2014 NEW YEARS REFLECTION

Today, my new year has officially started. It always happens that the first day of the year isn’t really the first day of MY new year. That is because I normally spend the day vegging out, eating bad food and nursing a champagne hangover. Resolutions don’t officially take effect on that day. So, today, January 2, 2015, is my day for self reflection, personal assessment and goal preparations.

Something happened to me this New Year’s eve that got me thinking. While wishing everyone a happy new year, and while in a nice buzzed state, I stated in a family text, “Happy New Year (Thank god 2014 is over)”. The responses that I got were humbling and had me reassessing why I said that. It came out completely wrong and while slapping myself on the forehead, I re-examined how 2014 was actually an amazing personal year! I sounded so ungrateful. After all, I got married to my best friend (Bradley) in Maui, Hawaii, I became an auntie for the first time, my business really picked up and I was able to move into my first office space, we were fortunate enough to be able to take a trip of a lifetime to to Europe with some amazing friends, there were many beautiful sunny days out on the boat, I gained a brother and sister and became a member of one of the most loyal and loving families I have ever met, became a founder of a non-profit helping families in need who are faced with life threatening disease, our dog – who was considered terminal with a tumor on his spleen – has pulled through all the holidays in great spirits and we expect him to last even longer than anyone ever expected. There are just SO many things to be grateful and thankful for. But I can’t help to think about 2014 as a transition year on a more global scale. There were many troubling topics in the news, terrorist threats, bullying, killings, etc. Humanity was tested time and time again this year, and we’re are not out of the darkness yet. I believe, that this was where my New Years plea came from.

I am normally a very optimistic person but couldn’t help to find myself wishing for better things for all humanity, despite my own personal growth and accomplishments. I continue to wish for world peace, forgiveness and a collective conscious uprise for all man kind. I believe that each act of kindness we give to one-another will create a ripple effect. So my personal resolutions seem minor and vain in comparison to my worldly resolutions. I know I can’t change the world on my own, but I can dream, and change always starts with just that…a dream.

Let us all begin to dream and see the world as one beautiful place. An organism working together to breathe, love and grow with the knowledge we have been gifted. See other people’s anger, hatred and sadness as fear only, and ask yourself how can you help to relieve some of that fear? Ask, how can I help make a small difference for a bigger picture. Can I lend an ear, hand or just understand someone’s pain.

I AM OPTIMISTIC. I believe 2015 will be even better. I believe our economy is getting better, I believe that Americans are making a better, more positive impact on the world than in the past. I hope we can change perspectives and I can only do one thing, simply try my hardest to be the best person that I can be. I hope we can work together as a collective and I believe in cooperative capitalism over competitive gain. Most importantly, I BELIEVE – in me, in us and in humanity. I hope that you can believe with me. Let’s make an impact together for 2015.