Wow, I can not believe another year is coming to an end. Boy was 2014 a whirlwind for me. It was for sure a transitional year for me that was exciting and scary all at the same time. I stepped out of my comfort zone quite a bit, and can’t believe where it has gotten me!

Before I jump into setting goals for the coming year I think it’s important to reflect on all of the things that were accomplished over the past 365 days. With accomplishments also come learnings. So I present to you 10 things I learned in 2014.

10 Things I Learned in 2014

1. There is no better time than now. I had contemplated signing up for Yoga Teacher Training for a while.  I think the biggest hesitation all along was that I didn’t think it was the ‘right time’.  I wanted to wait for the ‘perfect situation’ where I would have the time and money to do it.  Well is there ever really a perfect time? Situations are never going to be one hundred percent ideal.  There are sacrifices that will need to be made but if you fully commit to something, it is possible to accomplish.
2. I can go 21 days without sugar…but it’s hard.  When I committed to doing the 21 Day Sugar Detox, I didn’t realize all of the little things I would have to cut out.  Ketchup, dark chocolate, almond butter (flavored), KIND Bars, and of course wine are all things I enjoy quite often.  Not indulging in what you love definitely takes dedication and brings up a sort of resistant feeling for me.  Once I finished though, I felt great physically, mentally, and emotionally.
3. Money doesn’t necessarily equal happiness.  in 2014 I found myself making the most money I ever had in my adult career yet I was spending every single day wishing I was doing something else.  For me, I could have been making six figures and it still wouldn’t have been worth it.  We all can’t find our dream job tomorrow, but we can take steps to making a living doing something we are passionate about and stand behind.
4. Go to Belize in May.  If you want a relaxing, remote, desert-island kind of getaway go to Placencia, Belize in May.  We had just missed the busy season but the weather was still great.  We stayed in a bungalow steps from the Carribbean with only the ocean breeze sweeping through. No television, no computer.  Oh and when you’re there, make sure to make a stop at Caye Caulker, one of the coolest places I’ve been!
5. Moving in together isn’t all that hard.   I often was questioned about how things were going after Andy and I moved in together.  I never had anything that exciting or juicy to share because, well, it was easy.  Yes there are adjustments, but I guess when it works, it works!
6. Getting a puppy is a huge commitment.  We were told this hundreds of times, but you don’t really know until you know.  We absolutely love Rudy but it changes a lot!  No more sleeping in, no more staying out late because you lost track of time, and that vacation you’re planning? Mom, Dad?
7. If you believe it, it will be.  To be honest, I think I always thought to myself ‘I could never be a Yoga Teacher.’ Mostly because I just couldn’t ‘picture myself’ as one.  But when I began yoga teacher training, I learned about visualization.  I literally would visualize myself teaching yoga to a group of students, what it felt like, looked like, smelled like, sounded like.  The more I did this, the more I started to believe that I could be a yoga teacher.  And now, one year later, guess who is?
8. Home-made is always better.  Beef jerky, almond butter, paleo “granola”.  No need to spend tons of money on these expensive items.  It’s cheaper to make at home and you know exactly what is going into it.  Really it’s a no brainer.
9. Vulnerability is the foundation of connection.  I just sat here contemplating how to put what I learned during Yoga Teacher Training in one short sentence and that’s what came up for me.  When you get a group of people together, friends or strangers, they let their walls down and allow themselves to be vulnerable, a connection is made on the deepest level.  It can literally warm your heart.
10. What you put out into the world comes back to you.  I spent the entirety of 2014 working towards where I wanted to be.  I made big changes, stepped out of my comfort zone, did things I had never done before.  And while there are so many more things I want to do and places I want to get to, because I spent so much time working towards where I wanted to be, I am closer than ever before.

I hope everyone has beautiful New Years and goes into 2015 refreshed, inspired, and ready to live a life they truly love.  What did you learn in 2014?