Having arrived in the last month of this year I find myself contemplating what these last 11 months have brought me. Its interesting to reflect on in what ways I’ve grown, what beliefs and patterns I’ve let go of and what needs to be taken and left behind before entering the next year. Being a Hogmanay baby it is normal for me to take inventory of the year at the end of December, but this year the lack of Christmas cheer and celebration has made me turn my gaze inward at the beginning of the month.

I find myself less exuberant but infinitely more grateful as I go through each month and remember the lessons, challenges and joyful memories with loved ones. The pandemic and loss of one of my closest friends has once again shown me that life is unpredictable in nature and that each day is a gift that we shouldn’t take for granted. The fears that I have always had about change and stepping up to live my best life are still present, but now more than ever I’m committed to not let them stop me.

As much as I have always followed my heart I was always scared to death about the potential consequences, doubting my ability to make my dreams come true. I’ve learned to embrace fear, change, not knowing, and death itself in a literal and figurative way as part of life and even companions that show me the way towards becoming more and more authentic.

When moving through each month I look for love to show me what to take with me, representing the highest form of wisdom. I have always looked for the love in my life as a red thread that guides me and supports me as I grow and evolve. It is said that if you want to become enlightened you should embrace the fact that love is the answer to every question. I believe this to be true and as such the most important thing I always ask myself in any situation is “What would love do?”. In this Covid19 pandemic each one of us has been asking this question and we do not unanimously agree on what the correct answer should be, making us all humbly realise that love, like a diamond, has many facets and we are all right in our individual answer.

I want to invite you all to take stock of what this last year has brought you and as you do I hope you can find wisdom, joy, growth and love in each month. But most of all I hope you can be grateful for the life that you’ve created for yourself and if not the gratitude of knowing you can change it at any moment. On that note I will leave you with this quote from Earl Nightingale; “We are all self-made, but only the successful will admit it.”