealand, and would move there in a heartbeat if it wasn't for my nieces and nephews, so Maori would be an option.  The problem there is that there a number of different 'dialects' - I have asked my friend Claire to sort out this issue for me.  Is it 'ha' or 'whakaha'?  And how is it pronounced?  My luck the 'wh' sound will be an 'f' sound (try whakaha out aloud commencing with an 'f" - great huh?).  Another option is Russian - to go hand in hand with my Russian name, but the single word 'breathe' translated into at least an entire sentence.  Not only would this translation wrap around my entire wrist, it would damn well hurt!  I have also tried Thai - had an amazing holiday in Bangkok and Koh Samui in 2006 - but it looks so, well, common.  Every second person these days seems to have something Asian drawn on them.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.  I must be 100% sure of what I want -obviously- so I am not hurrying into this, even though I was certain I would have had the ink in place by now.