the letter to twenty sixteen

"Time is something that cannot be bought, it cannot be wagered with God, and it is not in endless supply. Time is simply how you live your life."
- Craig Sager - 

When you're young, it feels like there's too much time. Some years, the really tough ones, feel like they'll never end. I experienced a handful of those years. I still remember them very clearly because they're a constant reminder of how grateful I am for my life today. The past five years have truly been a blessing. 

I celebrated my 29th birthday this year and it felt different from most. A sense of panic set in. Should I have accomplished more by now? Should I be better, smarter, stronger? I can't ever seem to shake the feeling that I should/could be better. But beyond all the anxieties, fears and insecurities, I think 18-year-old-me would be so proud of how I turned out. I survived. I am still alive. 

It seems like a thoughtless accomplishment, to be alive, to survive. But life is filled with so many demons and tragedies, I think making it through each day is a victory. I don't mean that somehow getting through life is terrible, it's not. Life is such an incredible gift. But we are all fighting our own battles and the mere fact that we made it to the end of another year is reason alone to celebrate. So despite how 2016 went for you, I hope you look back at the lessons learned and raise a glass to being alive. 

I'm not sure what to expect in the new year. I suspect a slew of fitness and health goals, but I hope also resolutions we can keep, such as constant kindness, growth and love.

May the new year bring you more happy days than sad ones. I hope the difficult days go by quickly and you know that there's always a reason for you to continue living and fighting the good fight. 

"Remember that extraordinary transformations are possible. Everything changes. Nothing is forever."

- J.K. Rowling -