My word for 2018

Finding balance in 2017 was a real challenge. I need to continue to pursue meeting my academic goals without sacrificing my mental and physical health. The next 15 months will likely be the most challenging of my life when it comes to balance. I am so determined to finish my Ph.D. in spring of 2019 that it may threaten my ability to keep body and spirit aligned with my mind.

With both my academic goal and need for balance in mind, I wanted to find a word for 2018 that would help me remember to dig deep, persevere, and keep moving forward no matter what the circumstances.

While doing some shopping on Etsy, I ran across a word I had never seen before: sisu. Intrigued by the descriptions at the Etsy stores, I looked it up:

SISU

To the Finnish people, sisu has a mystical, almost magical meaning.It is a Finnish term that can be roughly translated into English as strength of will, determination, perseverance, and acting rationally in the face of adversity.

Sisu is not momentary courage, but the ability to sustain that courage.It stands for the philosophy that what must be done will be done, regardless of cost.

Sisu is an inherent characteristic of the Finnish people. You might call it backbone, spunk, stamina, guts, or drive and perseverance.It is a measure of integrity that surpasses the hardship and sees through to the end.

http://www.finlandia.edu/about/our-finnish-heritage/

Sisu represents everything I need for 2018. I may not be Finnish, but I can appreciate the kind of dogged determination that refuses to compromise or quit. It's what I will need to achieve all the intermediate goals required to conquer the terminal degree. 

The image I paired with the word for 2018 is the ice that formed inside my travel cup when I left it in the car overnight. The temperature had dipped to near zero, and my cup had been nearly full of water. At first, the lid didn't budge. With the car heater on, it took about an hour to reveal this image: icicles dipping into the icy water. There will be times when progress seems frozen, whether it be mind, body, or spirit. I will need to be patient with myself and my circumstances without stopping. The ice eventually melted and I could quench my thirst. The same will happen with research and writing and revising my work. It will get done as long as I keep the heat on. 

There is also beauty in the ice. I need to be aware of the obstacles, not just to overcome them, but also to appreciate the lessons of them. Finding beauty in difficulty requires creativity, integrity, and will. In the grand scheme of my years on this earth, the next 15-18 months are not long. With sisu, I will finish this degree and maintain a healthy life balance. I will find the beauty of the obstacles while I work toward overcoming them. And, with the Lord's guidance and grace, I will find a balance that keeps me healthy and whole in every aspect of my life.