As 2017 is coming to a close, I look back and one word stands out most... free. You may remember that 2016 was a hard year for me (perhaps it was for you too- seemed to be the trend). But that hardship was also a blessing. When faced with what you don't want, you get clear about what you do want. A big piece of that was opening myself up to possibility. And the key to that was trusting the process.

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I have a saying that I tell myself daily, two actually. One is that everything is unfolding in my favor. And the other is that I love myself. Whether I am feeling the stress of life or simply enjoying its flow, I tell myself these two things and it helps me feel safe and supported. It's connected to a way of seeing and living life that I developed this past year. I decided that life is for fun and I'm meant to enjoy the journey. And choosing to see and participate in life this way is very freeing.

I still have moments of overwhelm and uncertainty (I am human after all), but I find I'm able to sit with it all with greater ease and trust. To see the experiences in my life as part of this very entertaining show staring yours truly. My own personal movie with variation and excitement and heartbreak and love and connection and friendship and success and speed bumps. We get so fixated on wanting what we want, and feeling we will be happy when we get it, that we miss the opportunity to enjoy the present moment and find happiness with what is. I think that's the balance I am striving for- to enjoy the moment I'm in while reaching for what I want next. When I hit that sweet spot, I feel alive, excited and free.

Photos by the lovely Lindsay Linton Buk in Cheyenne Wyoming.