As this will be my last blog post of 2019, I felt compelled to write about a year that has taken me from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other. A year that will be forever etched in my memories as one of complete surrender, transformation and relinquishment of control.

I have watched and witnessed the painful, physical decline and ultimate passing of my Mother from cancer while at the same time, I have allowed myself to once again be vulnerable as I opened my heart fully and completely to embrace a new relationship. I have made the conscious decision to walk away from a secure, full time job in order to build a business from the ground up and relocated to a new city… all within a year’s period of time.

Although there are too many to list here, these are just a handful of life-altering situations that, without asking me, life apparently decided I needed to experience. I’m sure all of you can relate as you look back at your own lives and also remember all that you’ve encountered, overcome and ultimately survived just within the past 11 months.

My hope is that as we close out 2019, we all sit for a moment and experience complete and utter gratitude. Gratitude for the highs and lows, the ups and downs. I know that no matter how painful, stressful, tragic, happy, elated, sad and lost I have felt this year, I am grateful for every minute of it and am happy to report, I’m still here standing after all is said and done.

2019 has also been the year I decided to move away from the “why me” attitude and change my thinking to “why not me?” especially during times of extreme duress. I have learned to believe that God has put me in positions of intense pain in order to help me help others during their greatest times of need. Some people say that God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers and at this point in time and for all that I’ve been through, I believe I am a general in that army.

I am also a firm believer of the old adage that as every door closes in our lives, another one truly does open and although we may not be able to see it at the time, experiences, both happy and painful, lead us to exactly where we are meant to be. There is no way to ever truly prepare or control what’s in store for us, we just have to hope that when life “happens” we look to ourselves, our faith and to those around us for the strength to overcome it.

As I look towards 2020 with excitement and anticipation, I will not forget the events of 2019 and will always remain grateful for them. I understand that there is really no way to ever predict what life will bring but will remain diligent in my acceptance of the ever-changing, ever-evolving and beautiful journey.

Always live inspiHERed,

Misti