Porto, Portugal. 2017

It’s December, the month that ends off the year. December is when many of us take a look back at all that has taken place, and we ask ourselves, “what are my goals for next year?” 

Let’s go back to January, a flashback to our “fresh start.” What new things did we get ourselves into, and what bad habits did we work on shaking? Are with you with me, are you reflecting? Okay, remember the things and the people that seemed to have vanished, and the things and the people that have mysteriously and miraculously appeared? What about the ones who have been around forever, but somehow they became more alive, shedding more light on our lives, this year in particular? There are no coincidences. There’s something special about the people who decided to exit stage left, and the ones who, surprisingly, became center stage. People were shifting roles in our lives, and we may not have noticed when it was happening, but now we can see that they created some of the most effective changes, placing us where we are today. Their roles don’t always last long, but hopefully we paid close attention to what they had to say, while they had the stage. 

As we reflect, we read some interesting books. We wrote some interesting things. We watched new shows and movies. Our topics of discussion changed. Our reasons for anger and frustration changed. Our reasons for smiles and laughter changed. When it came to decision making, we seemed to have changed our minds a lot, never being quite sure, but our actions turned out to be bold anyway. We spent more time with ourselves, making sure that we experienced self love. We were more honest. We hustled hard. We decluttered our spaces, and our minds. We shifted our eating habits and our exercise routines, and we were so excited to share our newfound lifestyles with our loved ones. 

As we reflect, we think about how we spent our time, and noticed that not every moment was valuable. We probably didn’t like the work we were doing, and we may have had epiphanies to shift gears and focus more on our passions. This relates quite heavily to how we evaluated our mental health. We had a lot of depressing thoughts, but when we were joyful – everything seemed great! We’re not sure if we’ve earned enough money doing the things we did, but it seems like we certainly spent a lot. We’re remembering some of our “storms” and our “sunny days.” We’re thinking about our stubborn patterns, and more importantly about the lessons we’ve learned.  

Looking back on the last year, we gathered some strength, and decided it was time to take off the bandages. It was our time to focus on dealing with our “wounds,” and seeing them for what they were. We decided to stop referring to the “quick fixes,” and take the time necessary to pay attention to ourselves, and do what was best for us to improve our states of health. Eventually, we’ll take the time to pay attention to the ones around us, making sure they too, are doing okay. 

In the last 11 months, some of us struggled with holding onto “things” that were old. We knew that if some of those “things” had legs, they would have left us a long time ago. And, some of us were really good at letting go. We became eager to create space for new things, new thoughts, new people, and new memories, because we understood and respected change. We were the ones who welcomed change, because we wanted growth. We were the ones who took risks. We didn’t all have it figured out, but because we had people we could count on, that gave us balance. 

It’s December, the time of year when many of us look back on all that has taken place, and we ask ourselves, “what are my goals for next year?” 

I have one goal of obtaining great health. If the main states of health are in great condition, I feel confident in knowing that I can reach any other goal, because:

Physically, I’ll be able to “get there, and hold on”

Mentally, I’ll be able to “comfortably let go”

Emotionally, I’ll be able to feel a sense of harmony

Spiritually, I’ll know that anything is possible.