Today is the day when many reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the new.  I am no exception as I sit here reflecting on all of the ways that 2017 was good to me.

1. Jon and I are living happily in our little home in the country.  We love the peace that it brings to us individually and to our relationship.  I think that we are going into 2018 stronger and happier than ever before.
2. Dillon and Kiah got engaged!  I am so happy for them and look forward to seeing how this next chapter of their lives unfolds.  The wedding will be in the fall of 2019.  A date has been set, but that’s not my story to tell.  🙂
3. I have a wonderful family.  I am so lucky to have both of my parents, my grandma, my brother and all of the rest of my family.  Each and every one of you is important to me in your own way.
4. My health remained stable.  Each year without a cancer diagnosis is one step closer to achieving a clean bill of health.
5. I have an amazing group of friends.  Friends that I know that I can count on to have my back no matter what.  These ladies don’t care if my house is clean, what I wear or even how I look.  They care about what it on the inside.  They have seen me at my worst, and still love me.  For that, I am forever grateful.

As I look towards 2018, I am not going to set resolutions that I won’t keep.  I am going to focus on the things that are important to me.  In doing so, I pledge to do the following:

1. I pledge to be strong and healthy in mind, body and spirit.  If my mind is in the right place, everything else will come together.  This has to be my main focus.  I am depending on my body to remain healthy so that I can live an amazing life.  But first I have to put my mind in order and give my body the tools that it needs to be healthy.  That, is all on me.
2. I pledge to love and accept myself.  I am harder on myself than anyone else.  I look in the mirror and focus on all of my flaws instead of seeing the good.  The only person that this hurts is myself.  If I don’t love myself for who I am, how can I expect anyone else to do the same.  Therefor, I pledge to wake up each morning loving and accepting me just the way that I am that day.
3. I pledge to have an amazing life.  I have a wonderful family and friends.  I am going to spend time with them.  I want them to know how important they are to me.  I am going to spend more time saying yes to the people that are truly important to me and the things that I really want to do.
4. I CHOOSE to be happy.  I am the only person responsible for my happiness.  I cannot stress that enough.  Yes, people can hurt our feelings.  But they cannot control our true happiness.  That comes from within.

I hope that as each of you look back on 2017, that you focus on the good things that happened and take that positive energy with you into the new year.  Each day of our lives is a gift.

Happy New Year!!!