As I look back on this year, I can’t help but be nostalgic a little. In just this year alone I moved into a new place, started this blog which was only a thought last year, started public speaking, started dancing again, traveled in proportion to my wanderlust, made a lofty bet that I would have book written by July 2014 and all along the way gained incredible knowledge & connections.

Miracles have been brewing…

Here are my Top 50 Takeaways from 2013:

Sometimes people aren’t ready for you. Allow them the space the need to grow.
We are all always being prepared for something.
Mending broken relationships is key to our evolution.
Letting go is truly the only way to move forward.
Be BOLD. Things are happening right NOW.
Meditation turns chaos into calmness.
Charity work is right out your back door. You don’t need to go to a foreign country to help.
Just do it. You WILL be supported.
The power if prayer is REAL.
Trust your intuition. You’ll be glad you did.
Rejection is a blessing. Every no is a part of a bigger YES!
5 years sobriety this year tells me that if you set a goal and fuel it will willpower, determination and God you will reach it.
Spend time with yourself.
Love relentlessly.
GIVE!
Reflection is therapeutic. Peeling back the layers also helps to shed them.
Working with people who have your back is the only way to be successful.
Traveling expands your soul and permanently changes your perception.
There is a time and place for everything.
You cannot stop something when that time comes, either.
Sometimes goodbye is the only way.
Having a strong faith is worth more than any amount of money.
Enjoy nice things, but don’t let them define you.
Life is a constant learning curve. Accept that you will be the student more often than the teacher.
Everything and everyone in your life is an assignment.
Settling and regret are related…closely.
Until you learn patience, you will continue to have to wait.
Whatever occupies your mind on a daily basis translates into what occupies your life.
Sometimes true strength comes by not getting what we want and sometimes saying nothing at all takes more strength than defending yourself.
When you look back you tend to remember the small things rather than the big. I guess they really do count.
God allows people in your life to show you reflections of the work he still has for you.
If you want something – GO AFTER IT – or someone else will!
We all have our silent struggles. Before you judge someone, be mindful of your own.
Being in a hurry or rush keeps you from seeing the beauty of the moment. Stop to take it all in and remember everything you’re running towards will still be there.
If you’re not building something, reconstructing it or tearing it down, you’re maintaining it. All take effort.
Getting good at saying NO to what doesn’t light you up is an integral piece of finding true happiness.
Equally, knowing when to say YES serves as a gateway to the amount of happiness you allow into your life.
Fear is only an illusion. It is NEVER as scary as we think.
Trust is a precious gift. Handle it with the utmost care. Once it breaks, putting the pieces back together never makes for an original product.
If you don’t take care of yourself now, you’ll ultimately need to make time for sickness later. Your future is at the mercy of your wellness.
Do more of what makes you smile. It really can be as simple as that.
Eliminating the drama from your life is fucking liberating. Yeah I said it. The emphasis here is important in case you didn’t notice.
Worry is just a voice. Don’t give it so much authority.
Your actions have echoes. Make sure they sound good.
Creativity breeds creativity. Dancing in my living room has been the parent of so many ideas. You should try it…
Sometimes we realize we have outgrown certain relationships and the things we used to overlook become non-negotiables. And that is OK.
Priorities change and therefore how we spend our time does as well.
There is a fine line between making an effort and being taken advantage of. I’ve decided to stop allowing it to be crossed. Period.
Spend time on your faith because spiritual health leads to mental health which dictates physical health.
God is the ultimate expert of life. Learn to get your answers from the expert and things become much easier. And peaceful.

On that note, I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year! I hope your year was full of important lessons and that the new year brings you an opportunity to learn more and put them to use.