Wow 2016. Just, wow.

Not sure about you, but the past year has brought on some very refining experiences for many. Personally, it's been one of the most challenging but even more rewarding years of my entire life. Putting this emotion into words is proving to be difficult, but I’m going to give it a go.

My last post was back in April when I announced that I was pregnant with my first child. Since then, I’ve gone through the rigors of new mom bootcamp called pregnancy and labor that have significantly changed me from the inside out. I have pushed through the mental, physical, and emotional obstacles that I never new existed and never dreamed I could achieve. But, I did. By breathing through each moment, not always calmly, not always present, but always in it, I grew stronger. I learned that I have more fight and beauty within me than I could have ever imagined. I’m getting teary writing this because I think of all the years I wasted thinking I wasn’t good enough, strong enough, brave enough. But 2016 has shown me that I am. I thought I knew that before through my years of self-study, healing, meditation, and yoga, but now, I’ve been taken to a new level of knowing. To my little angel who has made me a better human all around, I am forever grateful. I have officially learned the art of patience and surrender, though I’m sure I’ll need to learn this lesson again in the future.

Everyone tells you that becoming a parent is the most amazing thing you can experience. It’s the best ‘job’ in the world, and that you never fully understand it until it happens. They are right. Every parenting cliché’ I’ve ever heard is a cliché’ for a reason – it’s true. Looking ahead to the year to come, I feel hopeful. There are many who feel 2016 was ‘horrible’ and can’t wait for it to be over. For me, it was hard. It was gritty. It was raw. And, it was magic.

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Here’s to another magical year, no matter the lessons ahead of us and the challenges to be presented. They are there to cause us to grow and change into a shinier, more beautiful version of ourselves. We can choose to take on the challenge or not. But I urge you, open yourself up to the beauty that comes from being broken. You won’t regret it.