2016 you were a true beauty, full of loads of growth, love + abundance. Lessons everywhere.... + some of it seriously pissed me off, but like life...with time I see the beauty in it.

In no particular order here are nine loving lessons 2016 made very clear.

1. Nobody sees the world exactly as I do.
We are all exactly the same, made up of all the same stuff searching for the same things...to be loved, accepted + have purpose but we each have a lifetime of experiences, conditioning, learning + unlearning, beliefs, + lessons that make each one of our realities unique. We each see the world completely different, no two realities are the same. That truly is our gift, but it can also be frustrating as hell. So be compassionate, send a little love to everyone. Everyone is doing their best from their level of awareness.

2. Sobriety is surprisingly easy.
I guess when it's time, it's time. I've never had one desire to have a sip of alcohol this entire year. Sobriety is easy....being in challenging/frustrating situations sober sometimes is not. That's the catch. You get very clear on what you used to cover up with alcohol.

3. Darkness is necessary.
Our dark side, we all have it, the fear, judgement, anger, insecurity, we've been taught it's wrong. That we shouldn't feel that way, we should be happy all the time. Bullshit. We can't live in the light without the dark, so embrace it. Sit with it, get curious about it, be okay with it, dig into it, you can't heal what you aren't aware of...so bring it all to the surface + when you are ready let it go.

4. Slowing down is beautiful.
And once you've slowed down, slow down some more. Life gets a lot simpler + clearer when you are moving at a natural pace. This hectic 9-5, have to do everything at once lifestyle, we've created it + we can re-create it.

5. Life is mind-blowing.
The fact that we are alive on this beautiful planet is one crazy ass magical experience. When you really think about life + the fact that we are on this planet spinning in the universe, heated by a ball of fire + cycled by a moon...it certainly puts a few things in perspective. Life is a fricken miracle. Don't waste it.

6. Health truly is wealth.
Your body is your greatest asset, hands down. Without it you have nothing. The 'man' wants to keep us sick, eating crappy foods + paying into their system. Defy the system + seriously question everything. What you put in your body is one of the very few things you can control.

7. Success is defined by me.
We get to decide what success means, we get to define what it looks like. Not what the world has told us success is because that's not true + it's not working. Define what success looks like to you. And then work towards it. Every damn day.

8. Less is more.
Stuff is just stuff. It's unnecessary, it doesn't add to our experience, define who we are or bring us love. It just weighs us + the planet down. We need a lot less than we think we do. Experiences over things is my new mantra.

A great documentary on our societies relationship with 'stuff' is 'Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things'. It's inspired me to do more + live with more intention, to live deliberately.

9. Playing small is easier.
Staying in my safe place, my comfort zone is easier. ..but easy makes me miserable. People look at me like I'm an idiot when I admittantly say I am leaving a safe, stable career where I make a healthy income to live my life purpose. But...my world lights up when a client shifts + connects back to their true beauty, I get goosebumps after teaching a yoga practice...you can't put a price on that. Playing small was not serving me + it definitely wasn't serving the world. We are meant for a magical life.

'Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am i to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be?' Marianne Williamson

What lessons did 2016 bring for you? What are you taking into 2017? What are you leaving behind?