As we all gear up to say goodbye to 2016, I realize that this year has brought about so many changes in my life, changes that have caused me to experience a range of emotions.  From my job relocation, to my mom’s heart attack, from the loss of a friend to the loss of loved ones not to death but to confusion and the absence of wanting a resolution. I have experienced sadness, emptiness, and disappointment. From moving homes to finding out that I was expecting another baby at 42 years old. From sending my baby girl to kindergarten to my oldest daughter turning 21. I have experienced joy, anxiety, and love.  From entering my 7th year of marriage to starting my 17th year as a teacher, I have experienced fulfillment, heartbreak, and a renewed sense of self-awareness.  2016 has given me so many eye-opening experiences.  I have learned people and most important, I have learned myself, and as a result, I am not the same person I was. Here’s what 2016 taught me…

1. rejection can be a blessing
2. silence really is loud
3. cherish everyone you love
4. people are really out for self
5. god grants prayers even the ones you forgot you asked for
6. money controls those without any self-control
7. family matters above all else
8. don’t allow habits to become your lifestyle
9. create a template for your own life
10. people who love you will show up and show it
11. work is work, not life
12. sleep is essential
13. worrying is time consuming
14. more clothes equals more laundry
15. be authentic; be you
16. meditate
17. read more
18. don’t aim for perfection, aim for happiness
19. know your limits
20. plan, plan, plan
21. please yourself too