2016 is officially over (thank GOD), and I thought I’d take this time in the wee hours of the night to have a bit of a rambly chit-chat, to reflect on the past year, and to talk about my hopes and dreams for 2017.

On a personal level, 2016 on the whole was pretty damn good for me. I took personal and professional risks, and while they didn’t always pan out the way I wanted them to, they showed me that I have the strength to continue to grow and learn as an individual and as a businesswoman. I’ve always been a person whose life is determined and directed by fear, but I feel that this past year has helped to create tiny cracks in my armor that I will continue to chip away at in 2017. I have so many awesome plans for this year, and I can’t wait to get going!

Pretty much anyone who has ever made a New Year’s resolution has resolved to get healthy in some way or other, and I am definitely no exception this year. As most of you know, I’ve been a vegan for the past couple of years, but as you may also have guessed from most of my recipes, I don’t exactly eat a healthy diet. My goal is to eat more whole foods, ideally eating AT LEAST two high-carb meals a day (still doing recipes from time to time!), and keeping the ol’ vegan chicken nuggets and cupcakes to once a week. I’m also pledging to ride my stationary bike at 10 minutes a day to start, and work my way up to an hour a day by the end of the year.

I think it’s safe to say that 2016 wasn’t most people’s best year. Deaths, war, political unrest (which no doubt will continue to grow)… there wasn’t much to be particularly thrilled with. Many (including myself at times) have been saying for most of the year that they wished 2016 would hurry up and end. But to be honest, I never truly felt that way. I’d hate to wish my life away. Plus, who knows what the next year will bring? Sure, we have hopes for peace, prosperity, and happiness, but who really knows what will happen in the future? I’m not saying all of this to depress you; rather, I hope that I can inspire you to MAKE THAT FUTURE HAPPEN. No one is guaranteeing good things for 2017, just as no one guaranteed it last year. YOU determine whether or not you rise like a phoenix out of the ashes of the past. YOU choose whether you accept the consequences the previous events or whether you persevere in spite of them. Please persevere. Please rise.

Thank you all for making 2016 better than the cards dealt. Thank you for being the kind, thoughtful, generous people that we all want to see more of in the world. Here’s to an even better, more beautiful 2017! I love and appreciate all of you.

~M