Last year (for the first time) I assigned a word for the year. I wasn’t sure if it would make an impact or just become another one of those “beginning of the year” or “new year resolution” deals but things really did shift for me in 2015 and I really do believe that assigning this word over my year was a part of that. Believing that, I decided to do it again for 2016.

2015 started off very unsteadily. After my dear friend Nikita passed in January, I wasn’t sure I would recover from how shaken I was by it all. In one area I was hurting so deeply for her loved ones and in another I was so confused by it that I just felt like I couldn’t find my balance for a long time. I felt like I knew nothing and found myself asking questions like:

What the heck is this all for anyway?

What does this all mean?

Where is this all going?

Why?

Just, why.

I was so overwhelmed with questions about my existence and beyond that I just felt like I couldn’t see straight. I kept going back to Niki’s Instagram page and reading her bio over and over again:

“You should measure your success in life by JOY”

How perfect for her. She was such a joyful soul and still is, I know because I feel joyful at just the thought of her and the time I was able to spend with her upon her return to North Carolina. I want that quote to be perfect for me, too and I think even without knowing that’s what I was chasing after, I began to seek joy in my life for maybe the first time ever last year.

I truly feel like I grew SO much spiritually, mentally and emotionally in 2015 because I have actively been chasing the joy in life by intentionally tuning in to myself, getting to know myself and working towards being a better version of myself every day…even if that only means that I was nice to myself that day. That hasn’t been something I’ve been very good at in the past.

One of my favorite lifestyle (and FOOD! ) bloggers, Abbey, once posted (I think it was on IG) about there being years of questions, and years of answers. I loved that so much because it just clicked with me. It felt like it made so much sense. I feel like this past year has been one of questions for sure. I feel like these past few years have been ones of question but 2016- I feel like 2016 will give me answers that will clear the path for my dreams to come true.

That doesn’t mean they will all come true this year but I just really feel right on the cusp of breakthrough- so I’m claming it.

My word for 2016 is:

BREAKTHROUGH.

I want to see this word manifested in my life in all aspects but specifically I am going to be working hard in the areas of health (mental&physical), fitness and finances. Of course I hope to continue the growth I experienced last year in my mental and spiritual and emotional life as well though ;)

I am so excited for this year, all the good that I believe is to come and all the growth I can see that I experienced in 2015.

2016- I’m ready to get to work.

Love you.

xx