Reflecting on this year and everything 2018 has encompassed, what would you like to call it? As I reflect on this year, I would call my year an “Amusement Park.”

Visualize an amusement park. It’s full of a variety of things you might see and experience: a roller coaster, swings, Farris wheel, a diverse group of people coming and going, entertainment, and food that puts 20 pounds on you just by reading the menu. In other words, there is a lot going on all at once and time does not stand still.

All in all, my past, my present and my future are reflected in 2018. Let me break down those things and what they have meant for me:

Roller Coaster – The up and downs. Navigating a new chapter in life, all the while trying to hold it together while grieving for my dad, whom I lost this time last year.

Swings – The freedom of soaring all on my own. During the 61 years of my life there have only been two times that I was truly living alone. I went from living with parents to marriages with children to caring for my elderly parents until their passing.

Farris Wheel – Having to sit above situations in order to see a different perspective.
Diverse Group of People – Family, friends, co-workers, new acquaintances.

Entertainment – Fun, laughter, time spent with others and on my own.

Food – My personal weight loss journey to a healthier me. Down 21 pounds since June, feeling good, and going to a gym 3-4 times a week. I know what you’re thinking, “YOU?” (Yes, me 😊)

How do you see 2018? What is showing up as important during the past year? What have you learned? You know, 2019 is just around the corner. As little twinkling lights show up in my reflection of 2018, I shall take this into 2019: “Count It All Joy.” Life is always going to be full of diversity and adversity. To “Count It All Joy,” is what I choose to be my attitude—the lens through which I see life.

Every heart has the ability to rise. What are you wanting to bring to your life in 2019? How might I support you in letting your heart rise and reflect?