Holiday Reflections and Looking Forward to Next Year

This holiday season has been one of introspection. I have been asking myself a lot of hard questions lately, and I'm finally starting to have some answers.

Yesterday was Christmas. At several points in the day, Zoey exclaimed, "This is the best Christmas ever!" I have to agree with her. There wasn't anything particularly special we did this year, but we spent the whole day together and interacting with gifts, food, and play. The feeling of being absolutely in the present moment was fantastic. The entire day made me feel alive and at peace. It was a day that celebrated what Christmas is all about: sharing our love for each other and being thankful for what we have and what we can give to others.

I've felt so blessed during this winter break. I still have goals and dreams to pursue, but also, I feel content. Life is good and remembering that helps me to focus on the actions to seek out my dreams. I'm looking forward to the journey and what will happen next.

Next year, only five days away, is a new start, and I for one am more than ready to roll into 2017. This week is an opportunity that I do not want to waste. There is one more week of winter break before life goes back to the crazy scheduled days. I have inspiration to spend some time writing, editing and working on my creative habits. I hope to clean the house and purge out things that are no longer useful. I want to try some new things and spend some quality time with my amazing family.

While I organize and prepare for the new year, I'm trying to think of my word mantra for the upcoming year. For the past several years, I choose a word for the upcoming year, something I'm working on to improve myself. In years past, I have used the words: "Simplicity," "Healthy," and "Confidence," to name a few. Each year, as I look back on the year, I notice the word manifest into a reality, whether I was focused on it much or not. For this year I want to focus on my drive, strength, and willpower. I need the motivation and courage to publish my book next year and strengthen my mind and body. I need a few days to meditate on it, asking myself what I want to accomplish in the upcoming year.