Year in Review & My Intentions

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A couple years ago I learned about a wonderful tradition for New Years Eve or New Years Day.

It's to come up with a word that you see to fit the coming year. My word during the year that I left my energy draining job was Strength. Everytime I became nervous or feared the unknown I would refer back to my word. I used it as almost a mantra to bring calmness to myself. This year my words (decided to go with a combo) is Surrender & Faith. I've found that I'm trying too hard to control everything in my life. Sometimes we have to surrender and have faith that everything will work out just as it's supposed to be. I'm a big believer that everything happens for a reason so why not let go and release the stress that comes with trying to push everything into action. I'm having faith in the universe in 2013.

I also started making intentions for the year instead of resolutions. Instead of making resolutions about all the things you are not going to do, why not make intentions of what you want to accomplish or see in your life for the coming year. Resolutions always remind me of things i've done "bad" or have regrets towards. So flip it and make it positive with intentions....

• I intend to help people step by step to creating a lasting positive and healthy life.
• I intend to spend more time with my family and friends.
• I intend to only eat meals and leave snacking in my past.
• I intend to connect with nature more.
• I intend to have a beautiful wedding in November.
• I intend to travel to New York City.
• I intend to have a thriving business while helping people I care about.

What are some of your intentions for the year?


Year in Review:
2012 brought a whole bunch of highs and lows.

Beginning of the Year:
My fiancé and I started off the year by moving into our new condo. I'm still so grateful to find an amazing place that makes me happy to go home too every day. Last night I was getting ready for bed and was looking out at the lights from the docks reflecting onto the water and thought "wow, we are extremly lucky to be given this opportunity to have such a place". It took a couple months for us to adjust to living together. Like normal you learn and comprimise with your partner. Living together is truly a test to your relationship. We came out thriving though and found out we are more than just lovers but also best friends who can hang out and be our true selves.

Middle of the Year:
The end of Summer brought disappoint, fear and sadness. It was a moment I had feared would happen again and with my unwanting knowledge my mom was diagnosed with cancer again. Her courage and strength continues to motivate people to live each day to the fullest. We all continue to be positive and know she will beat this unforgiving disease once again. I believe we all came together as family this year to support someone who means to the world to us and continues to give so much love to us. With the New Year coming up she starts her next round of treatment. It's going to be a tough one as they've had to increase the strength of the chemotherapy. I'm sending all my calming and loving vibes to her every day to ease the tiring treatment that must be done.

Christmas Morning - Opening Stockings by the Fireplace

End of the Year:
The last few months of the year brought surprises. My first surprise was that I won a trip to Varadero, Cuba. The resort left us very dissapointed but the proposal on the beach made it a mere smudge in my mind. I was so incredibly surprised that Scott proposed and estatic to share our joy with family and friends.
Christmas was beautiful as Scott and I celebrated together in our home in the morning and enjoyed a big breakfast that would help us make it through the long day ahead. We left our home at noon and didn't get home from visiting family till midnight. Just this past Friday was our engagement party in which we celebrated with close friends and family. It was alot of work/stress trying to put it together on such short notice and in between holidays but it came out pretty successful and everyone had a great time. It was nice to end the year with both our families all being in the same place at once for the first time!

Happy New Year everyone!

Lots of Love and well wishes to you all!

-Michelle