…..of 2016
Another holiday down, with one more to wrap up 2016. I don’t know why, but it really grinds my gears when people complain every.single NYE about how terrible the past year was. Were you alive? Were you breathing? Were you employed? Unless you were literally struggling to survive (in which I will pray for you) then I don’t want to hear it.
Be thankful, and quit whining about it. #saltyoldwoman
Christmas in my house was magical, per usual. Calm, quiet, and casual. I went for a nice run, made some pancakes, and added a few more items to my collection of things.
Seen on my run.
In a previous post I discussed how I don’t really like receiving items for Christmas, but because I’m blessed with gracious family members the items come regardless. So I make things easy and list out what I could use. Let’s see if my list made a difference.
- #1 REI Gift Card – Success, thanks mom.
- #2 Mountain Ring – No success. Womp
- #3 Wood iWatch Band – Success, patiently waiting for its arrival
- #4 Glamping – SUCCESS
- #5 Whole Foods Gift Card – No success. I will starve.
- #6 Subaru Outback – No success. Toyota Camry prevails!
- #7 New Birkenstocks – No success, I was hopeful for this one.
- #8 A new iPhone – Success…almost. Working on this one.
- #9 Mountain Earrings – Success.
- #10 Trip to Ireland – SUCCESS!!!!
I was totally blowing smoke into the air when I wrote Ireland as a wish list item, and then decided it was time to stop talking about it and just DO it. So I bought myself a trip to Ireland. Santa ain’t got shit on me. May 2017 my friend and I will embark on a 10 day Irish road trip (pray for us, opposite side of the road driving) starting in Dublin, and driving a makeshift circle throughout the country.
I can’t contain myself.
Me.
2016 was the year I discovered life is much too short to settle for what you don’t enjoy. I haven’t been living my “truth” (you know, those times when your gut tells you it doesn’t want to do something and you ignore it and do it anyway) and the universe has a way of slapping you in the face as many times as possible until you wake up and realize it.
2017 will be the year where my gut, my head, and my heart all become very close. No more ignoring the inner voice, no more doing what others think is right, and no more waiting for the perfect moment. The perfect moment is now. So do that thing you’ve always wanted to do. Eat the damn cookie already.
I don’t know what 2017 holds, but that’s the beauty of life. Instead of trying to figure it all out I’ve become comfortable sitting back and letting the universe take me where it wants to. Apparently that means a trip to Ireland, and I’m OK with that. Maybe it means a new job, maybe it means more travel, maybe it means meeting new friends.
I’m open, and trusting.
I need more exploring in 2017 than I had in 2016. More mountains, more cities, more life. The highest peak I’ve hit the last month was a mere 520′ atop the Space Needle. Starbucks gifted me a free trip to the top, but nothing compares to the top of a mountain.
I’m ready to say goodbye to 2016, but I don’t dare talk ill of it. Every single moment we are given is an opportunity to learn and to grow. Without the hard times we would have no contrast for all the good times. Without the pain we would not know pleasure. Without the failures we would not have success, and without 2016 we would not have another year of life.
Each NYE for the last few years I’ve made it a point to volunteer somewhere. Typically my Arizona family and I help package meals for children in other countries, but I didn’t make it to Arizona this year. Instead I’ll be hanging out with some of my Starbucks family members making meals at a local food bank. It doesn’t matter what you do, big or small, but I find doing something for someone else is a great way to ring in the new year.
I’m too old for that disco ball drunken dancing nonsense kids do at midnight.
See you all in 2017. Go do something nice for someone else.
Q: What was the best part of your holiday?
