What a year!

I think most everyone will agree that 2018 was quite the year and it held several surprises. Many we enjoyed, and some we would have rather done without. 

A year ago, I packed everything I owned into my Honda Fit (along with an irritated cat), said goodbye to my beloved beach, and drove across the desert to start over in Arizona. No job, an apartment I had rented sight unseen, and I only knew 3 people in the area. 

The lessons have been many to say the least. As mentioned in previous posts, there have been many curve balls, sharp left turns, some rocky slopes and some downhill slides. 

And ya know what? There were also the unexpected, awesome things that made me grin from ear to ear. And the positives completely outweigh the negatives. Actually, as I think about it, the negatives became positives with the growth and ultimate outcomes they spurred.

While I loved my two years living at the beach (southern California girl!!), my love of the desert has come back, my connection with nature has grown and my love of photography has been reawakened. Put me outside with a camera? Heaven. That was one of my happy surprises - had no idea how much joy something so simple could bring.

My biggest shift this year was in being able to change my focus from letting go of the past to focusing on what I want to be, do, have in the future. I've spent a lot of time the last 3 years letting go of the past, which was a process I needed to go through. I gotta tell ya, it's a lot more fun to focus on where you want to go instead of where you have been. 

I'm learning to take life a lot less seriously, stay out of the drama around me, and create fun as much as I can wherever I am. Life is short no matter how many years we have here. 

So I end the year with a good job working with good people, I just moved from the apartment into my own home, and I know more than 3 people....

So what simple things can you find to bring yourself joy? How many positive outcomes did you have to what initially were negative events? How much fun can you create? What are you focusing on for the future?

2019 is the year of Adventure - and I am sooooo looking forward to it! Buckle up Buttercup! Let's go see what experiences we can have and enjoy our time here!

Happy New Year everyone!

More sunrises to see.....

More sunsets to see....

And there is always light behind the clouds