This Has Been Quite a Year

This has been quite a year, one filled with highs and lows just like any other year. Let's face it, life will always be about ups and downs and there's nothing we can do about it except look through a positive lens to change our perspective.

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Now that 2019 is coming to a close I'm going to try something new to me. Instead of looking back to ruminate about all that's happened, I'm going to look forward.

I look forward to the possibilities of what 2020 will bring, working on new opportunities that I hope will fulfill some goals in both my personal and professional life.

I look forward to better and far-reaching research to insure that millions of people around the planet can leave the burdens of disability behind for a slow yet steady path toward a healthier future.

I look forward to a peaceful world with less violence, homelessness, and inequality. I look for more inclusion and an increase in, well, all the overused buzzwords I know some people roll their eyes at - happiness, compassion, understanding, tolerance, joy, gratitude, prosperity, and bliss.

I'm sometimes accused of having one foot in a world that doesn't exist because I often say I dream of Utopia. I certainly do, and I'm unapologetic about it. I hold tightly to hope because without it I'm not sure what I'd do. I latch onto a Norman Rockwell-ish vision of people getting along without judgment. Our differences make us unique, not wrong.

This short post is to tell you that in this new decade I hope you receive the possibilities you dream of for yourself and your loved ones. I look forward to a year of knowing the good that comes your way, and the light that shines within you.

I hope next year your health will be better than the last. I will attach that thought to my heart.

I am grateful for you being here, and for being exactly who you are. I thank you for your support and encouragement, and feel blessed to have you with me here in this space.

I hope I've enlightened, empowered, inspired or educated you in some way in 2019.

Before I get too soupy (I think I already passed that point, eh?) here's my wish for you:

Happy, Healthy and Joyous New Year! As the clock strikes midnight on Tuesday I hope you have some laughs, enjoy good food and drink, and experience hugs from those you love, including furry friends. There's no better way to begin a new decade!

As The Year Ends There's Something I Need To Say

I know it's been awhile since I wrote in this space but I needed to take a step back for a bit of a breather. We all deserve breathers once in awhile, so I guess it was just my turn.

As 2017 comes to a close I think back on all that's happened. It's been a pretty crappy year.

As I type these words I think about the challenges I faced that helped me grow in new and different ways. Like a baby taking its first steps, I am walking in unchartered territory. It's scary, hopeful and disarming.

I never liked making resolutions for the new year, but when the clock strikes twelve on New Year's Eve I'll say a prayer for a kinder year.

Here are a few things I'm hoping for. Perhaps you are too.

Love - To be surrounded by those who love me whether I'm well or not and understand that looking good doesn't necessarily mean wellness.

Friendship - I've been blessed with incredible friends who I love dearly. I hope none grow tired of my need to cancel, sometimes at the last minute. This year I canceled almost a dozen social and business engagements. I hope that number changes. I miss socializing with good friends and attending important professional conferences and events.

Wellness - This is an overused term, yet it's my goal and I'll do whatever it takes to make it happen. A new gastroenterologist, acupuncturist, and nutritionist will help me find my way.

Kindness, Compassion, and Forgiveness - When someone isn't in my corner I want to remember to keep kindness and compassion in my heart. I want to forgive those who've been unkind. The only way to inner peace is to forgive others and to forgive yourself. If everyone on the planet did this our world would be a better place.

Move forward - I want to keep my eye on the prize of happiness, both personally and professionally. Releasing what hurts from the past helps you step more easily into the next chapter. As for grief, that's a process that takes as long as it takes. It's different for everyone. To that end, things will never be the same. Still, we have to keep moving forward to successfully survive. That is the goal, to survive.

"Forget what hurt you but never forget what it taught you."~Sharon Adler

Gratitude - I am grateful for the unconditional love and support of my friends and family. I am grateful for every reader of my blog. I hope the experiences and information I share gives you a chance to stop, think, and be motivated to be your own best fabulous self.

Thank you for being a lovely part of my life and for following me on my crazy journey. I wish you a joyous, healthy and prosperous 2018! Peace and good health to all.