Reflections of 2016
As 2016 comes to a close, I’ve started reflecting just like I do every year at this time. 2016 has been quite the freakin’ year! There were some especially awful, emotional moments but also some incredibly great times. Whatever has happened will either remain a memory I will keep forever and/or is something that has strengthened me as a person.
In Fort McMurray, we nearly lost our beautiful city, we were evacuated for nearly 2 months and while this was and still is astonishingly emotional and still hits me deep to this very day, I believe it has strengthened our community. It has strengthened all of us as human beings and made us stronger. We are YMM. We are here and we are incredibly resilient and strong. We survived ‘the Beast’!!
As the year closes, we can take comfort in our many blessings. Our city is still standing, homes are rebuilding. The love and support within our community has been astounding. We will carry on. The emotional turmoil that comes from seeing clips on tv, from talking to strangers who share their stories and so on will not disappear anytime soon but we can and should be grateful. Grateful that this event has brought us closer, has brought out so much goodness and has strengthened us as a community and as people.
2016 held a lot of loss, but for me, personally, it also held a lot of lessons learned and new beginnings. For the first time in my life, I have found a proper healthy, happy balance. I gave up striving to be perfect and instead, started living more. Now, I just aim to be the best me, to find that which helps me be better today than yesterday. My drive, determination and focus haven’t wavered but through giving up the thought of perfection, I have actually found myself. My imperfectly, balanced, happiest self.
As 2017, opens it doors I am looking forward to what lies ahead. As the saying goes, when one door closes another door opens. 2016 may be closing it’s doors but 2017 is opening more doors, more possibilities, more hope. So as I sit here and reflect, I have to take a careful look at what I did right and believe that there are still many things I could of done better. I believe in working hard to be better today than I was yesterday and I don’t believe in waiting for a new year, a new month or a new week to do that. So don’t think of 2017 as a fresh start per say, just think of it as an opportunity to be a better, happier, healthier you.
All the best for 2017! Happy new year!
Until next time,
