I never make New Year's Resolutions, and this year won't be an exception.
But I would like to take a moment to reflect on 2017, a year that was tumultuous, eventful, extremely challenging personally and professionally, but at the same time rewarding, filled with delightful surprises, and ultimately leading me in a much more focused and better direction despite all the struggles.
The three themes for this year (completely unplanned) turned out to be travel, writing, and meeting amazing people. I did not expect to travel at all, and yet traveled more than on the average any given year previously. I thought I had nothing to say or write, but ended up returning to blogging and writing, and publishing more than ever before, increasing my reach and audience, and ended up going places I never imagined (and that's with some amazing surprises that are in story for the early 2018, but which were conceived this year). And of all the things I thought I had planned for 2017, none of them included many of the wonderful meetings and friendships that have formed over the course of the year, and that's besides building on the existing ones and taking what I have been working on previously to the next level.
Some of the best and most interesting things that happened to me were not planned, from ending up in the King's palace in Morocco with all the ministers, to meeting President Sisi on a spur-of-the-moment sojourn, to getting in touch with Andrés Roemer, and ending up at La Ciudad de las Ideas, and from then on at a Christmas & Chanukkah party with Robbie George in Princeton... to getting stuck on top of a mountain in Iceland, swimming in the Blue Lagoon during hurricane-like conditions, riding horses, touring haunted Scottish places, and spending more time in DC than I ever thought possible. The year also brought in health and personal challenges, including the loss of our two dearly loved family members (Julie & Jelli), as well as the many obstacles to the goals I did set out to accomplish.
But it also brought growth and determination, a renewed commitment to personal priorities, lots of laughter, learning, and surprising conversations, support from the most unexpected places, and eye-opening and paradigm-shifting experiences. I have come to do and write and accomplish things that I did not think I would ever end up doing or even wanted to do, and yet, when the time was right, they came naturally. I hope much, much more of the same for 2018 - enriching, unusual, experiences and surprises that will take me out of my comfort zone and force me to grow and improve and create impact in defiance of my own fears, insecurities, and boundaries. I hope to become a better person, a better listener, a more courageous advocated for things that matter to me, and a more effective professionals who can be much more helpful in a variety ways. I would love to travel more, to discover at least one new country, to write more and better and to bring in novelty and insight to the table in new places, and I yearn for more surprising meetings that I have no reason on earth to expect at the moment.
And for my family, friends, connections, and audience, I would love to see a very healthy, joyous, and life affirming year, during the course of which you will break your own limitations, find what you are looking for, and discover things you had absolutely no plans for but which will change your life in the best possible way.
Here's to another year of happy warriors, of keeping up the good fight and succeeding, of triumph of good ideas over terrible ones, of human connection over strife and polarization, of adventure over stagnation, and of human spirit over adversity.
Here's to much more of the best 2017 has brought, and here's to surprises that will defy our expectations.
Here's to breaking free of stereotypes, negativity, and pessimism, and to taking first steps for living the kind of life we secretly dream about.
Here's to savouring every moment, and to seeing far beyond horizons.
Here's to the light that we can all give and to the smiles we can all share.
And to life, splendid, unpredictable, crazy, surreal life in all its manifestations and glory.
2018 will be one hell of a ride!
Happy New Year!
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