2015: The year of new.

Holy moly, how is it already 2016? Five days into the new year and I'm already in disbelief at how quickly life changes and how abundant The Lord's love is. I'm really excited to post about my vision and plans for 2016 but first I think a review of 2015 is in order...so here are a few things that I learned last year.

1. Love is a tree.
When I picture love, when I describe love, when I imagine it in my head it always starts as a tree. True love is grounded, it's a firm foundation, it's strong. Love can withstand the strength of the wind and won't falter when being covered in heavy rains. Love provides shade, provides support, love changes in different seasons, it stands strong. Love is a choice and it can be uprooted by our hands but if we nurture it, it can grow. Love is a tree.

2. Transition is terrifying..
I thought that I was the kind of person that could move and have life change around me constantly and not be bothered by it and in 2015 I learned that's not true. The last six months of my life have been beautiful, scary, lovely and horrible. I've learned more than I ever thought I would and every time it seemed like I got my feet under me, things would change. I learned more about myself than I expected too and I hold dear the moments that I thought would break me and instead ended up refining me. Transition is terrifying and full of uncertainty...what an amazing teacher it is.

3, Reflection is key.
In Up with People, the company I work for, we spend a lot of time reflecting. This year I evaluated some aspects of my life and realized that I had been making the same mistakes, over and over again, so instead of repeating the process I began to reflect. Reflection helps us to learn from the past so that we can have a better future, 2015 helped me to see so many wrongs that in 2016 will be rights due to intentional reflection.

4. Expectations will break you...
When I first moved to Denver and started my new job I had so many expectations. I am quite the optimistic person, no shame about that but my expectations were so big that it didn't give much room for reality. I think it's so important to dream big and to reach for the stars with that being said I also think it's important to know that life happens no matter where you reside. With every upset and unexpected challenge comes either the chance to learn or a chance to be discouraged. After my fair share of discouragement I'm excited to start learning and growing from life.

5. Your posture will affect your perspective.
For maybe three weeks during this past year I let myself get into a really big funk. I was sad, nothing here was good enough and I just wasn't seeing all that God had for me in my current situation. One day I remember feeling so down and out and looking in the mirror and not recognizing what was staring back at me. It was at that moment that I decided to change my perspective. Life will never be perfect, it will never be problem less, it will never be only sunshine and rainbows and that's okay. Life is beautiful. Life is warm. Life is loving. I control my perspective, I control how I decide to feel and I choose happiness.

6. Happiness is not a destination it's where you are.
You won't be happier when you get that new job. You won't be happier when you get married. You won't be happier when you have children. If you're not happy now, if you can't find the joy in here you won't find it there. Happiness is where you are and as I become more and more content with my life and my journey I learn that happiness travels with you, it doesn't meet you there.

7. God is faithful
The one thing that has remained through all of my trials and struggles and weird days is the sense that God will never leave me nor forsake me. A few months ago I read a scripture in Matthew and in it The Lord says that he will be with us always, even unto the end of the world. I have this weird insecurity of being forgotten, of being left or being abandoned and to know that the God of the universe will never leave me...it was and still is life changing. God is so faithful and I'm so lucky to call him mine.

Oh 2015, may the problems and the pains be left behind me as I tuck the lessons and the memories under my arm. Before me lies success, before me lies hope, before me lies the brightest of futures. Here's to 2016, the year of fulfillment.