{so long 2012, and thanks}

Dear 2012

Another year been and gone.  I'm amazed at how quickly the time seems to fly. 2012 you were a goodie.  It took most of the year to see it but you were full of gifts.  You restored my faith in the universe and in me, and you showed me the way back onto my path. 

Sure, there were tough times {not as tough as that 2011 though} and lots of bumps in the road, but one of the things you taught me is to make peace with what is.  To enjoy the ride, celebrate the good times and know that the journey goes in waves.  Sometimes things flow easily and life is good and other times it's full of challenges.  It's how it is.

You taught me a lot about strength 2012.  You put situations in my path where I was forced to stand up for myself.  For my integrity and for my worth.  And stand up for myself I did.  And it made me proud.  And it made me strong.  And I'm glad.

You were the year that I realised I didn't want to make a business out of my creativity, or perhaps more accurately that my creativity as a business couldn't sustain me in the way I wanted it to - financially or emotionally.  It was a shock to realise and I think I'm still trying to fully let go.

2012 you asked me to look deep within, learn how to trust my intuition again and to really consider what vision I held for my life.  You showed me that I can have it all but in order to do so I'd need to think more creatively, be more flexible and more open minded.  At the same time you showed me that it's ok to laugh more, relax more and generally have more fun.  That life is for living and enjoying, not for constant worry, fear and stress.

You taught me how much I have to offer and how important it is for me to feel like I'm making a meaningful contribution in the world.  And you showed me how to do it.  You showed me the past and helped me let go, and showed me the future and how to leap into it.

At the end it felt like a year of reconciliation and recalibration.  A year of questions that also brought answers.  A challenging, soul searching year that left me feeling joyful and quite simply happy.

You were a beauty 2012.  So long, and thanks.