MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and celebrated with your loved ones! Today’s post falls on Boxing Day (which is also my husband’s birthday!) and as this year comes to a close, I would like to make some 2016 reflections…

Firstly, I would like to point out that I don’t label any year as good or bad. Life is a series of ups, downs and periods in between where nothing much happens. I’ve heard a lot of people saying lately that 2016 was one of the worst years of their lives and they hope 2017 promises more positive outcomes. What we need to remember is, when January 1st arrives it is literally the calendar turning one page. To state that the past 365 days were terrible (and for some it may have been) makes things seem worse than they probably were. It’s the same for making New Year’s resolutions. I’m all for self-development and goal-setting but improving oneself can begin at any time not just because the cycle of months begins again. Time is something that humans created and did not exist before we began categorising everything. I see the advantages of time but it also adds pressures, anxiety and a sense that we aren’t doing or being enough. When we live for the present moment, we can truly appreciate who we are and the world around us.

On January 1st 2016, I flew home from an unpleasant holiday with an incredibly high fever. I remember thinking ‘what a horrible start to my year.’ Not a week later, I was driven to the hospital for my second kidney infection. I was still recovering from my wisdom teeth extraction, my traumatic experience on a boat in Cairns and to top it off, my doctor forbid me from travelling to Taiwan to see my sister so we had to postpone the trip to March. I remember crying that day on Francis; telling him that life was unfair and 2016 was already terrible. Work had given me a week off to recover from my infection and in that time, I felt incredibly sorry for myself instead of focusing on the positives. How lucky was I to have such an understanding manager? How fortunate was I that I could still travel to Taiwan and I hardly lost any money in the transfer? How blessed was I to have a partner that cared for me? After this much needed reality-check, I stopped cursing 2016 and started loving every day for what it was. A bad couple of days is not a bad year or life!

In March, my second book Facing the Stars was published (a wonderful moment) and I finally travelled to Taiwan to see my sister. It turns out, if we had visited her in January which was the original plan, we hardly would’ve seen her and experienced extremely cold conditions. March was warm, sunny and my sister had much more time off to show us around. Everything had worked out for the better and we had the best time. I believe everything happens for a reason and even though I didn’t know it then, the universe was actually looking after me.

In May, Francis and I celebrated 3 years of love and stayed at the Beet Retreat for my birthday (a 100% vegan/cruelty free bed and breakfast). In June, we attended a vegan dinner party in the forest with our friends and in July, I completed my first 31 Day Blogging Challenge which was so fun. I was overwhelmed by the positive comments and feedback during that time. In April 2017, I will be doing another 30 Day Blogging Challenge but this one will be Disney themed! I cannot wait!

In August, our wedding preparations were really underway and I had my final fitting for my wedding dress. Such a great experience! All of the wedding planning was fantastic and memorable. In September, my sister returned from Taiwan after living there for over a year and my best friend took me away for my Bachelorette Party to Halls Gap. I will truly never forget that weekend.

In October, I married the love of my life and it could not have been more perfect. Not a day passes where I don’t wish I could relive it all over again. This was quite clearly the best thing to have happened in 2016. Our wedding was 100% vegan, bohemian and authentic. You can read all about it here: Our Wedding…

In November, we went to Langkawi, Malaysia for our honeymoon. It was the most wonderful 10 days spent by the beach soaking up our newlywed status. I’ll never forget the amazing memories we made there. As soon as I returned, I boarded a plane to Sydney for two nights for work where I saw the Law of Attraction really come into play. I was manifesting an exciting new chapter in our lives and one evening, I hopped into a random taxi to take me to a vegan restaurant I had been dying to try for years. The driver happened to be an old lady who was obsessed with numerology. She asked for my birthday and told me exciting new things were coming. If that wasn’t a sign that the universe was working with me and for me, I don’t know what was!

And December was Christmas which meant family, fun & laughter. In a couple of days, we will be spending our summer break by the beach in Anglesea at my auntie’s caravan. I cannot wait for walks along the shoreline, fresh fruit and warm nights. 

Did I have moments of sadness? Absolutely. The start of the year when I was sick was horrendous. In the middle of the year, I faced a shattering disappointment which out of respect I won’t discuss here. At the end of the year, my mum’s house was sold due to her relationship with my stepfather ending. I suffered from a twisted pelvis, neck and shoulders. I spent a good few months in pain due to these injuries. There were difficult times throughout but overall, I chose love, peace and joy which ultimately shaped how my days, months and year ended up. I could’ve allowed these dark moments to ruin my whole year but I refused. The good completely outweighed the bad and it all stemmed from my attitude. 

So what will my 2017 look like? Well, I know it will involve travel! Francis and I are currently organising our Europe trip for June which I cannot wait for. My third and final book in the Signs of the Zodiac trilogy will hopefully be released. There will be lots more blogging, nature, adventuring, exploring and self-development. I have a tendency to plan everything and next year, I just want to see where it takes me. An exciting new chapter is coming and I’m looking forward to seeing how it unfolds so stay tuned! 

Try not to enter 2017 with the attitude that the new year must be better than the last. This may just set you up for disappointment. Instead, live for the day, do your best and most importantly, have an attitude of gratitude. We choose to perceive situations as good, bad, negative or positive and only you can decide how far you’ll let something rule your life. I wish you a wonderful and safe new year.

Feel free to tell me any 2016 reflections you had and what you’re looking forward to in 2017. 

Peace & Love xoxo